It Starts with Coffee

Fourteen

The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back.
- Wendy Wunder

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"LOTTIE!" I hear my mother yell as soon as I step into the arrivals lounge. I look up and see her weeping face and break out into a grin before racing towards her. My height swallows her small frame and I breathe in the familiar scent of roses as I snuggle into her.

"My sweet girl! Welcome home" she tells me as she squeezes me hard. I look over at my dad and smile at him, he gives me a wink as he waits patiently for Mum to release me. After ten minutes she finally does.

"Finally!" Dad exclaims as he pulls me into a hug, "Hey honey."

"Hi Dad" I smile as I snuggle into his shoulder, my dad is a solid foot taller than me and larger, it's like hugging a bear that smells like freshly baked bread.

As soon as we pull away Mum grabs my hand as Dad takes my backpack and we head to the luggage pickup area.

"You've lost weight Lottie" Mum frowns as she chews her lip, "You look gorgeous as usual but are you eating?"

"I am now," I tell her honestly. She just nods with a sad expression but I can tell she's trying to hide it from me.

"When we get home, it's just going to be the three of us. So we can talk without your siblings being their usual crazy selves. Everyone is so excited to see you honey" Dad says.

"Thank you. I have a lot to tell you both. Dawn knows...I'll tell the rest of the family later but I need you two" I frown as the emotions slip into my voice. Mum squeezes my hand harder and Dad looks heartbroken. I'm not usually a crier. It must be hard for my parents to see their once stubborn and strong-willed daughter a former shell of herself. I'm glad the meds are working and I'm a lot better than last week. I'm not anywhere near healed or how I once was but I'm getting there.

It doesn't take long to receive my suitcase and before long we're in the car heading home.

Home! I can't wait!

"You'll be sleeping in Lola's old room. Is that okay? We've put all the stuff you left behind in there. Jett reclaimed your old room as soon as you left" Mum says as we pull into the street. I try to muffle the sob as the feeling of home washes over me, "yeah that's fine. I don't mind. I would sleep in the old treehouse! I'm just so grateful to be home."

Mum and Dad just laugh as they pull into our large two-story house. I grin widely as I quickly open the door and race inside. Mum and Dad always leave the house unlocked and that hasn't changed so I walk straight in. The front door enters into the main living room and I sigh loudly from relief as I spin around and soak in the smell of my family's home! It smells like roses from the dozen or more vases full of them, around the house. My mother owns a flower shop, Darling Flowers, hence why all of her kids have a flora middle name. (Dawn Azalea. Me, Charlotte Rose. Lola Lily and Jett Indigo)

The house also smells like freshly baked bread, Dad owns Wilson's bakery so they're always bread and other baked goods made daily in this house. We are lucky we didn't get named after Dad's occupation. We would have been blessed with the middle names, muffin, bread, cake and cookie. I wouldn't know which middle name would be worse!

"I'll take the suitcase up to your room. There's bread and your favourite blueberry muffins in the kitchen honey" Dad smiles before he goes upstairs taking my bags with him.

"Yum!" I squeal excitedly as I race into the large kitchen. So many memories in this room, it's definitely the heart of the house. Dad built it so we all could sit and chat whilst he cooks and bakes. I got my cooking talent from him thank god. My mother and my siblings all struggle to make toast!

I spent half my life in this kitchen with Dad cooking and baking, learning everything he knows. He told me that I'll get the bakery one day after I finish being a world-selling author, of course, his words not mine. Dawn will get the house, Lola will get the flower shop and Jett will get the inheritance money. I hate when they bring up the will but after the sudden death of both Dad's parents in a horrific car accident, Dad ensured we all knew what we were getting. Dad's parents didn't have a will and while he and Aunt Silva were civil with each other about sharing the assets their little brother Uncle Matt didn't agree and now he's estranged from the family. It's been seven years and we haven't heard a word from him, dad and Aunt Silva have tried but he either ignores them or sends a letter from a lawyer to leave him alone. It almost destroyed Dad and Aunt Silva losing their brother as well as their parents so Dad made sure that none of us would be unhappy with the will's arrangements.

I only eat half of the muffin and put it back in the container. I would usually inhale at least two but since the breakup and as well as the meds I don't have an appetite. Mum notices and frowns but doesn't say anything.

"Thirsty?" She asks instead, "I have your god awful peppermint syrup for you."

"Hey! Don't be rude mother!" I laugh, "It's actually the best-tasting coffee in the world!"

"You're the only one that believes that."

"Liam agrees with me" I blurt out. Mum quickly turns to look at me. "Who's Liam?" Dad asks as he walks into the room. "Yes, Lottie. Who's Liam?" Mum questions.

"A friend..." I say quietly, "I need to tell you the whole thing before I explain who Liam is. Let's go to the living room. You both need to be sitting down for this."

Dad and mum share a dark look filled with worry and concern but silently do what I've asked and they follow me into the living room. We sit on one of the large couches and I tell them absolutely everything. They interrupt a million times. I cry. Mum cries. Dad cries. Mum and Dad threaten great bodily harm towards Jack and declare their thanks and appreciation towards Liam. Afterwards, I head to my room before the rest of the family returns. With my permission Dawn and my parents are going to tell them what happened. I can't deal with telling it a fifth time, after them, Liam, the therapist and Gianna.

By the time I head downstairs, everyone is thankfully still there and they all rush up to me. My siblings immediately pull me into a hug and I snuggle into the three of them. We are all so different but I love them so much and my god I missed them. Next, it's my grandparents then my aunt and uncle and finally my cousin who's more like a sister to me but she's closest to Lola due to their age even though they are the complete opposite of each other.

"I can't wait to fucking kill him" Abbie winks at me, "I already have it all planned out. As long as you'll all my alibi I'll get away with it!" I just laugh at her, she's always been morbid but I love her for it.

"I'm just glad you're home pet" Nana smiles at me as she pats my cheek.

"Don't worry Lottie. I'm going to beat the shit out of him if he ever shows his fucking face here again. Me and the boys have this sis" Jett tells me.

"Abbie!! Jett! Language and violence!" Lola scowls them, "but I will be having words with him if he does come back to town. Believe me!"

"Oh yeah, he's gonna be terrified of a short chick with flowers in her hair" Jett laughs earning a scowl from Lola.

I just laugh as I wrap my arms around both their shoulders, "Oh it's good to be home!"