Chapter 6
The plane flew overseas and the bright sun outside and the boundless blue sky lifted my spirits. I watched the scenery shift as clouds tumbled and a warm, reddish light streaked across the horizon.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck me and I quickly sketched it out on paper.
By the time I’d finished the drawing, night had fallen outside the window.
It felt surreal–like traveling through time and space. We had taken off on the morning of the 27th, but landed on the night of the 26th.
Feeling this strange excitement, I walked out of the airport and saw my mom, dad and older brother waiting for me in a row, smiling and waving. They were easy to spot.
I lifted my suitcase and ran over, throwing myself into my mother‘ s embrace,
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savoring the warmth I had missed for so long.
Back then, for the sake of love, I ignored my parents‘ advice and insisted on returning to New York for college. They had reluctantly let me go.
Who would have thought that once I left, I would be gone for eight years, returning only briefly each Christmas, leaving them to suffer through endless longing?
I was such impolite to me.
As tears began to rise, I quickly pulled away from my mother.
“Mom, I’m so hungry.”
She smiled, gently stroking my face, her love plain to see. “Come, let’s go home. I’ll make your favorite noodles with gravy.”
“Okay.
I walked out of the airport, arm–in–arm with my parents, laughing and chatting
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along the way.
Meanwhile, Ethan‘ s home was a stark contrast to the joyful scene on my end. At that moment, he sat on the floor,
devastated, frantically dialing my number over and over.
To avoid forgetting my birthday, Ethan always set a reminder on his phone every year and this year was no exception. Early on the 27th, he was awakened in the guest room at Amanda’s house by the
notification sound. Out of habit, he got up, planning to buy groceries to celebrate my birthday. He had already prepared a custom bracelet as a gift.
But when he saw Amanda in the living room, he hesitated. After all, I hadn‘ t apologized yet. He couldn’t understand. why I, who was usually so obedient, had become so stubborn this time.
Feeling uneasy all morning at Amanda‘ s house without a single message from me, he finally decided to go home and check on
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- me. But as he opened the familiar door, the sight that greeted him made him wonder if he had walked into the wrong house. He backed out to double–check, only to find the same stark, black–and–white decor from
seven years ago.
