Homesick
Bill went to video chat on the computer with Tilly's help. With a few clicks, the screen changed to the inside of Remington Manor. The screen showed Remy's parents and Vasquez. Bill sighed in relief.
"Oh, thank you, Tilly." He told his daughter. "I hate to ask every time, but you know these kinds of things are impossible to set up. How do you kids do it?"
"Simple, Papa." Tilly said to her father. "I'm 12. We live in the digital age with streaming and other things that make our lives better. We know these things."
"Uh, you do know that I grew up in the eighties, right?" Bill asked her. "Computers existed back then too."
"I know. But the eighties were so long ago, and technology has grown and evolved many times since then."
"She's right, Bill." Alice told her son. "You can learn a thing or two about these modern day devices."
"You could too, Ma." Bill said to his elderly mother. "You could learn how to stream, video chat, or any kind of other modern day thing. The past is gone. So, it'll be good to live with what we have."
"I can do what I want!" Alice argued. "They're too modern and they keep coming out with more. My aging brain can't handle it. I say, the past was fine as it was. If it's not broken, don't fix it."
"It's if it ain't, Ma."
"I know. But ain't is bad grammar. You need good grammar to go through life." Bill sighed.
"Whatever you say, Ma."
"Remy!" Nancy called for the two boys. "Cricket! The Remingtons and Vasquez are ready on video chat!" Remy and Cricket were downstairs and in the room in a flash.
"You must be pretty excited to talk to your family, Remy." Bill observed. "I never seen you move that fast before."
"Yes, I am Mr. Green." Remy told him. "I'm very excited. I haven't seen my family in a while. I want to see what they're up to."
"And I'm excited that Remy's excited!" Cricket added. Bill gestured them to the table.
"Well, take your seats, boys, and then we can get started." Both Remy and Cricket went to take their seats at the table. Bill did too.
"Hi, Mom and Dad!" Remy greeted them when he saw them on the laptop. "Hi, Vasquez!"
"Son, you're muted." Russell said to his son. Bill was confused.
"Muted?" He asked. "What does he mean by that?"
"We have to unmute ourselves, Dad." Cricket told him.
"How?"
"I got this." Tilly said and pressed the unmute button on the laptop.
"Can you hear me now, Mom and Dad?" Remy wanted to know.
"We can hear you now, son." Rashilda answered. Remy sighed in relief.
"Why were we even on mute?" Bill wanted to know. "Why does this Vroom app even have a mute button?"
"To shut up all of the annoying people." Alice answered. "It's a gift and gives you peace as they go on and on."
"I guess." Bill said. "Seems rude to put someone on mute though."
"Sometimes you have to do what you have to do."
"I can't wait to tell you guys about my time on the farm." Remy told his parents and bodyguard. "I even found my country grit!"
"I don't know what that means, son." Russell stated. He then smiled. "But I can't wait to hear all about it."
"And afterwards, we will tell you what we have been up to in your absence, Master Remy." Vasquez spoke up.
"I know this must be hard on you, Vasquez." Remy said. "You are, like, obsessed with me and hate it whenever I'm away."
"True, it is hard. But, I'm an adult, so I can manage. You're growing up. One day, you will move out and you won't need me anymore. In the meantime, this is good practice until that day comes."
"Don't say that, Vasquez." Remy said. "Even though I will leave the mansion one day and venture out into the world as a full grown man, I'll always need you in my life." Vasquez sniffed back tears and wiped them away.
"That's great to hear, Master Remy."
Remy talked and talked about his time and the farm and after that, it was his parents and Vasquez's turn to talk. The Greens talked every once in a while, but it was mostly Remy, his parents and Vasquez.
"Well, that was great to talk to your parents and Vasquez." Bill said when they were all done and turned off video chat 45 minutes later. "It's always great to catch up and hear how life back in your home city is doing."
"It sure was, Mr. Green." Remy agreed. "I know that they miss me, but we'll meet up again. I can't wait until that day arrives." Cricket was worried about this.
"You miss them, don't you, Remy?" He asked. Remy looked at his friend.
