"grandma...grandma wake up, we have landed"
"hmmm?"
"we are in america, its 7am"
"im awake, give me 5 minutes"
"but grandma we have to get off the plane"
"plane? wha..oh yes"
Mia laughed. Clarisse got up and put her seat back upright, smoothed her hair and stood up to stretch her arms. Her back ached aswell as her shoulders. Joe could fix that later.
"Mia wheres Joe?"
"hes waiting in the car, the suitcases are in the boot all we are waiting for is you"
"we better be off then"
Clarisse and Mia walked down the steps exiting the plane. The car journey was only 15/20mins long. Mia was silent all the way it finally dawned on her why she was back home.
"how are you holing up darling?"
"in my head, im dealing with it but in my heart im breaking up"
"dont worry my love"
"grandma?"
"yes"
"hug me"
Clarisse wrapped her arms around her grandaughter, Mia broke out into quiet sobs. Clarisse desperatly wanted to cry but held it together for Mia. Joe looked through his rearview mirror and spotted the embrace he mouthed to his wife.
"are you ok darling"
Clarise mouthed back.
"no, not one little bit"
This nearly brought a tear to his eye. The
car pulled up outside Mias house. She hadnt seen the loft for what
felt like a very long time. She was home. Clarisse and Mia got out of
the back and Mia ran up the steps to see frank and rocky. Clarisse
walked behind with Joe. Clarisses eyes filled up and she knew if she
blinked they would all come spilling out. There was nothing she could
do, she had to blink. The tears spilled over her eyelashes and she
quickly wiped them away.
mia opened the door and ran through the
living room.
"frank,...frank?"
"mia!"
Mia ran to frank and threw her arms around him. she held him tightly. frank and mia both started to cry.
"i miss her so much Mia i want her back"
"me too."
"do you want to see your brother?"
"oh my god yes"
A little brown haired toddler rushed into the room. he was now 4.
"hey rocky"
"princess"
rocky had only seen pictures of his sister on t.v or
newspapers so only recognised her as "princess"
Mia
bent down to him and held her arms out.
"Come here baby brother"
"brother? are you my sister?"
"yes. im your big sister mia"
Rocky ran into Mias arms and squeezed her gently.
"your so big rocky"
"im 4"
Mia giggled. Clarisse and Joe walked into the living room. Rocky spotted the former queen and walked up to her and tugged her skirt.
"are you the queen?"
"i was darling but your sister is now"
"mia queen?"
"yes mia queen?"
Clarisse bent down and picked up the little boy,
"im mias grandma"
"are you mine?"
"if you want me to be"
Rocky clapped his hands.
"my grandma was a queen mia"
"i know rocky"
Frank, Joe, Clarisse and Mia all laughed at the little boy.
"grandma can i show you my picture i painted today"
"yes dear why dont you run along and get it"
Clarisse put rocky down and he toddled off into his bedroom. minutes later he came back with a picture of a brown blob with eyes and a tail.
"its a puppy"
"a very good picture of a puppy"
"thank you"
Rocky blushed a little and spoke up.
"its for you grandma if you like it"
"i love it, il put it up at the palace when i get back"
"my painting in a palace? really?"
"yes darling"
Frank walked up to the little boy.
"hey rocky, how about making grandma clarisse a drink of tea."
"ok, will you help me daddy?"
"come on then"
the two walked off. Joe sat down on the big armchair in front of the t.v and Clarisse sat down on the sofa. Mia walked around the living room looking at everything.
"it hasnt changed a bit has it"
"no"
"Helen was a fantastic painter wasnt she Joe...Joe...Joe"
"looks like grandpa Joe was tired afterall."
"oooooh look at this grandma"
Clarisse walked over to where Mia was standing. In front of them stood a huge canvas filled with popped balloons, coverd in paint.
"me and mom made that, the day after my paolo make over"
"gosh i remember that. and this is what you did when you came back?"
"yes, we stood way back over near that wall and threw darts at it, it was soo much fun"
"i bet it was aswell."
Mias eyes started to fill up again, this annoyed her.
"um grandma you and Joe are going to stay in my room. It has a huge double bed and very comfy."
"where will you sleep?"
"i have a carpeted floor in the tower what i can put a matress down on, il be fine."
"only if your sure"
"100 percent"
Frank came back in with Joe and Mias teas. Rocky carefully walked behind with Clarises.
"grandma clarisse"
"thank you sweetheart"
Rocky
put the cup into Clarises hands and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Clarisse giggled and Rocky blushed.
