The sky could fall
The ground could shake
The stars burn out
And seasons fade
The time will pass
And beauty fade
But all my love will remain
-Remain, Royal Tailor
...

The evening sun scorches bright as I walk up the stairs leading to the main door. I wasn't home for lunch, mum would probably kill me for that, but I couldn't say no when Brian and Melanie offered to treat me out for lunch, since I scored the first rank. I stop short at the sight of extra pairs of shoes stacked on the shoe shelf. Which only meant that we had guests.

Voices carried over from the living room as I slipped my shoes into the shelf.

"What do you mean you're keeping her here? She's a rank holder, Sam. With a grade like that, she can get into any college in England. Why do you want to keep her home?" A stern voice asks as I tiptoe into the living room. Uncle Gale, Aunt Cindy, and Bea are sitting in the sofas, across my parents and aunt Lily is seated on the window sill. Nathan and Nia are sitting on the stairs, looking bored.

"Gale, you know very well that Nerissa is very naive. She trusts everything that breathes and is so kind to everyone, I'm scared that someone is going to break my girl's heart. With her level of vulnerability, she's gonna get hurt. I feel it's better if she stays with us," my dad answers.

Excuse me?! Naive? I trust everyone? Break my heart? Level of vulnerability? What was my dad saying?

"You're holding her a prisoner inside your cocoon! She won't learn until you let her out! You might think that you can keep her safe now, but she's gonna go out into the world someday. And if she doesn't survive then, it's all your fault," Uncle Gale fumes.

That's it. I decide that it was time to make my entrance. My parents would no longer get chided on my behalf. "Mum? Dad?" Nine pairs of eyes look at me as I enter the room. Nathan and Nia look at me with pleading eyes that either portrayed Help or Get us out of here. I smile at their helplessness before turning to look at my uncle's family.

"Ah, Rissa. Congratulations on the rank," Bea gets up and hugs me, "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Bea," I say, smiling softly. Bea and I, though inseparable when we were young, grew apart while growing up. It all started out as a healthy competition, but Bea's mindset that she had to be better than me pulled us apart. We started arguing for the silliest of things and when Bea's state common examinations results came out last year, she stopped talking to me altogether. Now, she speaks to me only when there's an audience.

"Nerissa dear," My uncle pats the sofa where Bea had been sitting earlier, "I'm so happy that you scored the first grade in the state. You've brought a good name to our family. Everyone I know has been talking about the 'James girl' who scored the first rank," Uncle Gale smiles proudly, "Oh, mother would be so proud."

"Thank you, uncle. Now if you excuse me, I'm tired and hungry," I lie. Yes, I was tired. Hungry, not so much. "Please don't take it as an offence if I take my leave." I walk towards the stairs where Nia is grinning and Nathan stands to leave.

"Nerissa, it's not good etiquette to leave the room when there's a guest, especially to see you," Uncle Gale says. I turn around to find uncle Gale with a disapproving look on his face. My dad pleads me to stay with his eyes. Sighing, I settle down on the stairs, next to Nia, while Nathan sits on the next step.

"So, Nerissa," Aunt Cindy speaks for the first time today, "How does it feel? Being a rank holder, you must have received a lot of attention."

"In all honesty, no I didn't," I reply, "And I don't want attention. I just want to be the same old me."

"Oh come on darling. We James should know how to bask in glory. You should go out, flaunt your skills," Aunt Cindy says dramatically.

"Recite biology in the streets? Nah, people would think I'm insane," I roll my eyes. Nathan snorts at my reply, while Nia's eyes twinkle with amusement.

However, uncle Gale eyes fill with displeasure. "Nerissa, a James is not supposed to joke around. What would mother say if she were here?"

"Well, Gramma isn't here," I say, shrugging, to which my uncle shakes his head.

"Sam, keep her with you. She will spoil the James' name if she's out in the world. She still hasn't gotten the level of maturity she needs."

What?!

"Don't say that. Grace behaves just as any mature adult does. You've gotta trust that she'll make you proud" Nathan defends me. I offer him a small smile.

"I wasn't talking to you boy. You have no right to interfere in family matters," Uncle Gale says.

"Hey, you can't talk to him like that. Nathan's family too-" Nia starts to say but is cut off by uncle Gale.

"He's not a James. He cannot intrude in our family affairs."

Nathan and aunt Lily wear looks of shock on their faces. Before they can say anything, mum speaks, "Nathan is my nephew, brother. He can take decisions in this family as much as Nia can."

