7. Back to Virginia

The train was nearly at Charleston Station. Ana tried to call her mom, but the phone line was busy. She was worried about her parents; they seemed to be going through a rough time in their marriage. And frankly, she was worried. Carmen and Rob never used to argue, but they had been over the last couple of months.

And Ana was so wrapped up in her thoughts that it took her a while to realize the train had stopped and people were already departing. From the train window, she could see in the distance her aging grandpa and step-grandma, who she just called Lydia. Her Aunt, Krista, was there as well, talking on her cell phone. But Ana didn't call Krista her Aunt, just Krista.

Ana grabbed her suitcase and stepped off the train. Her Grandpa waved her over, and he and Lydia enveloped her with hugs. "Hey, sweetie!" Al said.

"Hey Grandpa, Lydia, Krista," Ana replied, turned over to a beaming blonde Krista, who hugged her when she turned off her cell phone. Krista was rich, rich, and oh yeah, rich. She married a lawyer, and had three children: Michael, fifteen; Deena, thirteen; and Thomas, nine.

"We are just so happy to see you!" Lydia exclaimed as they walked out to the parking lot, and put Ana's suitcase in the SUV's trunk.

"How was the trip?" Ana asked. They sat in the back together, while Al and Lydia were up front. "Paul couldn't make it because his wife is still in the hospital. Car crash, and she broke her arm severely. But she's getting better, and will be out by the reunion." Paul married a nurse, and Ana found it ironic that she had actually become a patient. Paul had two kids. Daniel, eighteen; and Kate, fourteen.

"Oh, I didn't hear about that," Ana said sympathetically. "I'm sorry."

Lydia changed the subject. "Well…how I wish your mother and father could be here," she said as Al turned onto their street. "How are they?"

"Oh, um, they're…fine," Ana lied. Actually, they weren't fine at all. But she didn't say that at loud.

"I wish they could have come," Lydia went on. "Carmen and Rob…they would have been a hoot." Everyone laughed, and Ana secretly rolled her eyes.

Al pulled up on the curb of their home, a 1950's style whitewashed home with blue shutters. Sitting on the front porch was Paul and his son, Daniel. Daniel had gotten a lot taller, Ana thought as she got out of the car, her dad handing her her suitcase from the trunk.

When she reached the front lawn, Paul hugged her. Ana actually liked Paul. Not that she didn't like the others, but she felt closer to Paul, since her parents had met through him. "Good to see ya, Ana," he greeted. Daniel gave me a half smile and gave me a brief hug. For the most part, we got along.

"How's it going?" he asked me as we all went inside.

"Pretty good," Ana lied once again, "you?"

"About the same as you." Wanna bet? Ana thought.

"Here, let me get that, honey," Al said, taking Ana's suitcase, "I'll show you where you'll sleep." He lead her upstairs and into a pretty country-themed room overlooking the backyard. "Hope it suits you," he said.

"Oh, yeah, it's great, thanks," Ana reassured. She smiled at Al, who pulled her into a hug.

"I'm really glad you could come, Ladybug," Al said. Ladybug had been his nickname for his oldest granddaughter since she was born.

"I'm really glad I could come, too, Grandpa."

Al sighed. "I just wish Carmen was able to come. And I have this feeling in my gut, saying that she didn't."

Ana sat next to him on the bed. "Grandpa, what makes you say that?"

"I don't know. She's just been real…iffy around Lydia's side of the family. Like she doesn't like them." Al looked at her.

Ana shook her head. "No, Mom likes them. It's just that she doesn't feel very comfortable around them. I mean, she does, but…well, it's complicated."

Al just laughed and kissed his granddaughter's head. "That's all right. I just miss her." He heard Lydia's loud cackling from downstairs and took that as a cue. "We better get downstairs before they think something happened to us. What do you say?" He offered his arm to Ana, and she took it, smiling.

