Wild Waters *Outer Banks*

Coming Home

I heard the loud bustle of the docks continued on as our silver-blue Honda Accord pulled into the not so crowded parking lot. When Julia finally put the car in park, I took a deep breath. I was finally home, or at least almost. I set the book on the dash, the one I've been reading periodically throughout the 10 1/2 hour car ride.

I have been waiting for this moment ever since I left the OBX. The feeling of the world was taken off my shoulders to finally be home. To be back where I was born and raised. To be back with my family and my friends. The only thing that would make this moment better would be to know that when I stepped through the door of the Château I would be greeted by a hug from my father.

I sighed knowing that dream had vanished nine months ago, along with my dad.

I remember when I found out, recalling every little detail about that night. Zoning out staring through the windshield at the docks feeling myself being pulled back into the memory.

———

Looking around her dorm Mack finally felt like it was starting to feel like home. Her bed was made up in the navy blue sheets she had purchased upon arrival in Boston. On her desk sat pictures of her brother, father, and her at the beach right after she had won the Kildare County championship for competitive surfing.

The walls held pictures of all of her friends back at home and a few new ones of her friends here in Boston. She had even gone as far as hanging some twinkly lights around the room.

Much unlike her half, her roommate's side had been decorated with it's own unique style. Julia was a music major. With two guitars leaned up against her desk and her side of the room in utter disarray. You could tell her habitat of having someone pick up after her where shining through. Several band posters hung on her side and she had clothes thrown all over her bed.

Mack smiled at the thought that her side would probably end up like that as well. The stress of college typically overruled the need to be tidy. For the three weeks she had been in Boston she managed to keep her side of the room neat.

With the quiet hum of the mini fridge in the background, she had been sat down in front of her desk for the past hour trying to study. Julia was off somewhere with her boyfriend.

When she finally decided to take a break she shut her MacBook sending the sound of a small click through the room. Standing up from her stool and stepping across the room to pick up her phone that had been on silent. When the screen finally turned back on she was surprised to see the notification that her brother had called 19 times in the past hour.

But before Mac could even open her phone the caller ID of her brother popped up on the screen. A goofy picture she had taken of him a year or two ago. He had just woken up on Christmas morning and his hair was an absolute mess. He literally looked like a zombie.
She smiled at the memory. Her father had taken her surfboard to be personalized. Having the name "Rutledge" painted on the board.

Mac clicked the little green button to pick up.

"Hey little bro, what's up?" She asked in a happy tone.

"Mack! What the hell? Why haven't you picked up the phone?!"

She heard the urgency in her brother, John B's, voice. His voice sounded horse as well, almost as if he had been crying or yelling.