Hannah and Alex had to wait for nearly 20 minutes before the train arrived. Quite a few people walked out of the train, but it wasn't to the same level as the ones in the big city.
Within the first few passengers, Hannah saw her parents and waved at them.
"Oh look, the kids are here already," a man in his late 40s said as he dragged a suitcase behind him. He had a clean-shaven face that showed wrinkles on his skin. His hair was short and mixed with white hair. However, the way he was suited in coat and pants made him look like he was a rich person from a rich household.
A woman that looked like she was in her early 30s walked out from behind him. She had beautiful skin and luscious golden hair that she had dyed herself to look better. She was wearing a large pair of sunglasses, and when she took them off, one could see that she had features that matched both Hannah and Alex.
"Hey!" she waved back at Hannah as soon as she saw her waving her hands. "Oh my god, Alex! Look at you, you're so big. Aww, come here and give aunt a hug," she said when she saw him.
Alex smiled and hugged his aunt. "You don't look like you've aged a day, Aunt Liz," Alex replied before greeting his Uncle-in-law.
"Oh, who taught you to speak such sweet nothings. Although it is true that I still have such young looks. My friends always ask me how a woman in her mid-40s could possibly look this young, and I don't know what to say to them, it's in the genes I guess," the aunt said with laughter in her voice.
The uncle was used to his wife is obsessed with her mysteriously young looks and shook his head. "So, when did you guys get here? And where is brother-in-law?" he asked as he checked around.
"Oh, Alex already called him this morning to tell him not to come to pick you guys up. We will be driving you guys there," Hannah said.
"What?" her mother got angry all of a sudden, "you brought your car?" she asked.
"Of course we did. What else am I supposed to do with a car?" Hannah said.
"You've only been driving for a week. It's dangerous," she exclaimed.
"I know, I was careful. Anyway, let's go. You don't plan on standing around here forever, do you?" Hannah said.
Her father said nothing and just shook his head.
They all walked to the car. When the parents saw the car their daughter had bought, even they were shocked. "Not even your father uses that sort of car," the mother said in shock.
"How much did you spend?" the father asked.
When they heard the number, they thought their heart skipped a beat. "Is that all of your money?" the father asked.
Hannah smiled and said, "you can't make me reveal my income right now."
The father chuckled a little and put his suitcase in the back. "Alright kids, get on the back seat, I'm driving from here."
Hannah wanted to drive, but her father wouldn't let her. So, in the end, Alex and Hannah got in the back seat, while her father and mother sat in the front.
They drove out of the small city they were in about an hour and entered a much smaller town. Even past that town, they drove for half an hour before the road turned into a dirt road.
They were finally starting to see the tall trees in the distance clearly. The edge of the map was approaching.
"Ooh, it's cold here. Thank god I put in some winter clothes," Hannah's mother said.
Alex was feeling excited seeing the trees, the empty lands, and the dirt road; home was close.
The number of houses reduced to almost zero as they went further along. Finally, after crossing a house, they could see another house a few hundred meters down the line.
"We're here," Hannah's father said and pulled up on an old-looking, 2 stories tall Farmhouse surrounded by open pasture and what looked to be a large stable behind them.
Hannah's mom took a deep breath of the fresh air and said, "Ahh, this smell is so nostalgic."
As the group of 4 took out their suitcases and walked towards the house, a woman walked out of it.
The woman was in her 40s and was a little bit on the chubbier end. As soon as she walked out, she gave a big smile as she saw the bunch.
"Sister Helen!"
"Liz!"
The two women hugged each other. Alex and Hannah walked to the front and Helen didn't miss the chance to hug them both.
"Aw, my sweet child, you must've missed your home so much. It's okay now, you're back," Helen said to Alex. She then turned to Hannah and said, "Look at you, you look just like your mother; so beautiful. You've really grown in the 3 years I haven't seen you," Helen said.
"You look great too, Aunt Helen," Hannah said.
"Now now, no need to lie to this old woman. I have a mirror and I see what I look like every day," Helen said with a smile.
"Sister-in-law, where his brother-in-law?" Hannah's father asked.
"He's curre— "
"Oh! Liz, Rob, you made it. Huh? Oh, the kids are here too," a man's voice came from the side. He was wearing a dirty shirt and pants with high rubber boots and was carrying a massive log on his shoulders.
He had a face that closely resembled Alex, the only difference was that he had a rough beard and hair that was uncut for many months.
He looked to be in his early 50s, but his body gave the illusion that he was a bodybuilder in his mid-30s. He dusted off his hands and welcomed his brother-in-law.
Helen then took them all inside to rest and soon called them to eat the meal that she had prepared.