"I will not let a fatherless boy take decisions and ruin my niece's life," Uncle Gale says, sternly.

A series of gasps and protests arise from the room. Behind me, Nathan bolts up the staircase. I get up to follow him, but am stopped by my aunt. "Where are you going? Your uncle still hasn't finished talking with you," aunt Cindy says.

"Well, I don't want to," but then, I had to get a point across to my uncle, "Uncle, our family was a well-known one in the US. But here, we're just an American family looking to survive just like the others are. If you wanted name and pride, you should have stayed back in New York with Gramma. And don't talk to Nate that way. He is more family than you ever will be." That said, I run up the stairs to find Nathan ignoring all the commotion which my statement chalked up. Nia hesitates for a moment before following me. Not finding him in his room, Nia and I go to the only other place we knew he would be; the attic. The attic was our secret hideout. Any problem or tough situation we had to face, we'd all go up to the attic and talk it out.

"Nate?" Nia calls out, climbing up the attic ladder. I climb up after her to find him sitting on the windowsill, looking at the sky. "There you are! Do you know where else we had to look for you?" Nathan says nothing, continuing to stare out the window. Nia looks at me, then at him and sighs. "Look, Nathan, just don't mind uncle. I'm sure he didn't mean it."

"Oh, he did. He really did mean it. He's never liked me anyway," Nathan replies, dry humour lacing his voice.

"Maybe he did," I say, to which Nathan raises his eyes, "but does it matter? You know how uncle is. Ever since he came to England, he's always been about making him known. He's always found happiness in material things and money and fame. He will not understand the worth of family. Moreover, he's just jealous because he thinks that dad loves you more than Beatriz."

"He thinks??" Nathan asks quizzically.

"Yeah, he doesn't know that all are equal in my dad's eyes. My dad can't choose between Nia and I. And he definitely can't choose between you or Stephanie or anyone from mum's family and from his family. We're all family to him. No matter what uncle Gale says, dad will continue to love you. So will God. His love for you remains."

Nathan shakes his head. "Yeah? Then why did he have to take dad? Everywhere I go, I'm the boy without a father. Every parent meeting, while my friends' fathers accompany them, I've wondered why I'm the only one with a mother."

"You're wrong. You're not the boy without a father. You have one, and right now, He's staring at you from the sky wondering when you're gonna trust that He has great things planned out for you. God does not let things happen without a purpose Nate," Nia says, sitting on the sill next to him, "He loves you. And we love you too, even dad. I think he prefers the British to the Americans. No wonder he fell in love with mum."

I smile, sitting in the little space that is left. Nathan shifts to make room for me. "Now, that is a story worth reminiscing. How dad followed mum here after she met him in the place she was interning. He must have loved her so much to drop everything and travel to England just to find her."

"Nah, he didn't drop everything. He left something called an opportunity that your uncle caught and followed. And now he's here, trying to ruin my life," Nathan says, jokingly.

"Nathan, he's not trying to ruin your life. Besides, it doesn't matter what uncle thinks. God loves you. That's more than enough," I say.

"I know, I was just kidding. Do you take everything seriously?"

"Yeah, she does. She's Little Miss Serious," Nia says, laughing.

"I'm not!" I defend, but my siblings keep laughing, "Fine, laugh, I don't care!"

Our little reverie was interrupted by someone clearing their throat. We look up to see aunt Lily. "Hey mom," Nathan says, "if you've come to check up on me, then I'll be happy to let you know I'm perfectly fine. God has given me two beautiful sisters who never let a frown appear on my face."

Aunt Lily smiles. "I'm glad to know that, but that's not the reason I came. Nerissa, you've got a visitor."

"Another one?!" I groan, "Who is it? Is uncle Gale still here?"

"No, he left as soon as you girls came up. We just thought you guys needed some time, so we left you alone. I don't know who it is, but by the looks of it, he looks like someone influential."

"Did you murder someone?" Nathan asks and I punch him in the shoulder.

"No... how could you say that?"

"Oww, that hurt!" Nathan says, rubbing his shoulder. "Who could it be?"

Nia rolls her eyes "You're not going to know who it is if you stand here and keep wondering. Let's go down and find out, shall we?"

...

Author's note:

Hey guys! Sorry for not updating for too long. A lot of things have happened, plus I had exams too.

What do you think about this chapter? Who do you think came to visit Nerissa?
Please drop your views in the comments and don't forget to vote.
Happy reading!

Stay blessed,
Grace.