Barbeque ribs were for dinner, and Paul's wife, Natasha, and daughter Kate even made it over. Kate and Ana got along pretty well, since they were pretty much alike. Everyone sat around the large table outside, listening to the crickets chirp as the sun slowly set behind the rolling hills of Virginia.

"Oh, Mom, this looks delicious," Krista gushed after they all said grace. "Al, this sauce is amazing."

"I'm glad you're so enthused," Al replied with a grin on his face as he took a bite of his burger.

"Aunt Krista can get really excited," Kate said lowly to Ana, but playfully.

"She was excited when I got here," Ana replied, taking a sip of her tea.

"Well, no wonder. She thinks you're adorable!" Adorable? Ana thought to herself, and took another sip of tea.

"Natasha, sweetie, how is your arm?" Lydia asked Paul's wife, who's left arm was in a sling. Paul was helping her skin the rib meat from the bone.

"Oh, it's fine," Natasha replied. Her silky brown hair was pulled in a bun, but she looked as gorgeous as ever. Ana had always envied her beauty. Jules had called Paul hot, and Ana couldn't look at her step-uncle without thinking of her friend's words. "I feel like I'm five, though. Having to have my food cut up for me."

"But yet it is so sweet," Paul volunteered, and everyone laughed. Natasha kissed him and agreed.

"Please, not at the table," Kate said, appearing grossed out. "You're my parents."

"So?" Paul asked, taking a bite of his own ribs after finishing Natasha's.

"You. Are. My. Parents."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "And your point is, kid?"

Ana felt like she should interfere as Kate glared at her brother. "So, Krista, where are your kids. Michael, Deena, Tom?"

Krista finished her mouthful of food. "Michael is at an indoor soccer game. Deena has a cross country meet, and Tom is on an overnight Youth Group trip with his Dad. They wish they could be here," she ended sweetly. "They all really love spending time with you, Ana."

Ana smiled. "That's nice, thanks," she replied. "I wish they could be here too." Another lie. How many had she told tonight? It wasn't that she was a hateful person, she just didn't know Lydia's side of the family very well. Krista smiled back and took her hand for a brief moment. Weird.

Ana was glad dinner was over. It was well over 9:00, and she was ready to get the heck out. She said goodnight, hoping to make a quick exit, but ran into Lydia halfway up the stairs. "Hey," she said in her familiar accent.

"Hi, Lydia," Ana said.

"Going so soon?" she asked.

"Um, yeah, actually I'm really tired."

Lydia chuckled. "Oh, yes, of course. But, um, Tatiana, could I talk to you first? It must not be good if she used my full name, Ana thought, but she followed Lydia upstairs to her room. "Um, Ana, how's it going?"

"Good," Ana said evenly.

"Good? Good," Lydia replied. "School's fine? Life in general?"

"Yes, Lydia." Ana was starting to get agitated.

"Okay. Well, I just wanted to see if you were ok. You seemed a little...out, I should say, at dinner, and not talking much. I just wanted to know if there was something wrong. You seem somewhat...uncomfortable. Is that what it is?"

"Oh, no, Lydia, it's not that—''

"Is that what it is? Calling us on first name basis?" Lydia seemed very straightforward and anxious to get to the point. "Because if that's what it is, I have no problem whatsoever with you calling me Grandma. Or calling Krista Aunt, Paul Uncle...would it get a little better if you called us by that?"

Ana shifted from foot to foot. She felt like shouting, No! I'm uncomfortable because I don't know you guys! And only my Grandma is my Grandma. You are Lydia. Krista is Krista, Paul is Paul! But instead of hurting Lydia's feelings, she agreed. "That might help. Thanks...Grandma," Ana said, giving a stiff, false smile.

Lydia hugged her briefly. "Well, alright them. Let's get the tension out of the air. Good night, honey," she said, and left the room.

Not good, Ana thought blankly, and fell back onto her bed with a heavy sigh.

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