baby, I'll show you the world [muke af]

Nashville, Tennessee (Thursday, July 4th, 2019)

Nashville, Tennessee (Thursday, July 4th, 2019)

"My baby!" Ms. Clifford yelled from their open garage door. She waited for the dozen SUVs to pull into their long, winding driveway until she ran towards her son. She wrapped her arms around his waist, engulfing in his scent. "You've grown so much."

"Mom, I'm twenty-five, I don't think I've grown since the last time I saw you," Michael laughed as he squeezed his mother tighter.

Luke walked next to them, lugging a large tote bag behind him. "Bella spilled her lunch on me," he stated, making a disgusted face. Mike and his mother looked down at Luke, trying to hide their giggles as the mac and cheese residue stained his light blue shorts.

"That's why you shouldn't wear such punk-not shorts."

Luke rolled his eyes before turning to Ms. Clifford, "Please scold your son. I'm going to go change." He wasn't really their son-in-law, he was just kind of their son. He knew his way around their large house, he knew when Fender got fed, he knew when Ms. and Mr. Clifford worked better than their actual son did.

Ashton was bouncing a—once again—crying Bella on his hips. "He knows you didn't mean to," Ash repeated.

She sniffled, "He hates me!"

"Luke would never, ever hate you." Ash sighed as he made his way to the two Cliffords. He side-hugged the older women, greeting her then thanking her for letting his family stay with them.

"We're excited to have the crew for the cookout, Daryl has been outside for hours preparing enough meat. I swear, it smells like a slaughter house back there." She laughed, placing her arm around her son once more.

Michael leant his head against his mother, glad to have her back. She was his one and only friend for so many lonely years, just because he made it through doesn't mean he doesn't need her anymore. He still calls her as much as he possibly can, he can't live without his mother in his life. It scares him to think that one day, he won't have her.

"Slaughter house," Bella repeated. The skin around her eyes was red and irritated from the tears.

"It's where they kill animals," Ashton explained.

"Why?!" Her golden-brown eyes widened, her mouth falling open. "Don't kill them!" She began crying again as Ash rolled his eyes. He loved her, but he wanted to put a muzzle on her.

"Okay, I'm putting her down for a nap, I'll see you two before dinner." The older boy blew them kisses before walking inside the stone house.

The crew was piling up, patting Mike on the back as they made their way into the back patio. Tables were set up, fresh flowers in glass bowls waiting in the center. The crew was staying at a hotel down the block, but the Hoods and Cliffords were obviously staying in Mike's childhood home.

Calum recognized the home he and Michael seemed to have grown up in. Every day after school, they'd come back to the Clifford's where snacks would be in the patio, money for pizza on the dining room table. They'd mess around with music and photography, expressing their dreams for future.

They expected their dream to come true. They were going to keep trying until it became reality. It feels nice once it paid off.

He brought Ivona through the corridor slowly, rocking her back and forth. After a day of traveling, they were glad to have a mid-afternoon nap. He turned her body so she could see the framed 8 by 10 photo of Calum and Michael as scrawny, awkward, semi-emo teenagers. "Look, that's me and Uncle Mikey."

Ivona licked over her lips, tilting her head to the right. "You?" She asked, pointing her finger towards the dark-haired teenager.

"Yeah, that's me."