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Weeks had passed, and Lita managed to navigate through school. Mateo had been fortunate enough to avoid returning to the hospital, and as hopeful as Lita was about his recovery, she didn't want to jinx it.

Lita lay in her bed, her faux silk pillow feeling lumpy and leaving her restless. She turned around to face her younger brother.

"Mateo," she whispered.

Mateo groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Not again," he mumbled to himself, only to receive a pillow to the head.

"Ow, Lita!"

"Shush! Dad's sleeping, stupid. Anyways... Mom sent me a letter," Lita said, leaning into her hands and regretting throwing her pillow at Mateo.

Mateo sat up at Lita's words, seeming much more interested. "Really? What'd it say!? Did she mention me? Is she coming to visit?" he said excitedly.

Lita mentally scolded herself for bringing it up. "No... but she did invite me to her wedding," Lita said.

"Oh... What about me? Am I invited?"

Lita thought for a moment. As much as she despised her mother, she wasn't going to let her hurt Mateo, even in her absence. "Sorry, bub. She said you're too sick."

"But I'm getting better. Did you tell her I'm better!?" Mateo said with sad eyes.

Lita shook her head. "We can't risk it, though."

Mateo sighed, holding his stuffed bear closer to him, mumbling, "I hate being sick."

"At least you get to have pudding at the hospital," Lita said, using the first thing that came to her mind to try to cheer him up.

"Yeah, it does taste pretty good..." he said, trailing off and staring up at the ceiling.

"Would you be okay if I went?" Lita asked, hopeful.

"Yeah, of course! I just hope her wedding goes horribly wrong, and there's a fire," Mateo said, giving her a happy smile that kind of creeped her out.

"Me too. Goodnight, Mateo," Lita said, turning over.

"Night, Lita."

In the days leading up to her departure, Lita meticulously arranged the details of her trip with her mother over the phone. The airline ticket arrived by mail, a tangible promise of the journey awaiting her in Forks. Lita diligently prepared for the visit, carefully selecting the items she would need and folding them into her suitcase.

On the day of her departure, her father took a rare day off from work to accompany her to the airport. The trio walked together through the bustling terminal, the atmosphere a blend of excitement and bittersweet anticipation. As they reached Lita's departure gate, hugs were exchanged, and well-wishes filled the air.

"Be safe, mi amor," her father uttered, holding her close in a warm embrace.

"I will," Lita assured him, a brave smile on her face.

Mateo, her younger brother, interjected with a touch of playful concern, "Don't get killed by a bear. I researched it; there's a lot of bears there." His hug conveyed both protectiveness and a hint of teasing.

Lita responded with a wry smile, "Great, thanks..." as she accepted his embrace.

"We'll see you in a few weeks, bub," her dad chimed in, playfully ruffling her hair.

"Dad!" she protested, laughing.

"I know, I know, don't touch the hair. My bad," he conceded, sharing in the laughter.

With a final wave and a lingering smile, Lita proceeded through security checks, turning back one last time before disappearing into the terminal, her heart carrying a blend of excitement and apprehension.

The five and a half-hour plane ride left Lita exhausted, her only source of entertainment coming from her headphones. As the plane landed, Lita pulled out her suitcase from the overhead compartment. She didn't have to wait long to exit the plane as it was less than half full.

A cold breeze hit her face instantly as she stepped foot outside the plane. Lita wished she had grabbed her jacket from her suitcase before stowing it. The chill in the air bit through her, a stark contrast to the warmth she left behind. She took a moment to appreciate the change, a tangible reminder that she was miles away from her familiar home.

As Lita descended the metal steps, her eyes caught sight of her mother standing by an old Forks police cruiser. A wave of mixed emotions washed over her, but she couldn't deny the small smile that tugged at her lips. Despite her desire to harbor resentment, love lingered beneath the surface.

Her mother's excitement was palpable as she waved, and Lita, unable to resist, reciprocated with a genuine smile. The complicated feelings she harbored couldn't erase the bond they once shared.

Approaching her mother, Lita found herself engulfed in a tight hug. Her mother pulled back, holding Lita's face between her hands. "My Estrellita, you're so beautiful," she exclaimed, a genuine smile lighting up her face. Another hug followed, and Lita couldn't help but surrender to the familiarity.

"I missed you, Mom," Lita confessed, burying her head into her mother's shoulder.

"I know, sweetie, but you're here now. Let's focus on that," her mother replied, and they stepped apart. Glancing beside her mother, Lita noticed an awkwardly standing Charlie, who gave her a small nod.

"How are you doing, kiddo?" he asked.

"I'm really good," she replied, glancing toward her mother with a smile.

"Bella's with her boyfriend, so you probably won't see her until later," Charlie informed them as they hopped into the car, Lita's suitcase safely stowed beside her.

"Since when did she get a boyfriend?" Lita inquired, recalling her mother had never mentioned such a thing. The car rumbled to life, and as they drove in the direction of Forks, Lita's mind buzzed with questions and unspoken sentiments.

