The Mom Next Door; The Sequel

3-Visit

*Jen's pov*

On the flight I listened to music and stared out the window. A part of me wanted to cry for some reason. I really am scared. I know it's just a visit but I never leave France anymore.

Everytime the flight stewardess comes by I ask for a cup of water. I've tried to fall asleep three times, but I can't seem to relax. I know my moms been texting me non stop since I told her I'm boarding, but luckily I have no service to reply.

Two more hours later and I land. I get off the plane and text my mom that I landed without even acknowledging all her other texts. I walk through the airport until I'm at the front. I look around cluelessly, waiting, until I spot my mother's already crying face.

Her eyes light up when she sees me and she immediately comes running. I smile big and meet her halfway before she's throwing her arms around me and bringing me in tight for a hug.

"Hi mama." I say softly. "Hi baby." She says shakily with tears falling down her cheeks. "I missed you so much! I'm so happy you're here." She says once we pull away and her eyes tear up again.

"I missed you too." I smile as she tucks my hair behind my ear. She gives me another hug before grabbing my suitcase for me and then my hand.

"Come on mija! I can't wait to show you the house. We have so much to talk about." She says so excited as we walk out of the airport hand in hand.

"What did you do to the house?" I ask once we sit in the car. "Oh I just got so bored of the way it looked, and you know I hated that wall paint in the living room." She looks at me and I nod since I do know that.

"So I decided to change it." She shrugs and we start driving. "I can't wait to see it." I smile.

The drive home is about forty minutes. I look out the window at all the things that seem so familiar, but it's sorta blurry. Until we start getting close to our neighborhood, it's all clear. We drive past my college campus where I went to class, my old apartment, and even Leah's old work place.

I don't know if she still works there. I don't know if she still lives beside mom. I don't know anything.

A part of me wanted to ask my mom, or even stalk Leah on facebook and see what she's up to. But another part of me doesn't even want to know. What if she is back with Angelo? The cheating ex husband and terrible father. I always just wanted the best for Sofia. And of course Leah..I mean I loved her.

Suddenly we turn into our neighborhood and I immediately sit up. I look at every single house. "You need to visit Sage." My mom says as we drive past Sage's house.

"I know, I haven't seen her in forever." I say. We turn and we start to drive up towards my moms house. She drives slow, five miles per hour, and we start to pass Leah's house.

It all comes back to me. In my head I can see little Sofia running around in the sprinklers while her mom was on the front porch, watering her hanging plants.

I look at the driveway and see an unfamiliar car. Not Leah's car, and not Angelo's. I look at the windows and try to remember what the inside looked like.

The front yard has big blooming rose bushes and the same vines crawling up the side of the house, except they're longer now.

Then we pull into my mom's driveway. I feel like I just had visions of a past life during that ten second drive bye Leah's house. We get out of the car then my moms leads the way inside. She opens the door and lets me walk in first.

I look around at the new furniture and beige walls that used to be yellow. Even all new pictures hanging on the walls. None of them have my dad in it, except for one hanging above the fire place of my mom and dad holding me as a baby. That was always her favorite.