"You really think I can do this?", I asked for the millionth time to Isaac.

"You can't go back now."

I took a deep breath before stepping out of the car with Isaac following me.

The house was exactly the same as it was seven years ago. The house in which I grew up, the house in which I first walked, the house in which I played, in which I studied and the house that I left seven years ago.

The cream colour was fading from the walls, and pots of plants hanging from the wall.

When I didn't move, Isaac held my hand and dragged me with him towards the main gate that opened into the small lawn leading upto the door of the house.

"Isaac please, we should go back", I pleaded to him, whispering so that no one hears us.

"It took me a month, Larisa to convince you to come here and we are not going back unless you talk to your parents and ask for forgiveness."

"But...you think they would forgive me? They must be happy that I am out of their lives for good."

"Explains why they come to New York almost every few months...they want to meet you, Larisa. You said you will come back and you didn't."

I gripped his hand tightly, "I am scared...just let's go back. I will do anything you will say."

"All I want you to do is go inside and talk to them", he said in a stern tone, "I am not asking you to become close to them all of a sudden...just talk to them."

"Why does it concerns you?"

He cupped my cheek, "Cause I love you, sweetheart. I just want you to be free because I know you keep thinking about them almost everyday...I know your heart isn't yet satisfied because you know that you broke your promise."

I closed my eyes sighing as I gently rubbed my belly where our son was growing...I was almost eight month pregnant.

"I am not staying in there for more than fifteen minutes", I stated before walking up the few steps leading to the door and giving Isaac one last look hoping he might change his mind, which he didn't, I rang the doorbell.

I waited for a minute for the door to open and that one minute felt like an hour before the door was finally opened.

I was expecting my parents or my brother or Bethany to open the door instead the moment the door was opened, we heard Emmeline exclaim, "Thera!"

Gently I crouched down to her level with a warm smile on my face, "Hey babe. How are you?"

"You came to meet me?", she asked enthusiastically ignoring my previous question.

"Yes."

Sh had a huge grin on her face and then she looked behind me to see Isaac standing there and ran to him.

Isaac picked her up in his arms before flicking her nose, "Hey, princess."

When Isaac placed her down, I said to her, "Can you go and tell your grandparents that...", I paused and looked over to Isaac who gestured me to go on, "Just tell them that...Larisa is here."

Emmeline cocked her head, "Larisa? But your name is Thera."

"I will explain to you that later...just go tell them."

"But grandpa and grandma went out an hour ago...mom, dad are here... should I tell them?"

"Yes, please."

She nodded before running back inside, shouting, "Mom?!"

I looked at Isaac, "You still think I can do this?"

He held my hand, gently rubbing circles at the back of my palm, "I believe in you...more than anyone or anything else", and he kissed my head.

"Stop copying dialogues from Frozen", I gently pushed him.

"That's what happens when you make me watch that thousand of times", he rolled his eyes.

Before I could reply, we heard someone gasp, "Larisa?"

I gave her a sad smile, "Hey, Beth."

"Wha--"

"Larisa?!", Nathan gasped coming from behind her while Emmeline looked at us in confusion.

And at that moment I just wanted the ground to swallow me, I couldn't face him.

I tried to take a small step back but Isaac grabbed my waist preventing me from running.

"Umm...I-I...came to...meet you...all", it was difficult to form any sentence because I was seeing my brother and sister-in-law after seven years.

"Emmeline said that...m-mom and dad are not at home...when will they come back?"

Beth answered, "They...must be coming..."

"Umm... it's okay, we can come back later", saying that I looked at Isaac hopefully but he gave me a deathly glare making me gulp.

"If you don't mind...we can wait for them...inside", Isaac said to... actually everyone in a firm tone.

"Ye-ah, umm...of course", Nathan said before stepping aside from the door gesturing us to go on.

Stepping inside that house bought back memories...all the bad ones, all their words came crashing down to me. I thought that I would never see them again but here I am, with my husband asking for forgiveness; shouldn't they be the one to apologise?

Beth led us to the living, which looked renovated as compared to as it was before.

We got seated on the sofa and Isaac wrapped his hand around my waist securely, rubbing small circles there.

Beth and Nathan sat opposite to us while Emmeline kept standing there looking at us in confusion.

"Emm, go and play inside...", Beth said to her softly and she pouted sadly before going inside.

As she left, there was an awkward silence, both Nathan and Beth glanced at my belly and then at Isaac.

Beth decided to break the silence, "Umm...I saw your post, La-Thera. Congratulations. Both for your wedding as well as your... pregnancy."

"Thanks", I muttered and saw Beth elbowing Nathan lightly.

"Yeah...con-congratulations!", he finally spoke.

And I gulped befor muttering a small thank you.

"Do you want to drink something? Water? Coffee? Anything?", she looked at us.