As they drove toward Forks, Lita's mother delved into a peculiar story about Bella and her boyfriend, recounting a heated argument with Charlie that led to Bella storming out.

Lita couldn't ignore Charlie's visible discomfort, reflected in his forced laughs and nods as her mother wove the narrative. It was a familiar scene, a charade concealing underlying tensions.

The cruiser sped past the Forks welcome sign. A wistful smile crossed Lita's face as memories of a certain person not far away flooded her mind.

Returning to her mother's home, heavy rain began to pour, and Lita couldn't help but silently regret not bringing more suitable clothing.

"This is it," Charlie said, grabbing Lita's suitcase, scratching the back of his neck with an awkward smile.

"I'll show her, her bedroom," Lita's mother said, taking the suitcase from Charlie's hands and leading Lita upstairs.

"Ta dah!" she exclaimed, opening the door to Lita's bedroom. The room had plain white walls, and a bed sat against the side of the wall, with a bay window letting in soft light.

"It's great, thanks," Lita said, smiling.

"No problem, sweetie. I'll just be making dinner; you get settled," her mother said, giving her a happy smile before leaving her alone in the room to collect her thoughts.

Lita sat on her bed, opening up her suitcase to find something unexpected. Mateo had placed his teddy bear inside, and with a smile, Lita held it in her lap, fiddling with its arms, contemplating whether or not to leave the room.

Leaning her head against the wall with a sigh, she was startled when her phone began to vibrate. Pulling it out of her skirt pocket, Lita answered without checking the name, smiling when she heard the voice on the other end.

"Hey, Lita!" Mateo's voice ran through her ears.

"Who's this?" Lita teased.

"It's me! Mateo, duh. Who else has this cute of a voice?" he said, making her laugh.

"Oh... right, Mateo. Well, what do you need?" she said, her smile strong.

"Nothing, I just wanted to call you, and Dad let me use his phone. I miss playing on yours, though."

"Well, as soon as I'm back, you can use it."

"How long do you think you'll be?"

"I don't know. Mom hasn't booked my return ticket yet, and her wedding's not for another three weeks."

"I wish I was there with you..."

"Well, who else was gonna keep Dad company?" Lita said, trying to brighten his mood.

"Let's swap..." Mateo whispered into the phone.

"I heard that!" Lita heard her dad yell in the background. "That's it, give it back," he said, making Mateo sigh into the phone.

"Aw, bye, Lita!" he said cheerfully before some commotion could be heard, obviously the phone being handed back to their father.

"Hey, princess," her dad said, his smile obvious.

"Hi, Dad," Lita said, smiling.

"How is everything going there?"

"Alright," she said with a shrug.

"And your mother?"

"She's... definitely happy I'm here."

Lita's dad paused for a moment, sighing. "Well, I'm glad she's got something to be happy about... I've gotta go. The transplant center called Mateo in for a possible donor."

Lita nodded. "That's good, right? It sounds good."

Lita's dad laughed on the other line. "Yeah, it's really good. I'll talk to you later, Mija."

"Bye, Dad," Lita said, hanging up with a smile.

Lita descended the stairs, the enticing aroma of dinner wafting through the air. In the small lounge, Charlie sat on the couch, a beer in hand, engrossed in a football match.

"Hey, mama," Lita greeted, putting her arm around her mother, who was tending to something on the stove. The noise of the TV and the scent of a homecooked meal created a comforting atmosphere.

"Welcome back, Lita!" her mother exclaimed, turning to give her daughter a warm hug.

As they embraced, her mother asked, "Hungry? I made your favorite."

Lita's stomach responded with a growl, and a smile tugged at her lips.

The three of them gathered around the small dining table, the absence of the fourth member creating a palpable void between Charlie and Lita.

Charlie broke the silence, his focus on his meatloaf, a dish that fell short of Lita's favorites. "So, what are you gonna do to keep yourself busy while you're here, Lita?"

Lita shrugged, twirling her fork absentmindedly. "I don't know... might look for a job."

Excitement lit up her mother's face. "Oh! You should come to work with me, honey. We've been needing some help for a short while." She spoke with a genuine smile.

"Yeah, that'd be cool." Lita said, smiling to herself as she looked down at her half empty plate.

The sound of tires against the gravel caused Lita's eyes to dart up, just as the front door swung open, letting in the cold breeze. Bella entered, offering an awkward hello before charging up the stairs, the door slamming behind her.

"Uh, well, that is Bella," Charlie said, pointing up the stairs.

Bella quickly descended the stairs. "Hey, Bells, where are you going?" Charlie asked as she reached the front door.

"I, uhm, just to Jacob's," she replied, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Well, you should take Lita," Charlie suggested, causing Lita's eyes to widen in horror.

"Oh no, you don't have to—" Lita began.

"She doesn't, but it'd be nice, right Bella?" Charlie added, giving her a look.

"Yeah, it's... fine," Bella agreed, offering Lita a tight-lipped smile.

"Okay, I'll just grab my sweater quickly," Lita said, glancing down at her short skirt and crop top, ill-suited for Forks' cooler weather.