It was a week after I arrived back home and my mom had decided to throw me a welcome home party. I didn't argue with her because I wanted to see everyone and what better way than having all my friends and family under one roof. David and George's family had been invited, my three girlfriends and their significant others since for some magical reason they were all dating and a few other close friends.

I was dressed in a short green flare Ankara dress with a V-neckline and spaghetti straps. Since I would be spending most of the day on my feet I had decided on wearing a pair of white Fila sneakers for comfort. My hair was in its natural black color and tied in a pony tail.

"Anisha now that my brother is not in the picture anymore will you be mine?"Brian teased as we talked in the backyard.

Even though it was a painful reminder that David was no longer with us, it was nice to see that they had healed enough to joke about his death. It did feel wrong though but I allowed them since they were my brothers too.

"No because he'd haunt the both of us especially after what you did to his car."I replied.

"It's mine now."Brian smirked and I rolled my eyes.

I didn't object to him keeping the car since otherwise it would just be gaining dust in the garage. It was weird seeing someone other than David drive it but I didn't have the heart to tell Brian no.

Walking away from the boys I walked towards the dessert bar to grab myself a few strawberries dipped in chocolate. They reminded me of the night David and I first had sex, it was a good memory that I liked to dwell in to cover up the negative.

The backyard was decorated with ribbons, balloons and a huge banner welcoming me back had been put up. There were long tables filled with foods, drinks, a lot of different games including a bouncing castle, trampoline and lots of tables with enough seats for everyone.

"Hey girl."Kim greeted excitedly giving me a back hug with her boyfriend Mike in tow.

"Kim, thanks for coming, you too Mike."I thanked them as I hugged them individually.

"My pleasure."Mike replied smiling before he was pulled by my brothers who had gotten something stuck on the roof and needed help getting it down.

"I didn't know you were serious about actually dating one guy but you actually did it. You and Mike make a cute couple."I smiled at my best friend.

"Thanks babe, it's all thanks to you. You encouraged me and for that I say thank you."She said hugging me.

"Anytime."

We continued talking amongst ourselves until I realized we were running out of champagne for the mimosas and I walked back inside to get some.

My mom was in the kitchen with Sarah arranging the dessert and I stood with them talking for a while. We were interrupted by the doorbell and my mom asked me to get it. It rang again before I could get there and I opened it thinking it was another guest who was late.

The person standing on the other side of the door was the last person I expected to see and definitely a figment of my imagination. I slammed the door shut in his face not ready to deal with those demons again. No please, it couldn't be happening again after I had worked so hard to suppress those thoughts.

"Hun who was at the door? " My mom asked behind me and I just stood there shaking.

"A ghost."I replied because that was the only reasonable explanation I had as to what I had just seen.

The door bell rang again and my mom appeared next to me.

"Anisha I thought I told you to get the door."She scolded pushing me aside.

Before I could stop her she opened the door and he was still standing there.

I knew that I looked like a deer caught in head lights because no matter how many times I had seen him I could not get over the fact that he wasn't real. I thought that I had left him or the thought of him back in South Africa but it looks like David was back to haunt me in my home.

Refusing to give in I turned around and ran up the the stairs yelling no over and over, my brain refusing to comprehend seeing David again.

I ran up to my room and curled up in my bed with my head buried in between my thighs trying to block out what I had just seen. It was nothing new except I thought I had been done with that phase.

When I had been in South Africa as a coping mechanism to all the loss I had suffered I had started conjuring up the thoughts of David. My imagination had been so wild it would get to the point where I thought he was real. We would have long conversations, laugh and watch movies together or just sit in silence. It helped me forget but not in the the right way. One day I realized what I was doing wasn't healthy so I had snapped out of it and stopped so as to move on. Now it looks like wishing David had been here with me to welcome me back home had brought back those thoughts. I just wanted to be free but it seems like the ghost of David didn't want to let me go just get.

I had no idea how long I sat there but before long I heard my door open and close and I knew I wasn't alone anymore. I knew who it was before I even looked up to confirm. My dress had ridden up and my thighs felt wet meaning I had started crying at some point.

"Have I become so ugly that you won't even look at me?"David joked trying to get my attention.

Finally gathering the courage to face him I looked up and and cane face to face with a smiling David.

He looked different from the David in my imaginations. That one was more like the David I knew, lively and full of smiles. This one in front of me looked exhausted and as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. His head was clean shaven now and he only had a stubble on instead of the beard I was used to. He seemed weaker and had lost a considerable amount of weight but he was still heavily built. His eyes were tired and he now had worry lines on his eyes. He looked thirty five instead of the twenty seven he should be since he was a year older now.

I realized we had just been staring at each other without talking so I decided to speak up first.

"I thought we agreed you'd stay away?" I asked me and he looked at me puzzled with a slight head tilt.

It was weird talking to him because I knew it was my subconscious replying but this time it felt different as if he was actually there.

