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It simply was the best Skype call that I ever had with my Papa. I was grinning from ear to ear. I was so happy that I was hopping around the entire house like a mad chimpanzee. I felt so enthusiastic, so energetic and so exhilarated that I honestly didn't know how to calm myself down and most importantly, breathe.

The joy and gratification was unexplainable. My Papa had given me the best news ever.

The news of his return.

Yes.

My Papa was returning from his European business tour. He would be back in Crawford Lane tonight. He spoke to me minutes before boarding the aircraft from England.

Could that get any better? Of course not!

The entire morning before the Skype call, I had been extremely upset and gloomy and depressed 'cause I was missing him so badly. But now I was on cloud nine!

I would be seeing him after so many months. Can't wait to see him! Can't wait to hug him! Finally I would be living with my Papa just like before. Finally he would not be a part of just my laptop screen but my life.

"My dad is coming back tonight!" I rang up Devon to tell him about the massive news.

"That's great! Can't wait to see him," he responded from the other end.

"Aren't you supposed to be nervous about getting my father's approval to be my boyfriend?" I asked teasingly.

"Of course not," he said casually. "You father seems to be a very sensible man who has never taken puke worthy decisions unlike my father," he chuckled dryly.

I felt a certain kind of stress in me since I didn't know what to tell him in response.

"I, uh, told my Gran about us," I said quietly.

"What did she say?"

"At first she thought it was a big bad joke."

"She needs to get her sense of humor operated then," said Devon bluntly. "Something as serious our relationship can never be a joke. I've got to say that in person to her."

"NO!" I said at once, terrified by the very thought of Devon speaking to Gran with a callous attitude.

"I've got everything under control. I mean Gran hasn't been speaking to me since then but I'm sure she will understand," I said gravely.

"She has to," he said matter-of-factly.

I sighed. "The thing is I find her behavior quite strange. Like ever since she heard about us, she is deeply shocked and blabbering a lot of things which makes absolutely no sense to me...."

"I don't think there is anything to it. She is a conservative woman so she is bound to react like this."

"I think you're right," I said in agreement with him.

***

When I arrived at the neighborhood sports club to catch up with my friends, I found just Josh and Adam at the basketball court.

"Papa is coming home tonight!" I beamed at them.

"That's cool!" Adam said. "Would be great to see Mr. Sanchez after so long."

"Amazing!" exclaimed Josh. "Now that he'll be back, do you think he can get me a free membership for golf?"

Adam shook his head with a sigh. Josh gave a goofy grin. And we all laughed. I went on to babble how excited I was for Papa's return. I told them how I'd make sure he spends most of the time with me. I listed out to my friends the things that I would do with Papa such as playing soccer and going for a trek out of lot of other stuff.

I was so so happy. I knew it sounded repetitive but I couldn't help it!

"Where is Stef ya!" I exclaimed. "Why hasn't she turned up yet?"

I noticed Adam growing stiff hearing me.

"Adam, do you know what she is held up with?" asked Josh.

"How will I know?" Adam retorted at once.

That reaction of his startled Josh and me. We exchanged puzzled looks.

"I-I mean I don't know where she is," Adam said quietly.

"Oh-okay," I mumbled. "I'll—I'll give her a call."

I was taking out my cell phone from my pocket---

"Why don't just the three of us play Scrabble? It would be amazing," suggested Adam, somewhat in a hurry. "We could even---"

"There she is," Josh said as Stef joined us.

I didn't know if Josh felt it too but I felt a sudden strain and uneasiness in the air now. Stef and Adam ignored each other completely which made me anxious.

"El's dad is returning tonight!" Josh told her.

"Hey, that's great news, El!" Stef smiled at my beaming face.

"So, what do we do today apart from guzzling pizzas, garlic bread and Coke?" asked Josh gravely as though conducting an important business conference.

I laughed at that.

"Hey, I've a plan!" said Stef. "Why don't we go bowling? It's been a while since we last went for it."

