𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 ☆ 𝘰. 𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘯𝘦𝘳

fourty four

"Why are we always having goodbye dinners?" The whole family (yes I mean WHOLE family) is back together for yet another farewell meal. It's time for Charlie, Sav, Owen, Milo, Jackson, and I to all go back home and Mom isn't taking it too well.

"Mom we've been here for like a month" I say, trying to reason with her.

"Well sorry for wanting to spend time with my children" She says and the other parents all laugh. Shannon and Ben are empty nesters now, with Charlotte being officially moved back to LA (out of our apartment and into Austin's) and Carson is moving to LA this week also. After Charlotte's wedding, we all stayed for a week and now we have things to do back home. I have to start packing because we're starting to film Outer Banks and I leave for South Carolina in less than a month.

"I'm sure we'll be back plenty during the summer" Jackson assured her and she seemed to calm down a little, moving on to talk about Charlotte and how her honeymoon is going.

"Oh! She's been sending me all kinds of pictures of their adventures!" Shannon pulls out her phone to show everyone. They went to Iceland, don't ask me why, I have no idea. Austin was in charge of choosing the destination and I'm 99% sure he forgot about it and then said the first thing that came to mind.

Dinner carries on without any fights this time and everyone has a good time together. The kids clear the table like always while the parents head outside to have drinks by the fire. I feel like this is just how life is going to be from now on.

Everything feels so different but so right at the same time. Since Charlotte moved out, I decided to find a new place also. However, since I'm already a regular on two shows, I've decided that I don't really need to live in LA anymore. I've always preferred to be in the suburbs rather than the city and my career is steady enough right now that I don't need to be in driving distance to an audition. I haven't decided where I'm moving to though, as of right now, I'm going back to LA to get my stuff and move it into Charlie and Sav's place just until I come back from filming and then I'll find somewhere to live. I've thought about asking Owen to move in with me but I really don't want to force him out of Oklahoma. I know he wants to move out but I don't know if he'll want to move so far from his parents. However, if he did want to move in together, I found a house, up in the hills that we could definitely afford and it would be out of the city but close enough that we could go there for work or something. It would be perfect but I can't afford it myself.

"Okay Mom, we're going to get our stuff and then we can go?" We have late flights tonight which sucks especially since Owen isn't coming with me. I'm flying with Charlie and Sav to LA and Owen is going home to Oklahoma for a bit. Since I'm not going to be in LA for long, I'm leaving my car here until I come back from filming which also sucks.

"Okay, I'll be in the car" She walks out the door and Owen and I go upstairs to get our bags. I decide on a whim that it's a good moment to ask him.

"So... you're going to Oklahoma, I'm going to LA" I drag it out, trying to figure out what to say.

"Yeah, I wish I wasn't going though" Owen says while picking up his backpack.

"Why? You love going home" I turn back to look at him and I watch as the bag slips off his shoulder and he sits on the edge of the bed.

"I know, it's just that I'm the only one at home now. Sav was too but now she's with Charlie and I just feel like I'm behind everyone" His shoulders sag and I immediately go over to comfort him.

"Hey, no. You can stay at home for as long as you want but if you aren't happy then maybe you should find a place to move to?" I brush some loose hair out of his face and hold his head up in my hands.