"Yes, I do." He replied. "Very much. But I'm having the time of my life here with you guys. So even though I miss them, I have to be a big boy about it, be strong, and not dwell on it."
"It's okay and understandable to be sad and miss them, Remy." Bill told him. "You should express your feelings. Bottling them up is not good. When we were in Big City, every day we missed our lives back home in the country."
"But it was friends like you that made it easier." Cricket told him. Remy was flattered by this.
"Aw, thanks, Cricket. I had no friends before you, so I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't entered my life. You really changed my life around for the better, so thanks for that." This time, Cricket was flattered.
"Aw, don't mention it, buddy." Remy looked at Bill.
"And I'm fine, Mr. Green." He told him. "Really. No bottled up feelings here." But Cricket knew Remy and wasn't too sure about that.
Remy was sad all day long. Remy wasn't into it when the boys were playing soccer or going to the county fair with the other Greens. Remy didn't even have fun at the jamboree or danced at the hoedown that night. He didn't even get excited when Cricket nudged him and pointed out the fireflies flying outside the car window coming home.
"Remy," Cricket said to him as they entered the house and Bill turned on the lights. "I know it's late, but do you want to get jars and catch the fireflies with me and Tilly outside?"
"Tilly and I, little brother." Tilly corrected an annoyed looking Cricket. Alice smiled.
"That's my granddaughter!" She spoke. "Her father has a lot to learn from her unfortunately." She and Tilly hi-fived each other.
"Nah." Remy answered. "You and Tilly have fun. I'm just going to bed." He headed off. But Cricket had enough of this.
"Come on and talk to me, Remy!" He told him, stopping him from going on. "You've been like this since after the video chat this morning. Something's clearly bumming you out."
"I'm fine, Cricket." Remy told him. "It's just been a long day. I'm just going to bed." Cricket shook his head.
"No, something is definitely up with you." He then realized something. "Wait, are you homesick?"
"No, I'm not homesick." Remy said. "I'm fine."
"It's perfectly normal to be homesick, kiddo." Nancy said to him. "When I was in jail, I was homesick."
"And we were all homesick for the first few days after we moved to Big City." Bill added.
"Please, Remy." Cricket said. "Tell me. Are you homesick?"
"I told you before, I'm not." Remy told him. "Now, can I just go to bed?" Cricket shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Remy. Something's clearly wrong with you and I can't let you go to bed all mopey like this. I do not like seeing you like this. I'm your…." Remy got annoyed by this.
"Okay!" He snapped. "I am homesick! Are you happy now?!" Cricket and the others were surprised. Cricket was now sad that he made his friend angry at him.
"Remy, I…"
"No! Go! Go and catch the stupid fireflies with your sister!" Remy ran off.
"Remy!" Cricket called after him. He sighed sadly.
"Go and talk to him, son." Bill said to him. "You're his friend." Cricket looked at him.
"Really, Dad?" He asked. Bill nodded. "Do you think he'll even listen?"
"You won't know unless you try." Tilly stated. Cricket sighed, knowing that she was right. He then looked determined.
"Okay. I'll give it a shot. Wish me luck." With that, he went off as well.
"Good luck!" Tilly called after her brother.
"I don't miss home at all." Alice spoke.
"You don't miss Gloria at all, Ma?" Bill asked his mother. Alice shook her head.
"Nope; that girl is old enough to manage things on her own." Bill thought of something.
"Maybe we should call Gloria, too. I wonder what she is up to these days."
When Cricket came to the door, he heard crying. He opened it. Remy was laying on his bed, crying, Cricket went up to him.
"Oh, Remy." He said sitting on the bed next to him. "I'm your best friend. Why didn't you tell me that you were homesick?" Remy sat up and sighed.
"It's stupid." He replied.
"No, it's not stupid. You heard Mom. It's perfectly normal to miss your home."
"Easy for her to say. Her home isn't a mansion with rich parents and she doesn't have her own personal bodyguard." Cricket was confused by this.
"Why would that make a difference?"
