Chapter 496 Relatives Visit
On the first day of Christmas, early in the morning, Esme took Rachel and Nicholas to visit Rachel's father's grave, just a half-hour hike behind their house.
The three of them climbed the hill. Esme expertly used the broom she brought to clean the area in front of the grave, while Rachel placed the flowers.
Esme said, "Simon, I'm here with our daughter. She has a boyfriend now, and he came along today."
Bringing Nicholas along was a way of acknowledging him. Rachel smiled and stood with Nicholas in front of Simon's tombstone, saying, "Dad, this is Nicholas. We came to see you together."
Nicholas stood beside her, listening to Rachel, and squeezed her hand tightly. Standing in front of the tombstone, he said solemnly, "Hello, Mr. Ximena. Rest assured, I will take good care of Rachel."
After speaking, the two exchanged smiles.
About an hour later, they came down from the mountain. The afternoon after Christmas, they were at home, receiving visits from Rachel's aunts. Rachel's father was the eldest son and second child in the family, with an older sister, who had previously introduced her to a blind date. Besides the eldest aunt, Rachel had two other aunts. Her father had four siblings in total, making it a large family. Every Christmas was very lively, with each family taking turns hosting a meal.
Rachel's grandmother passed away early, so Rachel didn't have many memories of her. However, her grandfather passed away when Rachel was in college due to illness, leaving a deep impression on her. Her grandparents used to live in their old house, and Rachel often visited her grandfather before college.
Her grandfather doted on her and never showed any preference in his grandchildren. He always gave her the food bought with the money from her aunts. Thinking of her grandfather, Rachel felt a surge of longing.
Her aunts also doted on her, especially after Rachel's father passed away. They took good care of Rachel and her mother, particularly the eldest aunt, who often brought groceries to them.
Shortly after lunch, the aunts and their families started arriving one after another. The eldest aunt arrived first with her little grandson, bringing lots of food. Her eldest cousin drove and brought the rest of the family half an hour later. Then came the other two aunts' family. The yard was filled with people, with several children running around, making it very lively.
As soon as Rachael's eldest aunt entered and saw Nicholas, she smiled cheerfully. She had heard from Esme over the phone that Rachel had brought her boyfriend home, and he was tall and handsome. If it weren't for the busy days before Christmas, she would have come to see him earlier.
Nicholas greeted her politely with a smile, following Rachel's lead. "Hello."
Rachel's eldest aunt beamed at him, saying, "Rachel has good taste. You're taller and more handsome than the man I introduced to her. You two make a great pair."
Then the middle-aged woman started grilling him—where he lived, how many people in his family, what his job was, and how much he earned. Nicholas answered everything with a smile, showing no signs of impatience.
Rachel knew her aunt meant well, but she worried Nicholas might feel uncomfortable. She couldn't help but say, "Auntie, why don't you go have some fruit? I think my mom was looking for you just now."
"I'll go check," the woman said with a smile and went inside.
Rachel held Nicholas's hand apologetically, saying, "Nicholas, don't mind her. She means well and is just concerned about me."
Nicholas turned to her, smiling slightly, and said, "Your aunt is very enthusiastic. It's no problem for her to ask these questions. I should have offered the information myself."
Esme had never asked him these questions. Rachel had only given her a brief introduction about Nicholas. It wasn't that Esme didn't care; she just believed that as long as the two liked each other and he treated her daughter well, nothing else mattered.
On the second day of Christmas, Nicholas returned to Horizon City early. He had to visit his own family. Rachel didn't go with him; she wanted to stay and spend more time with her mom. She borrowed her cousin's car to take Nicholas to the airport. After parking, she accompanied him to the check-in area.
Once the check-in and luggage drop-off were done, Nicholas was ready to enter the departure hall.
"Rachel, I'm leaving. Let me know when you're coming back to Horizon City, and I'll pick you up at the airport," he said, holding Rachel's hand. He had hesitated about asking her to go back with him to meet his family but decided against it.
Esme was alone, and Rachel would want to stay with her. If he asked her to go back to Horizon City with him now, she would feel torn. There would be plenty of time to introduce her to his family in Horizon City later. For now, he wanted her to spend time with her mom.
Rachel seemed reluctant to part. She had known for a while that Nicholas would leave the day after Christmas, but now that the moment had come, she was unexpectedly sad. She hadn't realized how deeply she had come to rely on and care for him.
She had completely fallen for him.
In the bustling airport, she held both of Nicholas's hands, her head down, feeling noticeably downcast. She replied softly, "Okay."
Seeing her like this, Nicholas sighed lightly, seriously considering staying a few more days.
He reached out to touch her head and gently pinched her cheek, smiling, "Maybe I shouldn't leave."
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