Chapter 3

The long-awaited day has finally arrived. The day of our move. Dad had already finalised everything, including our new home. "It is so perfect, it's going to take your breath away", his words. Apparently, Dad is already in love with the Blackwood Valley and our new home. As for me and Rock, we will decide once we see for ourselves. "Angel, Aunt G is here", I heard Rock hollering from downstairs, "Coming" I replied. Everyone is already downstairs, with all our things packed and ready to go. Here I am, in my room looking around, engraving very nooks and corners in my mind. In a way, this house is my first ever home, this room my first-ever safe heaven. I never thought you could be soo attached to a non-living object, but we are, with me struggling to say goodbye to my paradise.  I don't know, what is wrong with me, sometimes my emotions are so over the place I feel like suffocating in them. With a last glance, I made my way downstairs.

"Hello Aunt G", I greet Aunt G Aka Ginna, Dad's boss cum best friend, with a warm hug. "Hello, my favourite niece," she replies with enthusiasm as she hugs me back. "I'm your only niece." I retorted, giving her a playful frown. "Yep, that's why you are my favourite". I swear everyone around me tried not to roll their eyes. She can never accept defeat, never. I guess that quality comes in great use while handling the business. Aunt G is a couple of years older than dad, married to Uncle T AKA Theodore, and have 2 boys, one a year older and other 3 years older, than me. We all are good friends, but unfortunately, we don't go to the same school.

"You are here to bid us bye I suppose," I ask, watching the rest of "mans"- dad, Rock, Uncle T, and two other movers and packers guys, loading our packages. " Yea, and to also talk to you," she said while sipping her tea, sitting comfortably in the couch. Luckily, the house dad found is fully furnished, so not many things to move. "Me? What about?", I curiously asked. "About everything. How are you taking the move? Your Dad is happy, and Ron has also come in terms with it, what about you? I mean are you okay with all? And did you tell your Dad about the big event?", she asked all in a single breath. "Wow, so many questions. Okay, well, I still am sceptic about the move. I mean, not like in a bad way, but like the cause of uneasiness towards a foreign place," I tried to communicate my thoughts. "Huh huh, I understand. You are not worried about the move, but about a new place and things. And it's perfectly normal. But trust me you would like this place. Your Dad is already in love", she said providing me comfort.

"Hmm, and well, umm, about the event, umm, I well, I didn't got the chance", I answered sheepishly. " Noe, doll you can't hide things like that from your father. He is your dad, he has the right to know." She explained in a stern yet soothing voice. "I know, and I get it, but it's uncomfortable to talk to him about it. I mean I can't just go up to dad and say, 'Hi day, nice weather. And, by the way, I got my first periods, so yay for me'," I replied frustrated. "Well, if you would have, I would have asked if you are in any pain and bought you as many chocolates as your heart desired. After taking you to a gynaecologist to make sure everything is well of course", dad replied amusingly. " He is standing right behind me isn't he.", I questioned Aunt G with embarrassment oozing from my body. "Oh look, Theo is calling me. Coming baby", and with that Aunt G fled away.

Dad took her place in front of the couch, and I stubbornly refused to look anywhere but him. " Look at me Champ." He said in his gravelly voice. Slowly, I composed and willed myself to look at him. I bet the world my face looked even redder than the sun. "Oh, darling. Come here", he said, pulling me in his warm comfortable embrace. " Why were you ashamed to tell me about something like that hmm. It's a natural cycle Champ, every girl has to go through it. There is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. It's perfectly normal", he said whilst wrapping me up in his secure cocoon. I just laid there, my head resting in his chest, soaking in his words and embrace. "Don't you dare say you are sorry", he spoke as soon as I opened my mouth. Guess, Dad knows me a little too well. I just gave him a sheepish smile, getting an amused chuckle in return. "If your lovely date is done, can we hit the road?" Rock asked while leaning across the doorway, his smirk clear as day. "Dad, could you ask the jealous Princess to go away?", I asked, far too comfortable to move. I felt his chest vibrate with the laughs. " Oh what was that, you want the jealous princess to turn into a tickle monster, huh", he muttered, and started to skate his fingers through my tickle spots.

