Broken Records | Tayley

Chapter 19: The Drive Back

Hayley's POV

The next morning, I woke up to the soft hum of the early morning. Light filtered in through the blue curtains, casting a warm glow over the room that used to be my sanctuary. I took a deep breath, savoring the familiar scent of home mingled with the faint aroma of coffee drifting down the hallway.

It was strange to be here, in this house, yet not feel completely at ease. The comforting familiarity of my childhood bedroom clashed with the uncertainty that had been gnawing at me since we arrived.

I slipped out of bed and dressed in the same clothes I'd worn the day before, then made my way to the kitchen, where I found my dad already up, standing by the stove, flipping pancakes.

"Morning, Bug," he said with a smile, glancing up as I entered the room.

"Morning, Dad," I replied, smiling back. It felt good to be here with him, but there was a part of me that was already counting down the hours until we'd be back home in Tennessee.

He gestured to the coffee pot on the counter. "Help yourself to some coffee. Breakfast is almost ready."

I poured myself a cup and leaned against the counter, watching as he worked. "You didn't have to make breakfast, you know. We could've just grabbed something on the way out."

"Nonsense," he said with a chuckle. "You're my guests. Besides, it's not every day I get to cook for my daughter."

I smiled, but the knot in my chest tightened. Before I could respond, Dad turned to me, his expression softening.

"You look good, Hayley," he said quietly. "Happier than the last time I saw you."

I nodded, swallowing hard. He hadn't seen me since Christmas, but we FaceTimed a lot. "Yeah, I guess I am." I replied in a soft, steady tone.

He set the spatula down and turned to face me fully, his eyes searching mine. "How are you, really? After everything... with the divorce?"

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "I'm... getting there. It's been tough, but I'm managing."

He nodded, his gaze full of understanding. "You deserve to be happy, you know that?"

"Yeah," I said softly. "I'm working on it."

He hesitated, as if debating whether or not to say more. "Is there... someone new in your life now?"

I felt my stomach twist at the question. The truth was, there was someone, but it was still so new, so uncertain, that I didn't know how to explain it. "There is," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "But it's... it's complicated. We're still figuring things out."

Dad nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Whoever it is, I hope they make you happy. You deserve that." He didn't want to intrude, he knew I would tell him when I was ready.

I smiled back, feeling a strange mix of relief and anxiety. "Thanks, Dad."

The sound of footsteps coming down the hall broke the moment, and we both turned to see Taylor and Zac entering the kitchen, looking groggy but content.

"Morning, fellas," Dad greeted them, his voice lighter now. "Breakfast is almost ready."

"Morning, Joey," Zac replied with a grin, heading straight for the coffee pot.

Taylor offered me a soft smile as he poured himself a cup, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of longing. We hadn't slept apart in so long, and the distance between us now felt like a chasm.

We all sat down at the table, and the familiar routine of breakfast unfolded around us. The tension from earlier seemed to ease as we talked and laughed, and for a little while, it felt like everything was normal. But there was still that undercurrent of uncertainty, the weight of everything left unsaid hanging in the air.

As we finished eating and started packing up our things, I caught Taylor's eye, and the look he gave me was full of understanding. He knew how hard this was for me, how much I wanted to tell my dad the truth, but couldn't quite bring myself to do it. Not just yet.

Dad hugged me tightly as we said our goodbyes, his voice full of emotion. "Take care of yourself, Bug. And don't be a stranger, okay?"

"I won't, Dad," I promised, my heart aching with the weight of it all.

As we loaded the car and started the drive back to Tennessee, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd left something important behind. But as the miles rolled by and we got closer to home, I realized that maybe it wasn't something I needed to hold onto anymore.

Taylor reached over and squeezed my hand, his touch grounding me in the moment.