Blood and honey

Homecoming

11:25am
||Raine miller||
Forks,📍

Raine rushed through the crowded airport terminal, her curly dark hair bouncing behind her. She wove between slow-moving families and business people focused on their phones, trying not to get frustrated as she glanced at the departure boards. Her flight to Port Angeles left in 20 minutes from the far side of the airport.

"Come on, come on," Raine muttered under her breath, speed walking past the shops and restaurants. She was returning to Forks for the first time in years to visit her father Charlie. He had called last week, uncharacteristically chatty, going on about how she just had to come see all the changes in sleepy little Forks.

Raine skidded to a stop at security, trying to calm her breathing as she waited in line. She felt a nervous yet eager energy about seeing her hometown again

Finally making it through the scanner, Raine broke into a run. She arrived at the gate just as they were announcing final boarding, heels clacking on the tile floor. She handed the agent her ticket, hair escaping her ponytail in wisps as she walked down the jetbridge, officially leaving her big city life behind for the familiar small town world that awaited her.

Raine stepped off the plane into the small Port Angeles airport, scanning the sparse crowd for her father's familiar face. She spotted him near the baggage claim, wearing his trademark sheriff's jacket and holding up a homemade sign saying "Welcome Home Raine!" in his messy scrawl.

"Dad!" Raine called out, waving excitedly. Charlie turned and his craggy face crinkled into a smile beneath his mustache.

"Hey kiddo!" Charlie engulfed Raine into an uncharacteristically emotional bear hug when she reached him. "It's so good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, Dad," Raine muffled into his jacket. The comforting smells of worn leather and Charlie's woodsy aftershave welcomed her back to Forks more than any sign. 

Charlie insisted on taking Raine's bag despite her assurances that she could manage. As they walked out to the parking lot, he rattled on about recent happenings in Forks and his latest exploits fishing with Billy. Raine smiled to herself, amused by his sudden chattiness after years of comfortable silence between them. She inhaled the cool, mossy air, feeling she was finally home.

"I made up your room and have food waiting at the house," Charlie added. "And a few folks are coming over later to welcome you back too."

Raine nodded,

After the long drive, Charlie pulled up the familiar gravel driveway to their home in Forks. "Place hasn't changed a bit," Raine remarked, taking her bags inside. She breathed in the comforting scents of pine and chili simmering. Her bedroom remained preserved over the years away.

Raine unpacked, pinning up old photos and changing into comfier clothes. She overheard Charlie puttering around downstairs, feeling content to be back.

Later on, the doorbell rang. Charlie welcomed their old family friend Billy, who had brought along his son, Kentrell. Raine took a steadying breath before going to greet them. Kentrell strode up with a relaxed confidence, his mellow voice drawling, "Nice to meet you. I'm Kentrell." Raine smiled warmly. "Yeah I remember you." Kentrell nodded, a smile playing on his lips