"Just water", I said since my throat was drying up.

She quickly got up and left leaving us with Nathan.

"Umm...", Nathan tried to say something, "I am...sorry for all the things I said to you--"

"I think we should wait for them", I interrupted, giving him a tight smile and he nodded.

Isaac sat quietly, observing each and every thing and he had a really intimidating look on his face that said 'hurt her and you will be dead', which was why Nathan was almost sweating.

Beth came back with a tray in her hand and placed it infront of us on the centre table and I picked up a glass of water and drank it, soothing my desert dry throat.

Beth offered it too Isaac but he refused politely.

As I placed my glass down, we heard the door opening and soon we heard a voice.

"Why is there a car parked outside?", mom asked.

"Are we expecting guests?", dad added.

And I froze.

Time to face everything. But before that I looked at Isaac who gave me an encouraging look and we both stood up.

"Natha--", mom stopped mid-sentence when she entered the living room and her eyes fell on me or...us.

I dug my nails in my palm trying to calm myself. She looked the same expect she lost a lot of weight and her hair was slowly turning white.

When dad noticed everything, he froze too.

There was pin drop silence which I decided to break, "I-I...came back...as I said...I got...late, I was...busy."

What am I even saying?!

"La-larisa?", mom's voice quivered as her lower lip trembled.

Dare you start crying and start your drama saying that you missed me.

I wanted to say that aloud but decided against it.

"What do you want me to say?!", I whispered shouted to Isaac.

"Say you are sorry", he whispered back and I rolled my eyes earning a glare from him.

I nervously scratched the back of my neck, "I...am...sorry..."

I wasn't going to say anything else because I agree what I did was somewhere wrong but...they need to apologise to me too.

The next moment I was suddenly engulfed in a hug by my mother catching me off guard.

She hugged me tightly while I stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do next.

When she didn't pull back even after ten seconds, I slowly placed one of my hand on her back.

When she finally released me, she cupped my cheeks and her eyes were wet. (I mentally rolled my eyes.)

Isaac was looking at me with a small smile on his face.

"You...c-came back", she whispered.

Instead of replying I just gave her a curt nod.

Dad, who was just watching us the entire time came and stood next to her.

He gently ran his hand above my head.

He looked at mom and they both exchanged a look after which they said together, "We are sorry."

Atleast they realised their mistakes.

When I didn't say anything, dad said, "We are really sorry, we should have never said those things to you. After you left, we realised our mistake."

"It's...okay. I came back just as I said...", I said softly and Isaac gave me a proud look.

A look of relief crossed their face as they sighed.

I grabbed Isaac's hand and said, "This is Isaac (as you all know), I got married...and I am pregnant."

They all looked at Isaac as he gave them a warm smile and my parents shook hands and blah, blah, blah...

I am skipping the details but in the end, they apologised to me and I forgave them and promised to be in touch with them.

_______________________________________

I unbuckled my seatbelt and shifted closer to Isaac placing my head on his chest, as we travelled back to New York City.

Isaac placed his hand on my belly and rubbed circles there.

"I am really tired...we could have travelled back tomorrow...", I complained.

"And then you would have been too tired to attend their engagement party."

"Don't you think that an engagement party is unnecessary, I never liked the idea of it."

"Yeah...but Nyle was really excited about it."

"Hmm... Emilia was excited too..."

Remember Nyle asking my permission to date Emilia? Well, it turned out that they both were meant for each other. After almost six months of dating, Nyle proposed her and she said yes.

And now their wedding is in two months.

I was really happy about them...they both really love each other.

And about Josh, it was quite a surprise when he started dating Claudia.

How did it start?

Josh happened to bump into her in a coffee shop one day and spilled her coffee and then as an apology, he bought her a cup of coffee and that's how it started...I know it's very clichè but I am happy about them too.

"Have you thought about any name?", I questioned Isaac.

He looked down at my belly affectionately before he said, "Have you?"

"I did. How about Brayden?"

That only made Isaac scowl, "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously. As if your name would be better", I rolled my eyes.

"My name's better, wanna hear?"

"Go on."

"Adriel."

"Adriel", I repeated and to be honest, it sounded really good.

An involuntary smile formed on my face as I looked down at my belly and placed a hand on it, "Adriel Mallay Grayson."

Biting my lips to stop my huge smile I looked at Isaac who was smiling too.

"It's good."

"I know", he smirked.

"Adriel Mallay Grayson", he said again looking at my belly, the smile never leaving his lips as I looked at him lovingly.

"I love you", those words escaped my lips in a whisper.

He looked at me and grinned, leaning in closer, he whispered against my lips, "I love you too." And he pressed his lips against mine.

He was the peace, the happiness and the satisfaction I have been craving all these years.

He was my soulmate.

🖤