Unforgettable

Part 28

Natalie

I'm practically giddy with excitement as our planes lands at the airport. I peer out the small window to my left, the large airport swallowing the sight of parked cars. I feel a squeeze of my hand, looking over as Casey eyes me, a grin tugging at his lips. I unbuckle my seatbelt, grabbing the backpack at my feet and slinging it onto my shoulder. Casey leans across, kissing my hair softly as I tug the beanie sitting across my lap onto my head. We stand from our seats, before joining the trail of people moving through the plane.

I'm so excited to see my grandparents, it's not even funny. I feel bad for not seeing them sooner, but I haven't particularly wanted to go back to Chicago, especially alone, since everything happened. I miss them like crazy though. After my dad died, they helped to raise me, taking care of me when my mom was at work, letting me sleep over when I wanted to. In a way, they helped to shape my childhood, and I feel bad for just leaving all of a sudden.

I follow Casey as he pulls me around the airport towards the baggage carousel. Casey wraps an arm around me, bringing me closer to him as we join the line of people waiting for their bags. I crane my head towards him, reaching on my toes to lay a kiss to his cheek before falling back into his body.

"Do you think they'll like me?" I try my best to stiffle a laugh at his question.

"Well, well, well, how symbolic. Weren't you the one telling me to calm down and stop worrying when I was about to meet your parents?" I tease, watching as he shakes his head softly, running his tongue along the inside of his mouth.

"I never understood how stressful it would be."

I giggle, leaning to kiss his cheek again just as one of our bags nears us. Casey steps forward, grabbing it off the conveyer and placing it at our feet. His arms latch on to me again as he continues.

"But really, I'm like... so stressed. I want them to like me so bad."

"I'm sure they will like you. My Nan will think that you're just so adorable." he laughs, his cheeks heating up, "And my Grandad likes most people. He's quiet, but as long as my Nan thinks you're nice, he'll like you too."

He lets out a heavy breath, his mind running to process the information.

"Okay, so what do your grandparents like. Interests or sports or... I don't know, anything I can relate to?" he continues, stepping away from me temporarily to collect our second bag. I grab the handle of my suitcase as he does the same with the other, and we begin walking hand in hand through the airport, pulling our cases behind us.

"Uh, well, my grandad likes cars, he used to be a mechanic, oh and lucky for you, he likes ice hockey." I watch as he nods his head, trying to figure out how he can make a middle ground.

"What team does he go for?"

"The one from Chicago, I think." Casey laughs softly from beside me, planting another kiss on my forehead as we reach the front doors of the airport. We burst through them, and I wrap my coat tighter around my body at the sudden temperature change. It feel Casey's arm wrap tighter around me as I scan the pick up zone of the airport. My grandparents told me they'd pick us up, and I made sure to text them just before we landed.

"Natalie!" I turn around, my mouth broadening into a smile. I pull Casey's hand behind me as I rush towards my grandparents, their smiling faces urges me onwards. I let out a small shriek as I reach them, letting go of my suitcase as I fall into my Nan's arms. I hug her tightly, engulfed by her familiar scent before I pull away. She grabs my head in her hands, looking at me before I'm pulled into a hug by my Grandad. He kisses the top of my head quickly before returning me to the arms of my Nan again.