Miss Miller

chapter 17

It's the day I leave to go to back home to Ohio, me and Jess say a long goodbye as I stand beside the cab I had prebooked earlier on in the week.

"I'm going to be back in a month" I say as she's holding me tight

"I know, I'm just going to miss you"

"I'll miss you too"

She releases her grip on me and I get in the back of the cab, I instruct him to go to the airport. I got a text from Lou this morning telling me she's leaving for California tomorrow. She's the one I'm going to miss the most this week.

The flight to Ohio is only around 1hour and 20minutes long. I text Jess and Lou to let them know I've landed safely. I prepare myself for the welcome I'm about to recieve from my mom when I walk outside. I collect my bags and make my way to where I'm meeting my mom.

"Come here my baby!" She comes bounding over with open arms

I embrace her as she embarces me "Hey mama" I say as she squeezes what air was left in my lungs out.

"We've missed you so much darling" she picks up my bags "come on, cars this way...grandma is at home"

"Why did she not come?"

"She's not really able to anymore baby, you know"

I nod.

We finally arrive at the car, I help her put my bags in the trunk and jump in the passenger seat. As we are driving home I'm reminded of my past by all the familure sights and smells, some good...some bad. I see familure faces walking the sidewalks and places I used to hang out with friends on a Friday night.

The city is far in the distance as we arrive home, there's nothing but dirt roads and fields surround our little house. I could never imagine Lou living somewhere like this. I run up the steps to the front porch and bolt in the door to find my grandma in her chair, I sprint over to her to hug her.

"Oh hey suger, easy now...I'm getting old you know" she laughs

"I know, I've missed you"

My mom follows behind holding my bags.

"You certainly don't travel light deer"

I laugh "im going to california next week for two weeks with a friend, I need enough stuff for three weeks"

"Oh good cause I thought you were moving back in" she jokes

I take my bags to my room, everything still how it was left. I fall backwards on my bed and stare at the cieling. My mom is in the kitchen making homemade lasagne, I decide to join her.

"Do you need any help?" I ask her

"No thats okay baby, go relax...you deserve it...also I forgot to mention...we are having a little get together tomorrow night as a welcome home party"

"Oh you didn't need to do that" I look away and role my eyes thinking she won't see

"Hey, don't think I can't tell you're rolling your eyes...you haven't been home in over a year...people are excited to see you honey...now go relax, dinner won't be long"

I sit with my grandma in the living room, she chats to me about what's been happening in the town. She likes a gossip. She's also telling me stories about when she was my age, I sit and hang onto every word. I remind myself every once in a while that she's getting old as I'm getting old, she won't always be here to tell me these stories. Even if I've heard them one hundred times.

"Have you been seeing anyone in the city darling?"

"There is someone but we are just friends"

"Life's to short honey to be just friends, trust me...if you want them...you have to go get them"