"Annie! There you are, I was about to send out a search party, where have you been Matt?" my Mom wraps her arms around me tightly. I cling on to her small frame. She is on the porch of our little, old cottage waiting for us to get home and she smells like freshly baked cookies, just like I remember.
"We just stopped for a coffee Grace, the girl is exhausted" Dad explains pulling out my suitcase and bringing it into the house.
"Are you hungry sweetie? I have a casserole in the oven" classic Mom, she always had something in the oven. I was glad.
"Yeah, actually. I'm starved..... and tired" I yawn and stretch my arms out. It's only 3pm but it's been a hell of a long day, I didn't sleep well on the coach and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with everything now.
"Why don't you grab a quick shower and I'll give you a shout when everything is ready?"
"Sure" a shower sounds perfect. The spring sun shining through the windows of that crowded coach left me feeling like I had a layer of dirt all over my body.
"Great, you're in your old room. We'll get you settled and tomorrow we'll go over our next steps, OK?" Mom starts ushering me to the stairs
"Yeah" I say and I start to climb upstairs. I didn't think it would take long before the plan would be brought up.
A few hours later I'm showered, fed and getting under the warm covers. It's still fairly early but I'm so tired. My room has changed since I lived here. The furniture is different and the layout is new. It looks more like a guest room than my childhood bedroom now. All the band posters gone and a fresh coat of pale yellow paint covers the walls. The double bed is against the wall opposite the door with two white bedside tables, a full length mirror in the corner and a small wardrobe at the side of the room pointing towards the big bay window. My little reading spot is still there. A cushioned seat built into the window, I used to spend a lot of time there. The cushions look new.
I settle into the covers and quickly fall asleep.
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"Annie honey, time to get up." I hear Mom's voice "I've made breakfast. You're favourite. Blueberry pancakes. Just how you like them" My eyes are still closed "Come on sweetie, let's get up at at 'em" A flood of light comes in as I hear her open the curtains. Unable to keep my eyes closed any longer I peek at her as she is adjusting the cushions on the reading spot. She turns to look and me with a big smile.
"What time is it?" I ask
"It's half 10, you've slept solid all night, I came in to check on you around 9ish last night but you were flat out" she continues to fuss about the room although it's still neat and tidy in here.
I must've really needed the sleep.
"Come on Annie, pancakes are downstairs, let's get moving" she pats my shoulder that is still wrapped in my blanket and hurries out the door leaving it open.
I slowly get up and make my way to the kitchen. As soon as I enter a wave of nostalgia hits me.
Mom is standing at the kitchen island serving up the pancakes, they smells amazing. At the other side of the room, sitting at the breakfast nook in the bay window is Dad reading the paper. It feels like a typical Sunday morning from my youth, the only thing missing is Kate. She'd be sitting at the island picking at the food there, chatting to one of her many friends on the phone. Planning what she was going to do that day.
I grab a plate and stack some pancakes on before crossing the room to sit next to Dad who gives me a small greeting of "Morning" before going back to his paper.
It's been so long since I had an actual breakfast that I sit down with. I used to just grab a coffee and head to the office or if it was a weekend, slowly sip my morning coffee while planning my grocery list and meals.
It was nice having someone cook for me again.
"Right" Mom states as she grabs the pitcher of orange juice, pouring me a glass and sitting across from me. I already know what is coming.
"Let her have her breakfast first Grace" Dad mumbles, not looking up. He clearly knew what was coming too.
My Mom looks over to him but doesn't say anything. Instead she nods, closes the notebook she has in her hand and places it on the table, pouring her own glass of orange juice.
"Did you sleep OK?' Dad asks folding up his paper and starting on the eggs in front of him.
"Yeah, I was exhausted. Slept right through. My room has changed quite a bit"
"Do you like it?" Mom asks "I figured it needed a little updating. We turned Kate's room into a home office so your Dad doesn't have to stay late at the garage when he has a lot of paperwork and we weren't sure what to do with your room."
"A guest room is perfect. It looks lovely" I state finishing up my pancakes. Apparently I'm starving too.
"We weren't sure if you girls were ever going to come back and visit so..."
"Did you text Kate?" Dad interrupts saving me from a 'you never come home' lecture
"Oh no, I totally forgot, I'll do it when I get dressed. She'll get it when she wakes up"
"She rang last night" Dad continues
"She did?"
"Just checking in on you. Making sure you got here safe"
I was disappointed I'd missed her call. It's so difficult to get the chance to speak to her with the time difference. I gulp the rest of my orange juice and head for my room
"I'll get ready and then we can go over the plan OK Mom?" I try a smile towards her. It's no use putting it off. I can tell she's itching to get started.
It's getting warmer everyday, so I quickly tie my long, blond hair in messy bun and throw on my jeans and a t-shirt. Make-up seems pointless. I never really wear a lot anyways. I never go anywhere. I text Kate and head downstairs.
Mom is still sitting at the breakfast nook writing in her notebook. Dad has disappeared. She looks up when I enter.
"Ready?" She says
"Yeah, let's do this"
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I can't believe how long this is taking. I know I don't have anything else to do today but I still didn't want to be stuck here going over the same thing. I love my Mother, I do, but she has a tendency to drag out any family matter. Maybe I was just impatient.
We had so far decided that she would take me into town tomorrow. She had already scouted out a few jobs so we were going to print off a bunch of resume's in Dad's office and hand them out to everyone and anyone who was willing to take it.
She gave me a list of chores she wants me to do around the house and went over each one like I had never lived on my own before and had no idea how to do these things.
She talks about potential clubs I could join in order to, in her words, "get involved in the community". This one scared me the most. Getting involved with a whole new group of people gives me a lot of anxiety and a lot of the clubs she mentioned did not seem to be something I would be in to. Knitting? Chess? Jewellery Making? No. No. No.
But I promise her that I will try to get involved in something.
"You ladies still here" Dad pops his head into the kitchen.
"Just finishing up love" Mom says, flicking through the notebook and then looking back to me "We'll do this little meeting every week at least, that way we can check in on your progress and change your goals if needed"
Great.
"Errr..."
"Let's grab some lunch" another save from Dad.
YOU ARE READING
Finding Home
RomanceWhen Annie is fired from her job she discovers her city life isn't exactly what she imagined it to be. She decides to head back home to Blackmoor Falls where a few things have changed since she left almost 8 years ago, including the small towns new...