Josh and I loved the plan. We were about to agree—

"No, we aren't going for bowling," said Adam flatly. "Because everything can't happen the way you want it to be. Nobody wants your opinion."

I was startled hearing that since it was very unlikely of him to speak so rudely and that too to Stef....

"If you don't have it in you to appreciate the right things, it's not my problem," Stef retorted.

"So whatever you say and do is right always?! Jumping to mindless conclusions is your forte, not mine!" Adam snapped back.

"If you don't want to talk about stuff then it does give me the freedom to make my own conclusions!!" Stef bite back.

"That's enough! I'm leaving."

I was shocked to see Adam storm off there. Stef lowered her eyes to the floor, looking very much upset and hurt.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked softly, placing a hand of assurance on her stiff shoulder. "We can talk if you want to."

"No, I guess I'll go home. Not keeping well. Bye," said Stef. "Bye, Josh," she added looking at him before heading out.

Josh was sitting still on the bench looking tensed.

"I can't believe what just happened," I said, feeling disturbed. "Stef and Adam were never like that. Infact, Adam never speaks to anyone the way he spoke just now. He never ever loses his cool no matter how difficult the situation is. He didn't lose his composure even when Devon used to make snide remarks at him before."

"Stef and Adam have been fighting a lot lately....They argue over small things and make it a big issue," Josh sighed. "Nothing is same as before. I don't think the four of us can continue being best friends anymore the way we used to be once..."

Josh seemed to be pained at that thought. I could empathize with him completely.

"Don't worry, Josh." I sat beside him. "Fights between couples are normal. I'm sure they will resolve their differences soon and get back to being the amazing pair that they are. And I'm double sure that nothing can move the four of us apart."

Stef and Adam mean the world to me. Seeing them fight like that broke my heart. I really hope things get sorted out between them as early as possible.

***

Gran had cooked all of my father's favorite dishes. I tried to strike conversations with her while helping her out in the kitchen but her responses were brief and she lacked the liveliness and enthusiasm that defined her personality. That upset me a lot.

Later that evening, I was eagerly pacing to and fro in my room. Papa would be here any moment from now. And I couldn't wait anymore to see him. Right then I heard a car pull up at our driveway. My heart started to beat really fast in anticipation. I ran to the window to see a uniformed driver step out from the front seat of the silver BMW and hurrying to open the door of the back seat. As he did so, I saw my Papa disembark from the car wearing a navy blue business suit and black shades over his eyes.

"Papa is here!!!!" I spun around and announced to Gran and raced down the stairs.

As I reached the foot of the staircase, Papa had taken off his shades and was stepping inside the house.

My father looked incredibly handsome like always. He was tall, had light brown hair, striking auburn eyes, little bit of a stubble on his well-defined jawline and an amazing smile on his face upon seeing me.

"Papa!" I ran straight into his arms hugging him tight.

"Hey! How is my Ferrero Rocher loving supergirl doing?" he asked, kissing my forehead affectionately.

"I'm great!" I giggled. "How was your flight?"

"Not delayed for once," he threw his head back and laughed. "Mom, how are you doing?" he added as Gran appeared in the living room. "Hope Eleanor was an easy teenager to deal with," he said lightly.

Yeah right, talk about it.

"She was great," smiled Gran. "Glad you're home."

Papa looked at me again, "Eleanor, and mom you too," he glanced at her again. "I have a surprise for you guys."

Before I could think of anything, Papa looked behind. There was a moment of nothingness and then I saw a woman who might be in her early forties dressed in a black knee length pencil dress with shoulder length hair and brown eyes step inside the house. She walked upto Papa from behind with a smile and then they intertwined their fingers and stood holding hands...

My eyes locked with that of the stranger. I couldn't move or blink. My breaths were stuck in my throat with my mind drawing a complete blank. I was too stumped by the whole thing. I didn't know what to do and then I realized that my heart was beating weirdly like it never did.

I looked at Gran in reflex. She had grown stiff and from the look on her face, I could tell she didn't like the unexpected entry. And frankly, I didn't think I did either.

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