Chapter 31: What I Call Home


    What I call home.


    The carriage stopped in front of the wooden house, and it was a sight Laura had almost forgotten as she hadn''t seen it for so long. The roof looked worn-out from the outside, and the wooden door looked as if it were to break anytime.


    Laura''s heart ached. She missed the times when everything in her life was going well, and when she didn''t have to worry every day. The coachman opened the carriage door, bowing and wishing her safe stay.


    Laura walked to the door, not thinking of anything. She was so nervous that her mind had turned nk.


    ''It isn''t my first time to be here, but why am I so nervous?''


    As they arrived in front of the door, Laura gathered her courage to knock. But suddenly the door swung open and her hand was left hanging on the air.


    Sister Abby, who carried a basket ofundry, was shocked upon seeing who was at the door and suddenly dropped it on the floor and quickly went to hug Laura. She couldn''t hide her happiness and cried, Sister Abby had missed Laura and wanted to see her.


    Before Laura left the orphanage, they weren''t able to spend much time together. This time, Sister Abby hopes that she''ll be able to make memories with Laura.


    "I can''t believe you''re here," Sister Abby said, wiping her tears away.


    "I''m here, Sister," Laura said. From the side, Mary watches Laura and Sister Abby''s emotional yet happy reunion.


    Mary felt happy seeing Laura smile genuinely. She thought that every time Laura was in the estate, she would build her wall up.


    Once in a while, it isn''t that bad to lower your guard. Laura turned around and introduced Mary to Sister Abby.


    Upon seeing Mary, she weed her warmly and escorted her into the orphanage. Laura hoped to see the other kids, but they were nowhere to be seen. The thought of the other children being adopted by the others made Laura sad.


    Laura knew that it was selfish to think that, but she couldn''t help but miss them. Laura hoped to see them at least onest time, but she seemed to have lost all hope.


    But she also knew that the other children in the orphanage deserved to be adopted into different families who can help and support them freely. Laura just hoped that they wouldn''t face the same problems she did.


    Sister Abi noticed that Laura was spacing out. She had an idea of why Laura was sulking and gently held her hand.


    "The others are still here," Sister Abby assured.


    "Really?!" Laura''s face lit up and desperately waited for an answer.


    "Well... almost everyone.. Lisa is in a much better ce now," Sister Abby frowned and held Laura''s hand tightly around her own.


    "Is that so?" Laura didn''t know that after three months, Lisa had already been adopted. She did hope for Lisa to have a better life and hoped that her family would treasure her like a gem. Sister Abby knew that Laura would be heartbroken upon hearing this news.


    But this is how things should be. The door suddenly mmed open, entered Luke, scratched his head, andined about how they should fix the door soon. As he was rambling and walked into the house, he suddenly saw Laura and an unfamiliar face.


    Luke thought he was dreaming. He blinked twice, pinched his cheek, and broke into a smile as he dashed to hug her. He never imagined seeing Laura again.


    Luke looked at her face and noticed how Laura looked much more mature. He also wondered if he''s finally taller than her.


    Laura was too shocked to see Luke that she wasn''t able to react immediately. She stood up andpared her height with him. She nodded her head in satisfaction and patted his shoulder.


    Just in three months, many things had changed. Laura wondered what he had done to his body. He looked bulkier and manlier since she hadst seen him.


    "What have you done to yourself?" Laura curiously touched his arm and continued topare her height with his.


    "I''ve been training," Luke said confidently.


    "Why?" Laura asked.


    "Because I want to be a soldier," Luke shed a smile at Laura. He then remembered that there was an unfamiliar guest and turned his head to look at Mary.


    Mary flinched when his eyesnded on her and quickly looked away. Since the beginning, Mary had always been a very timid girl. She took every single person in the world to be "scary." She hoped Luke didn''t notice her or ask about her.


    "And she is?" Luke pointed at Mary.


    "Mary. My maid and my best friend," Laura smiled and looked at Mary.


    Mary felt touched as she was called to be someone''s friend. Since she entered the Alvarado estate at a young age, all the other maids were in their mid-twenties, and it was hard for her to make friends.


    "Nice to meet you!" Luke said. "I need to take a shower, just got back from training."


    Laura sat back on her seat and waited for the other kids to arrive back at home. Each child in the orphanage had their tasks to do.


    Some did theundry or the chores at home, and some went to sell bread in town.


    Since Laura had left the orphanage, the other kids in the orphanage had to split her tasks.


