Jizzie | Hand on Heart

Chapter 21 | Burning?

As soon as I step off the plane I'm greeted with a hot gust of air.

I don't miss the scorching heat of San Francisco.

Jessie pops one of her new pairs of sunglasses on, as I shield my eyes with one of her magazines.

"There's so much to see!" She gushes after grabbing one of the tour guides off a stand.

I look over her shoulder, "we aren't here to sight see."

"I know." Her spirit is still high, "but we can't stay inside all day!"

She skips out the gate and towards the direction of the baggage collection.

I sigh, pulling out my phone.

I get a few notifications coming in, and text back my family and friends.

I'm scrolling down my messages when I see Joel's name blazing on my screen.

The sight is enough to make my head spin and my heart lurch.

It feels so much more real now that I'm thousands and thousands of miles away.

I didn't even tell him I was going.

I only went to see Marcus yesterday, and it was all very spur of the moment.

Thinking back, I remember my mums reaction.

"Hello?" I call, pushing open the unlocked door.

Maddie comes skipping down the stairs.

"I didn't know you were home?" I squeal, hugging her.

Maddie had gone to Wales for a few days to stay with her new boyfriend.

"I just couldn't stay away."

"Where's Mum?"

"With Dad in the kitchen."

My arms stiffen, we may call him our dad, but he's not.

When we moved here a while back, Mum met a new guy, he was great, loved her and was so kind.

He never tried to be our dad, knowing that he couldn't replace him, but we started calling him Dad anyway.

"Mum?" I walk into the kitchen to see them both standing around the stove.

"I told you you'd burnt it!" She turns an accusatory gaze to him.

My stepdad chuckles, "the burnt parts just add flavour."

She rolls her eyes, laughing.

"Mum. Dad." I repeat myself.

They both turn to look at me, my stepdad still holding the saucepan.

"What's up honey." My mum asks, brushing off her apron.

"I'm going back to America."

"That sounds great honey!" My stepdad beams, hugging me.

"Darling put the saucepan down!" My mum scolds, refusing to look me in the eye.

"Oh blooming hell, I've left the hose on!" He places the pan down quickly and dashes out the backdoor.

Despite not knowing fully what happened, she still can't talk about the accident.

I suddenly realise that my friends know more about what happened than my own family.

"I'm going back to America."

"Why." She looks at me with a blank stare, her eyes hollow with grief.