Therapy

11

Sadie's POV

Although Demi has helped tremendously, she doesn't understand the amount of anxiety, worrying, and stress this trip to see my family is putting on me.

I haven't set foot it my hometown sense I said goodbye years ago. I'm not ready to see the ice cream shoppe my parents used to take me to three times a week, I'm not ready to drive by that high school I spent four years of my life at, im not ready to drive by my old house, and I'm especially not ready to see where the car accident was.

I don't know how to prepare myself to see my other family members. Have they changed? Will it be awkward? Will half of them be pissed off at me? Will they accept Demi and I?

"Baby, are you almost ready?" Demi asked, walking into my room.

"What?" I asked, looking away from my suitcase.

She laughed a little, cocking her head sideways to put an earring in. "I asked if you were ready to go. Like, to the airport."

"Oh," I nodded my head up and down. "Yeah, I am."

She took her hands away from her ear and walked over to me, wrapping her arms around my waist from behind and resting her chin on my shoulder. "Everything okay?"

I laid my hands on top of Demi's, never wanting her to tear them away. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"It's only two or three days," Demi laughed. "You packed enough for a month."

I laughed in embarrassment. "I don't know what I should wear."

"They're your family. You can wear anything."

"Then it's decided. I'll just go nude." I joked.

She unwrapped her arms and started heading towards the doorway, "That's only for me."

My cheeks flushed a dark color of red. I cannot believe Demi just said that. The farthest we've gone is hold hands or hugged. We haven't even kissed.

"Come on, baby." She laughed. "It's time to leave."

I took one more glance around my room to make sure I'm not forgetting anything, then zipped my suitcase up.

I gripped it's handle and walked to the door where Demi was waiting for me. Here goes nothing.

•••

On Demi's private plane, she sat across from me, sound asleep. I tried studying, but I just ended up doodling on my notebook. Nerves got the best of me because I can't concentrate on anything. Everything about my family keeps running through my head. Will they look different? Will they accept me? Will my baby cousins remember me?

I pulled out my laptop and clicked on the photo folder I haven't looked on sense before I moved labeled, "Family."

The first photo was one of my parents and I during Christmas and it took my breath away. Seeing their face is like a breath of fresh air, but only makes me miss them that much more. I clicked on to the next photo and it was one of my cousins and I. We used to be together all the time. The next photo hit close to home. It was my little cousin Mavery and I. She was literally like my little sister. I took her everywhere. She was only seven, but she was my best friend. I took her for ice cream and food almost everyday when I babysat her in the summer and of course I'd take her to the park and help with her science fair projects. She was definitely the hardest thing to leave. And then, the next photo, was one of my Aunt Lena and Uncle Mike. That's whose get together we're going to today. She's the one that contacts me twenty four seven. I can't disappoint them.

I looked down at the time and saw we were landing soon. I am so nervous, I'm making myself sick. I haven't been home in three years.

I opened my laptop camera, just to make sure my hair is still intact. Yes, were going straight to the family party , otherwise we wouldn't make it if we went to the hotel first.

I closed the laptop, and slipped it back in my bag. Before I wake demi, I have to just sneak a little picture because she looks so fucking adorable. This is my new favorite photo.

Smiling to myself, I leaned forward and shook Demi's shoulder a little bit until her eyes slowly opened and a sheepish grin spread across her face. "Are we landing?"

"We're about too." I said, gazing out the window.

Within seconds, Demi fixed her slight bed head to perfection. Not that the bed head wasn't perfection before. She is just... Captivating.

"Stop." Demi said.

I furrowed my eyebrows, "Stop what?"

"I can tell you've been worrying. You've been worrying haven't you?" She asked.

I shrugged. "A little, I guess."

She shook her head. "There's nothing to worry about."

Yeah except for the fact that I'm just showing up without telling them after three years. No biggy.

The pilot announced that we were landing and to stay seated, like we already are. We're landing. Holy shit balls. That means once we get in the car, it's fifteen minutes until I show up at their house. Fifteen minutes.

"Hey, baby." Demi frowned, standing up.

"The pilot said-"

"I don't give a fuck what the pilot said." She spoke as she moved from her seat to beside me.

She ran her hand up and down my back, telling me to breath. I guess she could tell I was on a verge of a breakdown, but somehow she makes it better.

"Listen, if there's ever a time you feel uncomfortable or something happens and you want to leave, we'll leave. I'll be right by your side through this entire day, entire week, entire life. Everything is going to be okay."

I nodded up and down, feeling a little better after her reassuring she'll be by my side every step of the way.

What if Maverly doesn't remember me? She was seven, so she will, right?

"Look," Demi said, pointing out the window.

I looked over and watched as the plane touched the ground. I've been so nervous and focusing on how worried I am, I didn't even get to watch as it landed.

"I can't." I said, shaking my head as my hands started hitting jittery and I felt as if my chest was closing in on me.

"No, Sadie, you can. You will." She said. "Stop, breath. Breath. Breath."

I matched my breathing with hers, then finally i recollected myself.

"Okay, I'm ready."

•••

Demi's hand was cradled in mine as her thumb trailed over my skin. She's making me feel more relaxed.

And it worked, until we started coming into town and everything familiar hit me.

Pizza Box, the park, the high school I went too, all the houses. It took the breath away from me. Realization sunk in. This is my town. I'm in Louisiana. I came back. This is the place I left.

After what only seamed like seconds but was obviously minutes, the car came to a stop.

I looked out the other window and I saw it.

I'm home.