"Baby what are you talking about?"He asked stepping closer until he stood at the foot of the bed.

David looked like he was hurting being so far away from me but he made no move to come closer. I wanted to be in his arms too but he wasn't real and I needed my David with me but it was not him just my imagination playing tricks.

"Our last talk was months ago and you agreed to stop haunting me. Why now?" I sobbed my heartbreaking as to why I was doing this to myself all over again.

It's as if I hadn't suffered enough already.

He chuckled and I realized just how much I had missed hearing his laughter even if it was just in my head.

"I'm real baby I promise." He tried to assured me but I knew he was lying.

He was only there because my mind was playing tricks on me.

"That's what I thought too until I blink or wake up and I realize you were just a dream and a figment of my imagination."I cried wiping away my tears.

"You can't blink me away this time."He asserted and I just stared at him shaking my head willing him to go away already.

I just wanted to be free but my mind wouldn't let me. I saw him have an internal battle with himself before finally one side worn and next thing I knew he was sitting right next to me on the bed with me in his lap.

I didn't have the energy to pull away so I just wrapped my hands around his waist and lay my head on his chest. His heart was beating really fast but so was mine. The puzzle pieces began falling together and I realized that I was not dreaming and neither of was my mind playing tricks on me. I'd never been able to touch imaginary or ghost David but here I was in his arms safe and secure. Instead of allowing my mind to run crazy with wild thoughts of all that could possibly be happening to me I just decided to voice out my question. I sniffled to clear my throat so my voice didn't come out all clogged up because of my crying.

"David."I called him speaking his name out loud for the first time in a long while.

"Yes baby." He replied his voice raspy and deep like I remembered it to be.

"You're really here aren't you?"I asked pulling away from my position on his chest so as to look at him in the eyes.

"Yes Tiny, I'm here and I'm not a ghost."He assured me.

I looked at him for any hints of a lie and finding none I did the only logical thing my brain could come up with with at the moment.

I kissed him.

He tasted real, familiar and it was the final proof that I needed to know that David was real and he was back with me in my arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought out lips closer not getting enough of him. Our lips moved against each other and our movements became frantic as if we both wanted reassurance that what was happening was real. His hands held me firmly against himself molding our bodies together in the hope that we would become one.

The taste of salt on my lips is what had me breaking the kiss apart, panting for air. David's lips were just as bruised as mine but what got to me were the tears in his eyes. I knew I was crying too but I'd never seen David cry before. I lifted by hands to his face touching him, another assurance that he was real and wiped his tears away but more just took their place.

I didn't need to ask why he was crying because I knew it was for the same reasons I was and probably more. Looking into his eyes I saw how tired he was meaning he had already been through so much but he was here with me and I was grateful.

"I have so many questions but right now I just want to hold you in reassurance that you are here with me."I hiccuped out pecking his lips.

"You have no idea how much I missed you my love. I just...."He broke of unable to continue.

"Hush it's okay I missed you too. We have all the time to talk. For now just please hold me and assure me that you're here with me."I pleaded.

"It's all I want to do."He replied and our lips moulded back together for a few minutes before we pulled each other closer for a hug.

Our faces were buried in each others necks trying to have as much skin contact as possible. Somehow David's grip slid from my waist to my bare thighs and I shivered at his touch. It was foreign yet familiar at the same time. I kissed his neck and felt his body react the same way.

At some point we ended up lying on the bed with his head buried in my cleavage, my hands in his hair, his around my body holding me firmly and out legs tangled together.

"I love you so much."His voice rumbled against my chest sending chills to my spine.

"I love you more my sexy mountain."I replied leaning to kiss the top of his head.

He kissed the top of one of my boobs and I held him tighter against me.

"I'm not so much your sexy mountain anymore."He confessed and my heart tore at how broken he sounded.

I had to reassure him that I didn't care how he looked as long as he was back with me in my arms. I'd take care of him and nurse him back to health.

"David look at me."I requested but he stubbornly shook his head and just buried his head deeper into the valley of my breasts.

"Okay fine be stubborn just listen to me. I don't care if you lost weight and practically became the same size as me."That statement made him snort and I knew he rolled his eyes. It didn't stop me though and I continued.

"Yes I loved your body but that's something you can always gain back. What I'm really happy about is having you back in my arms. You were dead David. I watched you die and we buried you. I don't care if you came back looking pale and white like a ghost, as long as you're here."I sniffed fresh tears falling from my eyes when I remembered the suffering I'd gone through when he disappeared and turned up dead in a box of ashes.

That finally got his attention and he looked up at me locking our gazes together. He leaned up and pecked my lips before he kissed both my cheeks.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that my love."He apologized.

"I know you went through worse."I replied kissing him again feeling sad all of a sudden imagining what he had to go through to get back to me.

"I thought we just agreed to enjoy each other and leave the sadness and talk for later."He asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk and I caught a glimpse of the David I knew and adored.

"You're right."I consented kissing his forehead before he resumed his position face buried in my boobs.

