Chapter 4: Homecoming 3

"My boy is hooooome!" Aster, Stellar's mom, exclaimed. She took rushed yet elegant steps towards the siblings' direction. The hem of her maxi dress brushed on the floor as she gravitated to her son, Aki.

Stellar's left eyebrow twitched as she watched her mother, who looked like a goddess. She was nearing her sixties, yet she hasn't aged a day after their father left them fifteen years ago.

In the past, before she hit puberty, Stellar always wished to have her mother and sister's porcelain skin—free of hair and blemishes. Instead, she inherited their father's DNA.

Hairy armpits, check.

Hairy arms, check.

Hairy legs, check.

Hairy down there south, check.

Stellar had so much hair everywhere, she could put up her own house of wigs if she had the drive to do so. But she didn't. She'd rather stay cooped up in her room and read, read, aaaaand read again.

Meanwhile, the topic of hair suddenly brought her to think about her hairstylist, who would occasionally rant at how difficult it was to cut Stellar's hair because of how lush it was. If not for Stellar's generous tip, that hairstylist wouldn't dare to touch her hair. The thought made Stellar snort in her spot.

Suddenly, Stellar felt hands cupping her shoulders. She peered up and saw Holden hanging his hoodie on her.

"Oh, thank you, Brother Holden." Stellar wrapped herself with Holden's hoodie. She flapped her arms like wings and the two shared a laugh. "You're so thoughtful. Priesthood suits you, Brother Holden."

Subconsciously, Stellar brought the sleeve to her nose to sniff it. A small smile curved her lips. It had a faint smell of pine, which she guessed was air freshener from his car they used for their eighteen-hour drive from the seminary.

A helpless smile curved her lips at her reflection on one of her mom's vases. The hoodie was double her size, and it looked more like a robe than a hoodie on her.

"Oh snap," Stellar uttered. It finally dawned on her she was only wearing her pajamas and was completely bra-free. Her cheeks turned red. Did Beau see what's underneath? So she stealthily stole a glance at her chest then at Beau.

Disappointment flooded her face upon seeing Beau happily chatting with Cassy and Auntie Babes. Her left eyebrow twitched when she felt a needle prick her heart. Of course, why would he even spare a glance?

So she exhaled her frustration noisily, loudly enough to get her mother's attention.

"Watch your manners, young lady," Aster warned and gave Stellar a stink eye.

Before Stellar could retort, Cassy magically appeared to her side like a vampire in horror movies to cover her mouth, silencing her. Now it was Stellar's turn to pay their mother's stink eye forward, and the recipient was none other than Cassy.

Wriggling out of Cassy's caging embrace, Stellar zipped her mouth shut as a promise to Cassy that she would behave.

"I thought I will be having a sad New Year because you weren't home," Aster said, slicing Stellar's heart in half. Cupping Aki's face with both of her hands, she squeezed it with motherly affection.

"Silly, Mama. It's Stellar's birthday. I won't miss it for the world."

Aster's eyes briefly landed on Stellar before tracing it back on Aki. "Oh, well. It's still different when you're home." She shrugged. "And my adopted son Holden is here too! Oh! And Beau, my dear Beau! I haven't seen you in ages! Come in, come in. I prepared a feast for everyone."

Her mother's nonchalance about her birthday shouldn't surprise Stellar. It had been like that for years and she should be calloused over it. Yet every damn time Aster treated her as if her existence was a burden, Stellar would blame herself for looking like her dad. It was the only reason she could come up with why her mother never acknowledged everything she did.

Stellar buried herself in self-pity. She would never be enough. Not the medals. Not the scholarship. Not the numerous recognition she received from international organizations. Stellar would always be the scar their father had left behind.

All of a sudden, she felt a hand tug over hers, and her eyes darted to it. Tipping her chin up, a rueful smile painted her face when she met Cassy's understanding smile. "I'll go change first," she told Cassy. By the look on Cassy's face, it was obvious that her sister saw right through her.

"Let's go. I'll braid your hair. You're more beautiful when your hair is not blocking your face." Cassy pulled Stellar in a side hug and planted a kiss on Stellar's temple. "Don't wait for us," Cassy trailed off, waving the rest off. Aki nodded in agreement and the sisters were back in Stellar's room in no time.

"I wasn't expecting them to arrive this early," Stellar exasperated. She plopped on her bed and it jiggled on impact, creating a small wave. She swiped her arms, creating an imaginary snow angel, and she giggled when the water beneath her swelled, rocking her body.

This was her dad's last present before he disappeared from their lives for good. Through the years, whenever the bed ripped, she would patch it again despite her mother's chagrin.

Even her siblings hated the bed, but they kept mum about it because they knew, for Stellar, this was her anchor to a vanishing memory of their dad. That one person in the world who loved her the most.

…

Later that night, everyone gathered in the backyard for some barbeque. The sky was clear, and the full moon shone bright, illuminating the place in blue and gray beams.

Sitting on the swing, Stellar captured the scene in her head. It had always been like this for years. Her mom, Auntie Babes, and the rest of their girl gang would crash over their home every thirtieth of December and celebrate their post-Christmas-giving.

Oh, how she hated their party. If she could hide under a shell, she would, but she couldn't because her mother would surely drag her and the shell, just to show a face that their family is perfect when it's not.