"Because a mansion is like a giant playground with giant screened TVS, a pool, a bowling alley, an arcade, and so many other awesome rooms that a kid could want. I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to think 'Oh, Remy misses his mansion home, that's so typical of a kid with rich parents.'" Remy looked sad again. "I didn't want you to hate me, but now that I told you…" He began crying again. "Oh, you do hate me now, don't you? I shouldn't have told you! I'm back being friendless Remy!" Cricket was sad as he looked at his crying friend.
"You're not friendless, Remy, and you never will be." Remy looked at him as he had stopped crying. "And I can never hate you."
"Do you really mean it?" Cricket nodded.
"I do. It doesn't matter where your home is or if you're rich or poor. If you're homesick, you're homesick. I'll never judge you, Remy and I'll never stop being your friend no matter what." Remy sniffed back happy tears and smiled.
"Wow, thanks, Cricket. I really needed to hear that. You're a really great friend. I'll always be there for you too." This time, Cricket smiled.
"So, you're good?"
"I'm good. I'll still miss home, but I'm good."
"Good." Cricket stood up. "Now you get a good night's rest, Remy. See you in the morning." He was about to leave the room, when Remy spoke up.
"Wait, can I go and catch fireflies with you and Tilly?" Cricket was confused.
"But you said that you were tired and had a really long day."
"I did, but I also want to catch fireflies with you guys. I can go to bed later. I think staying up a little while longer won't hurt." Cricket smiled.
"Of course it won't. You can help me get some jars."
"Can do!" And with that, the boys went off.
"Ok, we're off to catch some fireflies now." Cricket announced when he, Remy and Tilly were downstairs. They each carried a jar. Bill looked at the kids.
"Ok, kids, have fun!" He said. "Don't stay up too late."
"We will have fun and we won't stay up past curfew!" Remy assured him. Bill looked at him, concerned.
"Are you alright, Remy?" He wanted to know. Remy nodded.
"Never better, Mr. Green!" Bill smiled.
"Glad to hear that. Are you still homesick?"
"Yes I am, but I'll get over it." But Cricket wasn't too sure about that. As soon as Bill excused them, the kids went off outside with the fireflies.
The next morning as Remy went downstairs, he heard and saw Cricket on the phone.
"I love having him around, Vasquez." Cricket said on the phone. Remy halted. Vasquez? Why is Cricket on the phone with his bodyguard? "But Remy really misses home and I don't want him unhappy. So, I think it'll be better for Remy if…" Remy ran up to him.
"Wait!" He shouted and took the phone to talk into it before Cricket could react. "I'll be fine, Vasquez, There's no need to pick me up. I'll come home when I come home, but not now. Not for a while yet. I love you, Mom and Dad. Goodbye!" He hung up and looked at Cricket. "Cricket, what were you thinking?!"
"Sorry, buddy." Cricket apologized. "I thought you would be better off at home, that way you wouldn't miss it as much and be unhappy."
"But I'm not unhappy. Look, I appreciate it. I do. You're a good friend, always looking out for me. But I like being here too. True, I'll be homesick from time to time, and it might never go away. But it's something I have to deal with on my own. I chose to go with you because I like you and your family, and I wanted to learn about your old home and a lifestyle that's totally different from the one that I'm used to. And I'm learning a lot and will continue to do so each and every day that I'm here. So, I knew what I was getting myself into. I don't know when I'll be back home again, but in the meantime, I'm happy just to be where I'm at. As long as I'm with you, I'll always be happy, even when I'm not because I know that my best friend in the whole wide world will be right by my side to cheer me up." Cricket smiled.
"Thanks, Remy. I know you will too. You helped me and Tilly with that speech on moving when we moved back to the country. That speech was really, now excuse the really lame dad joke but, that speech was really moving. It was like an anime character gave that speech instead."
"Thanks. We help each other out when one of us is down."
"We sure do and we always will. That's what friends are for."
"Yeah. I'm glad you're my friend."
"I'm glad you're my friend too."
"And we'll always be friends, won't we?"
"Yeah, forever." And with that, the boys went off to do whatever fun thing that they were going to do that day.