I'm extremely ticklish, so my tickle spot is my entire body. Did I mention, how much I hate being tickled? "Hahaha... Rock nooo... Hahaha... Stop, please... Noo..... Hahaha hah... Dad make him... Hahaha... Stop." I cried out squirming to get away from the torture. "Alright, alright. Stop Pup. Come on, we got to go. Theo and Gina also have to head back home. Come you both up.", Dad said, trying to cease his chuckles. After what felt like years, but were minutes did Rock stopped his assault and let me up. He just scoped me up bridal style and took me to the car. " Every girl deserves to be treated like a princess on their special days", he said seeing my confused state. "I didn't get to do that then, so I'm doing now," he further explained. I just hummed and enjoyed the moment. It has been almost three months since I got my first periods, and since then I haven't gotten them again. The gynaecologist Aunt G took me to said it takes a few times for cycle to get to a regular rhythm. And if they are not regular in the next six months, I should get it checked out again.

You know, now if I think about it, it was really stupid of me to keep this to myself or feel embarrassed to talk about it to dad. But given the situation, it was okay too I guess.

"How long is the journey?" I asked a few minutes after we hit the road. Aunt G apologized to Dad of keeping this from him, but Dad knew it was mostly me. After bidding them a tearful goodbye, with a promise to see each other on Christmas, we left, leaving our home of 5 years, well at least for me, behind.

"The Blackwood Valley is around three-hour drive from London. It's around 10 right now, if the luck is by our side, we would reach there by early afternoon." Dad replied, keeping his eyes on the road. I just nodded, pluck out a book, and planned to read for the rest of the ride. "What have you got there?" Rock asked looking at me through the rearview mirror. I just showed him the cover - Adventures of The Sherlock Holmes. "Cool, I too want to read that. Dad could you pullover, I want to join Angel in the back.", Rock asked. Dad just sighed and pulled over. " You both are going to read it to me out loud",  he stated once we hit the road again. We just shrugged and Rock started the narration. One thing you should know about our family, everyone is a reader, reason for owing a library at home.

After a quick bathroom break, in around three hours, we crossed the sign  - Welcome to Blackwood Valley, Home of Wolves. "Do this place has a lot of wolves?" I asked Dad with wonder. "Yes. And that is one of the reasons why you are not allowed to roam around in the forest alone," he said giving me a raised eyebrow. I just ignored his look and carried on to awe at the spectacular scenery outside.

The car was moving in a path having rows upon rows of trees on both sides. It felt like we were moving through the middle of the forest. It felt like a fantasy world, the trees were so tall, so green, so thick it gave the assumption of night time even though it was middle of the day. The view became even more fascinating as we climbed up the valley, the higher we went, the fresh and clearer the air felt. Having a breath of pure oxygen after year's of London's polluted air was a heavenly feeling in itself. On top of that, the location of the place, it's calmness, purity, just made me feel like I'm on the heaven of Earth. I guess Rock's face also resembled the blissed-out emotions, as Dad just laughed, smiled and muttered "Wait till you see the view from the home".

Shortly, he was making his way towards the residential and commercial parts of the town. The place is really cute. Small little old cottages, Victorian-style houses lined the paths. We passed Walmart, a mall, school, park and a lake view on our way towards our new home. Me and Rock made eye contact while looking at the big-name fast-food joints scattered around the town. One thing was sure, this town though small was very well equipped. Shortly, dad entered a fenced society, stopping at a house at the very end. " Oh my moon," Rock exclaimed looking at our new home, jaw dropped. I just sat flabbergasted, gaping at the place we are supposed to call home.

"Welcome to our humble abode" Dad whispered.

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