Back To You

Chapter 4

"No, daddy, I am sure I'm ok." Delilah balanced the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she packed her suitcase.

"So Luke is lookin after you?" Thomas Bryan asked from the other end of the phone. He leaned against the counter. His youngest was always on his mind. The surprise baby that no one had expected.

3 days after Luke's 7th birthday Delilah Marie Bryan was born weighing in at 6 lbs ozs. She had stolen his heart the moment she looked at him from the safety of her mama's arms lying in that hospital bed. Chris and Kelly had taken to their baby sister right away, Luke on the other hand was reluctant to even touch her. But that all changed three days after she was brought home from the hospital. Thomas knew that Luke would come around. He talked LeClaire into putting Delilah in the bassinet in the living room while they went into the kitchen.

The newborn baby had been napping when Luke came in from playing in the backyard. His curiosity got the best of him. He wanted to know what all the fuss was about. He climbed up onto the coffee table to get a better look at his new sister. He carefully reached his hand down and touched her hand.

Her eyes opened and locked on his. She wrapped her tiny hand around his finger and that was it. From that moment on Luke was in big brother heaven.

"Daddy?" Tommy snapped back to what his daughter was saying. "Yea, darlin, I'm here."

"I said you should come up for a visit."

"I will as soon as you get back."

Delilah knew her father was daydreaming when he got quiet. "What are you thinkin about?"

"You and Luke. How he didn't want you at first."

"Now he can't live without me." She teased.

"None of us can, baby."

A horn honked outside letting Delilah know it was time to go. "I hate to cut this short, daddy but the car is here to take me to the bus."

"Ok. You be careful and tell your brother to call your mama. Love you."

"Love you too, daddy."

She hung up, blinking back the tears that had suddenly come to her eyes. Being away from her parents was the biggest adjustment. She missed them like crazy. But being around Luke, Caroline and the band seemed to easy the home sickness she felt. She zipped the suitcase and put it on the floor. As she wheeled it out of the bedroom she turned off the lights.

At the bottom of the stairs she took another look around before opening the door. Nothing out of place, everything were it should be. She stepped out on the porch, pulling the door shut behind her.

A guy in a suit was waiting to take her bag. "Thank you." She responded as he opened the back door of the car for her. Delilah settled back against the cool leather of the seats and pulled her phone from her pocket. She opened the app for her alarm and pressed the arm button. The green check mark told her the system was armed. "We should be at the bus in twenty minutes, ma'am." The driver spoke as he backed out of the driveway.

"Ok. Thank you." She flashed him a smile and went back to her phone. She checked her emails, updated Facebook. "Headed out on the road with my bro and friends! So excited!" She tagged Luke, Cole and Michael in the post.