I'm Lost Without You

I swear, my heart skipped a beat every time Rain would cuddle deeper into me, adjusting his position in my lap. Thank God for first class, the seats could fit two people in one so comfortably. Though the original plan was to have us next to each other, a baby each, it seemed that Lila and Dimitri preferred being together and the big black chair to my left seemed incredibly inviting for two babies who could literally roll around in it until they tired themselves out and passed out together.

I bit my lip before leaning over Rain, careful not to wake him. He had gotten no sleep last night, his excitement getting the better of him, and had miraculously managed to catch a few hours on the plane. His excitement is contagious, though. I can finally meet his mother, his friends, his darling little sister.

They’re my family now.

I snapped a picture of the twins together, knowing that one of my mother’s conditions of going away was to keep her updated on the children. After taking to Rain, we decided that we would send her a photo album as a gift eventually. After her kindness, she deserves it, but due to the fact that I lack any artistic talent whatsoever, I’ll leave the job up to Rain and Rain alone.

And as I was putting away the camera, jostling Rain a bit more than I intended, the pilot’s voice came over the intercom, warning the plane that we were about to land.

“Rain, Rain,” I breathed, shaking him awake gentle. “You’re home.”

Getting off of the airplane and waiting for baggage took a lot out of me. It was so obvious that Rain wanted to sprint head-long in the direction where he knew his parents waited for him, but I was running on little to no sleep at all and had very little chance of navigating unknown territory with an overloaded luggage cart and two sleeping babies. Rain pointed out his last piece of luggage—it seems that the amount of bags he’s bringing back to England is double the amount of bags he brought to America—and pulled it off, throwing it on our carrier.

“Where to?” I asked him, rolling my eyes as I noticed that the luggage cart being pushed by him was already ten paces ahead of me. Excuse me for being careful with the children. I trotted to keep up with him. “Relax,” I soothed him as we turned a corner a bit too fast, the luggage cart almost tipping over after it had precariously balanced on just two of the four wheels.

“I’m excited,” he explained breathlessly, almost as if he had been sprinting when he hadn’t.

“Stop,” I commanded gently, pulling him back with my free hand since I recently discovered that I’m somehow able to hold both carriers in one hand. “Just go and I’ll catch up.”

“Are you sure?” He asked me, his eyes going wide as I brushed a stray strand of hair out of his eyes. He really needs to die his hair back to the original shade because despite his overall sexiness, two tone doesn’t look good on anybody.

“Yeah,” I said, no longer having the heart to keep him from seeing the people who mean the most to him when it’s been a full year.

He leaned up on his tip-toes, wrapping his arms around my neck to pull me in for a quick kiss before sprinting around a corner. I looked down at the twins, thankful that they were still sound asleep. I always felt awkward kissing Rain around them, it’s as if they’re too young and innocent to witness something like that. I don’t know, it’s my mind running wild, I suppose.

I switched the twins to my left hand, giving my right a break as I used it to push the luggage cart around the corner, barely seeing Rain disappear around the right corner at the end of the hallway. I jogged slowly, careful not to overwork the rickety cart or jostle the kids as I caught up with him, turning to corner just in time to see a head of brunette hair slam into Rain who had squatted on the floor, arms wide, obnoxiously red boxers peeking over the edge of his worn-out skinny jeans. He never allows me to buy him newer clothes.

I stopped the cart, watching the scene carefully as a high-pitched giggle erupted from the little girl. Layla, it had to be Layla. A smile placed itself on my lips at the obvious love that flowed between the two of them. A girl, barely above a baby, had gotten her older brother back.

As a few seconds ticked by, I noticed a small group of people sprinting towards them, Mason clear in the lead, though his rather feminine wardrobe had finally been replaced with one similar to Rain’s. My smile grew. No more obnoxious Barbie glasses that seemed to fit on cheerleaders better than him.

A laugh broke past my lips as I watched him stand on his tip-toes, pulling Rain in for a quick peck before he wrapped his arms around his waist and buried himself into him. I did my best to quell my small surge of jealousy, knowing that Rain and Mason had always been obnoxiously close and affectionate with each other, but knowing another set of lips had been on Rain’s while he belonged to me was not a comforting thought.

I made a mental note to inform Rain of my nerves. He’d understand, he always does.

Another young girl and guy, around the same age as us placed themselves in Rain’s path as they wrapped their arms around him simultaneously. Angela and George, I recited in my head easily, remembering everything that Rain had told me. Dating for several years. Angela is outgoing, George somehow keeps her in check. Watching the way she was giggle just as Layla had, it become apparent to me that I would get along better with George than I would Angela any day.

And last but not least, a smaller woman that was clearly aged stepped forward, brown hair spilling out of a sloppy bun on the back of her head as Layla clung to her leg. Rain’s mother.

I took a deep breath, noticing the tears of joy that slid down both of their faces as they embraced as I slowly began to push the luggage cart in their direction, Lila’s groggy yawns reaching my ears as she slowly came into consciousness.

It was time to meet the mother of my boyfriend, the friends of my boyfriend, and his baby sister.

It was time to close the door to America and firmly step into the one leading to England.

It was time to start my new life with my new family.