    It was somewhat a significant change because when Laura was still residing here, mostly the work was always done by her since she was the eldest.


    It was fine for Laura to do all the work because she was always wary of the other kids getting hurt.


    Which she dislikes seeing. Sister Abby sighed out loud, getting Laura''s attention. Since Laura had left, the other kids started to be independent.


    It did make her happy that everyone grew independently, but sad that she wasn''t able to witness their growth. She didn''t want them to leave, but she knew that they would have to one day.


    "Is there a problem?" Laura asked.


    "The truth is, ever since you left the orphanage, the other kids started to be independent, especially Micky."


    "I wonder how he is now," Laura giggled. She thought in her head what Micky looked like.


    "He''s still a baby, but very reliable," Sister Abby said.


    "You should unpack now. I left your room empty." Laura''s heart ached once more. She missed this ce so much, wishing not to be back in the Alvarado estate.


    This was her first home and a ce she could alwayse back to. A few minutester, Laura headed to her room.


    Since the orphanage didn''t have that much space, Mary had to sleep in the same room as Laura. Though Laura didn''t mind and was okay with sharing a room with Mary.


    Laura sat on the bedfortably andid down. She took a deep breath and missed the smell of her room. She missed how the sunshine would always be the thing that she would wake up to every morning.


    Mary stood by the door and was hesitant to enter Laura''s room. After all, she was still her servant, and it was wrong to share a ce with her master. Laura called Mary toe in and told her not to be so formal around her when they''re outside the estate.


    Mary took small steps into Laura''s room and pulled out a chair and sat on it. Mary wasn''t sure if she was allowed to be informal around Laura, she was very unsure, and Laura had noticed this and repeated what she had said earlier.


    "Don''t be so formal around me, especially now that we''re outside the estate," Lauramanded and sat back up.


    "But you still are my master, and I can''t just do so," Mary yed with her fingers and was unsure.


    "We''re alone, and you don''t have to talk to me so formally. Didn''t I tell you that?" Laura sighed."You''re my friend Mary. You don''t have to be so formal around me all the time. I don''t care about such things at all."


    Mary''s chest felt light. Indeed she thought she had the best and nicest master in the worlda person who knows both sides. Laura was a person who didn''t care about social status. To her it was just a joke, social ss didn''t matter that much.


    "Thank you" Mary said softly, lowering her head.


    "Don''t be. To be honest with you, I don''t care what kind of person I make friends with."


    "This is why you''re the best, Laura!" Mary ran to Laura and hugged her.


    The two girlsughed at their heart''s content, and it was a memorable day for the two girls.


    It had been a while since Laura felt like she could be herself again. A ce where she can call it home.


    What is a home?


    There are many possible answers to this question. Some say it''s a ce where they can freely be who they are. Some say it''s a pce where they can rest.


    Honestly, there isn''t a wrong answer to this. But there are many people out there who think their home doesn''t feel like one. Sometimes it could be their friend''s house, or it could be their favorite spot.


    But for Laura, a house means a special ce to bond with the people she loved. And a ce where happiness exists.


    Loud footsteps walked up the stairs, and Laura''s door mmed open. Micky, Azera, and Joan then ran towards Laura crying. The three children were overwhelmed to see Laura again. For them, it felt like years since they have seen Laura.


    They couldn''t believe their eyes and tightly hugged her like she could disappear any moment now.


    Laura patted their backs one by one and calmed them down. Micky, the youngest, wouldn''t remove his arms off Laura''s neck. He thought hugging Laura would make her stay forever.


    "Micky, if you keep hugging me tightly, I won''t be able to breathe," Laura said with augh while patting his back.


    Micky removed his arms off her neck and looked at Laura with tears flowing from his eyes. Lauraughed and gently wiped Micky''s tears. She wondered why a cute little creature like him was abandoned.


    "I''ll be staying here for a day, and so tell me all the stories you want to tell me. Okay?" Laura tapped his nose, and he nodded his head.


    "If you guys keep crying, how can you call yourself mature? You three are still kids after all," Luke joined with his hair dripping onto the floor.


    "Said the one who sulked for a week after Laura left," Joan stuck his tongue out and hid behind Laura.


    "Shut up, Joan" Luke rubbed his neck as he turned red with embarrassment and walked away.


    Indeed, this is her home.


    A ce where she can act like herself, a ce that she doesn''t need to worry about, and a ce where happiness exists.


    "This is what I call home."