“And now I get to go there too!” she said excitedly.
I smiled at the memory of the younger versions of myself and Jude. In all the planning we did for Reign’s arrival, the possibility never crossed our minds. Never in a million years did I think I would return to Locust Valley. We drove a little longer before we reached the long road that led to my family’s ranch. The newly paved road seemed wider than I remembered. Our land spanned over fifty acres.
After a couple of minutes, the house my grandparents built for Jude and me came into view. It was closer to the road than the main house. My eyes watered at yet another thing we planned that never came to fruition. I shook off the feeling of sadness that came over me. As we approached the main house, I parked the car, but before getting out, I took a deep breath. I needed to get my feelings in check. If I cried at everything that reminded me of Jude, I wouldn’t be able to function.
“Can I get out, Mommy?” Reign asked.
“Yes, go ahead. Unsnap your seatbelt,” I said.
Just as she unsnapped her seatbelt, I heard my grandmother’s voice.
“My babies are finally here!” she squealed. She ran over to Reign’s side of the car and opened the door. “Baby, it’s so good to see you in person. Nana is tired of those silly video calls. Give me a hug, big girl,” she said.
Reign wrapped her little arms around Nana as best she could while Nana planted kisses all over her face. Nana used to do the same thing to me at that age. Their interaction made my heart smile. That was the reason for my move. Nana wasn’t the only one who had grown tired of the video chats. Once Nana had loved on Reign enough, she stood up and walked over to me.
“You have no idea how long I’ve prayed for this day. It feels so good to have you both here,” she whispered in my ear as we embraced. Nana held me tightly as we rocked back and forth.
“Honey, let the girl breathe. They just got here,” PopPop said as he came out of the house.
“You hush, old man. I will love on my girls for as long as I want,” she chastised him.
PopPop sucked his teeth as he made his way toward us. When he reached us, Nana finally let me go. With the brightest smile on his face, he reached down to give me a hug.
“Welcome home, baby girl,” he said.
I was at a loss for words as I soaked up all the love from my favorite people. My heart felt so full being here in their presence.
“I really missed you guys,” I said.
“Well, now that you’re here, why don’t we get you ladies settled?” Nana offered.
Nana took Reign’s hand as they walked toward the house.
“I’ll grab your things from the car, Harley,” PopPop offered.
I stepped onto the wraparound porch and noticed the rocking chairs. According to Nana, the chairs were as old asthe house. We would sit out on the porch for hours, just chit-chatting. It would take getting used to, but it was home.
Later that evening, we sat around the dining room table for dinner. I tried to help Nana cook, but she shooed me out of the kitchen. Nana and PopPop took their seats at opposite ends of the table, and Reign and I sat across from each other. Nana made my favorite: honey chicken, green beans, cornbread, and a pineapple upside-down cake.
“Nana, you really didn’t have to go through any trouble cooking for us,” I said.
“Now, when has cooking ever given me any trouble? It’s your first day back home. Of course, I would make your favorites,” she said.
“Let’s say grace so we can dig into this meal. It smells so good my mouth is watering,” PopPop said.
I bowed my head, expecting one of them to lead us in prayer. When I looked up, they were both looking at me.
“Go ahead, baby girl, before the food gets cold,” PopPop said.
I took a deep breath and said, “Lord, thank you for bringing us all together today. Thank you for covering Reign and I through our travels today. We thank you for this new beginning. I pray you continue to keep us, protect us, and order our steps. Lord, thank you for this delicious meal and the hands who prepared it. Amen.”
“Amen,” Nana, PopPop, and Reign all said in unison.
We each filled our plates with a bit of everything. I fixed Reign’s plate and cut her food. Reign picked up the piece of chicken on her plate. As soon as it hit her lips, all we heard was, “Ummm hmmm. This is yummy.”
We all laughed at her reaction. Nana’s food always hit the spot. We ate in silence for a little while before Nana broke the ice.
“I hope you and Reign will be okay in our house, Harley. Whenever you’re ready, we can furnish your house,” she said.
