Unexpected Reunion

Going Back Home

         I looked at Linda for a few minutes before answering. "Is there any way that I can think about it? I mean you know I want to be a part of your wedding. It's just going back home still makes me sad."  Linda looked so disappointed, I felt so bad. I had to say something else.

I reached out and grabbed her hand.

 "I will let you know by the end of the day, I promise."  

Linda sighed but nodded her head.  "Ok, I will be waiting for your text or call. Also just know whatever you choose, I will still love you girl, you know that." 

 After we hugged and said goodbye I looked over into the kitchen where Shane was sitting. I walked over to him.

"So, what do you think I should do? Do you think I should go or tell her I can't go?" He stood up and looked at me. Then he just shrugged his shoulders. He placed his hands on my shoulders and looked down at me.

"I think you should do whatever it is that you want to do.  If you think that you aren't ready to go back, then tell her you can't do it. But if you do want to go then you should go." Then he backed up and let me think a second. I nodded my head because he was right.

"Yea, you are right.  Linda is one of my best friends and I want to be there for her special day. I also don't want to let her down. I'm just making too big a deal out of nothing." Shane walked back over to me and placed his hands back on my shoulders and put his forehead against mine.

"Well, then I think that you should go.  I will be there for you, and I think enough time has passed that it won't be too bad.  And I don't think you will run into Damon if that was what you were afraid of."

I looked up into his eyes. "I wasn't thinking that at all. I hope that Damon isn't something that you would be worried about, because you know that you shouldn't be. But you are right, I think that it is time for me to go back home.  Thank you for saying you will go with me."

He kissed my head. "Of course, I will go with you, it's no problem at all. And I know you love me, so I'm not worried about Damon." I kissed his lips once before I pulled back. 

"I guess I should go figure out some travel plans with Katie." 

He nodded his head and then gave me a quick kiss before I headed out and made my way to Katie's house.

When I arrived at Katie's house we sat down and started making plans. Katie started the conversation. "So, I think that going home will be a good thing for you."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I do too, I mean don't get me wrong, I am a little nervous, but I don't think it will be too bad. So how long do you think that we should stay down there?"

"Well, I was thinking maybe like a month. That way I can visit my parents. I know that they have been missing Sadie. And of course, I have been missing them." She hesitated for a second before asking me.

 "You think you will run into Damon down there?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. But it won't matter.  Seeing him won't change anything.  Shane and I are happy and that's all that matters right now. I don't think that seeing Damon would change any of that."  After about another 45 minutes we officially made our plan.

 Because of work, Josh could only go back and forth so of course we would be taking Sadie with us.  I chose a nice hotel with a pool so I would have something to do. Katie insisted that I stay at her parent's house with her, but I declined. I wanted them to have quality family time without me intruding. I called Linda and told her of our plans, and she was so happy I knew that I made the right decision.

I got home and explained my plans to Shane.  "We will be leaving in 2 days. Will that be enough time for you to pack and get ready?"  Shane nodded his head.  

"Yes, that will be plenty of time." Then he got up and wrapped his arms around me before he started kissing me.  I felt his tongue seek permission to enter my mouth and I let him and next thing I knew we were in the bedroom.

Shane laid me down and sat up to remove his shirt and then he was back to kissing me and showing me how much he loved me.  Before we could get very far though, his phone started going off.

 He sighed, "I'm going to ignore it."  Then he was right back to kissing me.

But then his phone went off 2 more times.  I pushed him off of me a little bit. 

 "Shane, you should answer your phone, it sounds kind of important."  He sat up and grabbed his phone off the nightstand.

 "Hello."  He sat up further and was trying to hear whatever the person was trying to say. I sat up and wrapped my arms around my legs and rested my head against my knees.  

"Adam, now slow down.  Tell me what happened please."

Shane got up and walked out of the room while listening to whatever his brother was saying.  I sat up and threw on my shirt and waited, hoping it wasn't anything too serious.

Finally, Shane walked back into the room, but he didn't look happy. I got up and grabbed Shane's hands.  "Shane, what happened?"

"That was Adam, I guess my dad had some sort of episode today.  They rushed him to the hospital and say that he is resting and comfortable, but they aren't entirely sure what happened."  

Then he walked over to the closet and grabbed his suitcase and began throwing clothes in. 

 "Saint, I'm sorry, I know I said I would go with you to Linda's wedding, but I need to go down and see my dad."

I got up and started helping him pack.  "No, I completely understand.  Let me go with you."  He stopped what he was doing and grabbed me for a tight hug.

"I appreciate you wanting to come with me I do.  But you go and help your friend with her wedding.  They said my dad was ok so I'm sure I will be in and out and I will meet you at the hotel."

"Are you sure that you don't want me to go?" 

 "I love you so much for offering, but no.  I want you to go spend some time with your friends and maybe on the way back home we can stop by and visit my parents together." I nodded my head.

"Ok, that sounds like a plan."  Then we went back to getting his stuff packed up. Once we were done packing up his stuff, I walked him to the door where he kissed me.  

"I love you, Shane, I hope everything is ok with your dad.  If you decide you need me there let me know."

"I love you too Saint.  I will call and text every day that we are apart."  Then he was off, and I was left to start packing for a whole month of being back home.

Katie and Sadie came and picked me up because her van had more room.  "I am very proud of you Saint.  I mean I know you weren't too thrilled about going home but you sucked it up for your friend and I can respect that." 

 "Thanks, I don't think it's going to be a problem.  I mean it's been years, I will be fine. We will also be so busy planning this wedding I don't think I will have time to be sad and mope around."

Katie stopped and looked at me and crossed her arms. 

"So, I have to ask this again, are you sure you aren't worried about the small possibility of running into Damon? I mean you guys were pretty intense and seeing him might stir up old feelings or something."

I shook my head.  "No, according to Sharon, Damon's never around so I think that I will be fine.  Even if we do run into each other, we are both adults and there shouldn't be an issue. I have Shane, Shane makes me happy. We love each other. I think that no matter what Damon and I had, I'm not just going to forget about what I have with Shane. It's been a while, Damon has probably moved on with somebody else by now anyway. He probably wouldn't look at me twice."

 Katie just shrugged her shoulders.  "Ok, if you say so. I mean you sound sure, so if you are not worried about it then I won't worry about it."

After we loaded my luggage, we were on the road.  I still can't believe that I was finally headed back home.  I wonder how much has changed since I've been away.