Haven

Chapter 1

Lizabeth

I was the clumsiest child between the ages of 5 and 9. I was always bumping into things, scraping myself against something, or falling flat on my face. And every time this happened, I would burst into tears and run to my mother. She always had her arms spread out; ready to swallow me up in a hug, pat my messy mop of hair and tell me that it's going to be okay.

I thought this was going to be something that would remain in my childhood. But no; here I was, dropping off from the bus, nearly sixteen years later, my hands tightly clenching the straps of my bags while I fought back tears. I had once again bumped into something, scraped myself and fallen flat on my face. And as a solution, I was running to my mother, hoping for a hug, a pat and for her to tell me that it's going to be okay.

I spotted her standing next to her bright red Corolla, waving her arms furiously with a big wide smile plastered on her face. I closed my eyes, took three deep breaths to compose myself, opened them and then made my way over to her.

"Lizabeth!" She exclaimed before wrapping her arms around me. The grip I had on my bags loosened. I buried my head in her shoulder and relaxed for a bit.

She pulled away from the hug, placing her hands on my arms and giving them a gentle squeeze. "Oh sweetie. I missed you so much."

I forced on a smile, hoping she didn't notice. "I missed you too, mum."

"Let me help you with these,". She took my bags and put them in the backseat of the car. I opened the passenger side and got in.

I was immediately hit with a wave of nostalgia. My mind flooded with memories of a younger me singing along to the radio with my mother laughing at all my made up lyrics. I chuckled at the thought.

This car has been around since I was 6. How it had survived for so long was a mystery to me. Mum got in and soon enough, she was pulling out of the bus station.

"I already told everyone that you were coming back for a bit, and they are so excited to see you again," Mum said.

"How long has it been? Twelve years? Mary baked you a pie, Anne can't wait to start doing your hair again, I bet Emily and Samantha will have so many activities lined up once news reaches them. We all missed you so much," she went on and on and on. Usually when she's rambling she doesn't notice much of what's happening around her so I didn't interrupt. I needed her attention to be focused on something else for a while.

I was facing away from her, eyes glued to the window, staring at everything we passed. I couldn't believe I was back here; the small town of Saffron Grove. I grew up here, and yet it felt so alien. Once empty strips of land blossomed with unfamiliar buildings, supermarkets and restaurants. We drove straight into Main Street, passing a line of shops, Anne's hair salon, two pubs, and another thing that wasn't there when I left: a movie theatre.

"It all probably looks so different to you," said Mum. "Lots of people have been moving here these last couple of years, bringing with them businesses and so many construction projects. There's even a hotel by the lake now,"

I turned to look at her, brows raised. "Someone built a hotel by the trash-filled lake?"

"Yep. Completely transformed the place too, I've never seen the lake look so beautiful. The guy came from the city. Super rich. He also built his mansion in the woods,"

I hummed then gave my attention back to the window. We took a turn that revealed the recognisable route home. The street looked completely different now. I was welcome by houses which displayed new roofs, renovated porches, bigger windows and fancier doors. It almost felt like we took a wrong turn. Until I saw my mother's house, the house I grew up in.

When we pulled up in front of the house, I felt a painful lump in my throat. The feeling of home instantly washed over me; a feeling I haven't felt in a long time.

The house looked the same as I left it. There were still bright red roses planted on both sides of the concrete driveway. The garage door still had a dent from all the times I kicked my ball into it. The house was still a cream coloured cozy paradise.

Even the inside was the same; the same colour on the walls, the same floor, the same furniture with just some minor, barely noticeable changes.

It felt like travelling back in time. Tears were threatening to fall from my eyes and I found myself taking deep breaths again.

"You remember where your room is, right?" Mum joked.

I chuckled, "yes I do."

I got my bags and made my way up the stairs, and to the last room down the hall, my room. The door was still cream coloured with baby pink flowers splattered all over it and a hot pink 'Liza' written on it. I opened the door and laughed at the sight before me.

The room was unchanged. It still had the white walls, a heart shaped mirror hanging on one of them, a bookshelf, with only five books,  hanging on another, a fuzzy pink carpet in the middle of the room, and two stuffed bunnies laying on the neatly made bed that had a heart shaped headboard.

"I didn't want to invade your space so I didn't touch anything. Only came to clean up," Mum said as she appeared in the doorway.

I turned to her and smiled, genuinely this time. "I love it. Thanks mum,"

She returned the smile. "I'll leave you to get settled in while I start working on dinner,"

She left, closing the door behind her. I dropped my bags and walked over to the bed. I sat down, took off my shoes and laid down. I grabbed the bunnies and placed them on my chest. Another deep breath and I let the tears spill.