I don't know when it happened but after a while David's breathing evened out and I realized that he had fallen asleep. I knew he needed the sleep and even though our whole family was waiting for us downstairs they could wait. I just decided to enjoy the short time I'd have with him before he as stolen away from me by everyone else.

I felt my eyes well up with more tears and I had to clamp my hand over my mouth to hold in the sobs so I didn't wake David up. I was feeling overwhelmed having him back in my arms alive and safe. A part of me had never accepted that he was gone but I'd stopped hoping for his return. Now he was actually here with me and I was so happy my heart felt like it would burst.

I pressed another kiss to the top of his head and wiped my tears away. I watched him sleep knowing we had missed fourteen months together. I was not going to waste another second.

Sometime later there was a soft knock on the door and my mom entered when I asked her to come in. She looked fondly at the both of us looking like she herself had been crying.

"Poor boy, looks like he has been through hell itself."My mom commented and I nodded.

"You guys have been here for almost two hours and everyone else is getting restless. He looks like he needs the sleep but please wake him up. You both need to eat and everyone wants to know what happened to him."My mom requested.

I had no idea we had been up here that long, wow, I'd just watched David sleep for two hours.

"Okay mama."I replied and after one long look at us she left us alone again. Looks like our bubble had been burst and it was time to back to the real world.

"Baby you need to get up."I whispered shaking his shoulder softly so as not to startle him.

"Five more minutes."He begged kissing my chest.

"I promise you all the boob time in the world but we need to go see our family and friends. They are all worried about you."I added.

"Okay fine but you owe me lots of boob time."He negotiated and I laughed.

"You got it."

He untangled himself from me and pulled me into his lap and we had a mini make out session. I had to pull away before we got too carried away.

"I know I know but I need to shower first. Join me?" He requested and I didn't have the heart to say no with the look he was giving me.

We walked hand in hand into the bathroom and only let go of each other to get undressed. We had seen each other naked before obviously but it felt like the first time we had gotten naked in front of each other all over again.

"I'd almost forgotten just how beautiful and perfect you are."He whispered once I was fully naked and pulled me flush against his naked body.

I blushed and looked up at him.

My hands wrapped around his biceps and I realized just how much muscle he had lost but it was nothing he couldn't gain back. My gaze landed on healed bullet scar on his chest and I remembered watching him getting shot. It had not healed nicely causing a nasty scar but it showed how much of a survivor he was.

"Thank you for coming back to me."I said kissing the scar and running my finger over it.

"I will always come back to you but hopefully that was the first and last time I take that long to come back."He joined and I could only smile.

I pulled away and wore a shower cap knowing if I got my hair wet we'd only take more time. We both got into the shower and took our time washing each other. There was nothing sexual about it, we just cared for each other needing as much physical contact as possible.

Afterwards we left the shower and got dressed. I put on another dress only this one was red with a short mermaid design. David got dressed in a pair of black jeans and one of his hoodies with a t-shirt underneath.

"Why does my hoodie smell like you?" David asked as he tied his shoe laces and helped me with mine.

"I might have lived in them the last fourteen months. I also carried a few to Cape Town."I explained smiling not ashamed of it.

They were my source of comfort.

"You went to South Africa?"He asked getting up, linking our hands together and leading me out of the the bedroom.

"Yeah for a year, it's what the welcome home party is for. I got back a few days ago."

"Looks like you owe me some story time too."He said grasping my hand tightly in his.

"All in due time my love."I replied squeezing his hand back.

We walked into the backyard and I stepped aside as everyone got to hug him again. Dusk was nearing since it was almost six in the evening basking the backyard in beautiful light. I walked towards where all the food was laid out and served a plate for me and David to enjoy together. I put as much much as I could before walking back to the group who had settled down now.

David was looking around frantically but once he spotted me he relaxed and pulled me to his side. We took our seats and instead of allowing me to sit next to him, he just pulled me into his lap, not that I was complaining.

"Son we're all wondering what happened to you."My grandfather asked.

Everyone had moved the chairs and tables so that it was now one long table and David was the center of attention.

"It's a long story."David started as I pushed the plate between us and started feeding him.

He could talk while he ate. I needed to start fattening him up and fast. Seeing him look so different just reminded me of how much he had endured.

"We have the time."His mom, Sarah replied.

"Okay then."David took a deep breath and began narrating his story from the moment that he was kidnapped to the point he found himself to our doorstep.

By the time he was done we were all in tears and even David himself was crying, no one was spared.

I hugged him and he held me tight against him. He had gone through so much just to get to me.

Thank you God for bringing him back to me safe and sound. I promise to take care of him and never let him go.

I prayed silently as everyone else expressed their feelings about the situation. I was just happy to have my man back.

###############################

Another long chapter but I had so much to say and I didn't want to leave you guys with another cliffhanger.

We're winding up but still let me know your thoughts about this chapter.

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Love@Lyssah.