Close As Strangers // C.H.

Chapter 12:

Brooke's POV

We finally made it back home, and by back home I mean Sydney, Australia. Max and I grew up in Sydney, but once he was old enough he brought us both to New York. We left basically everything behind. This much I do remember, thankfully.

The whole plane ride my nerves clearly showed. I kept moving around in my seat, and my leg wouldn't stop bouncing. Max was getting annoyed more by the minute, that was a bonus on my part. This is what he gets for bringing me back home.

"Mom said she would be standing by the gate after we get off the plane." Max tells me as we grab our carry on bag.

"Awesome," hint the sarcasm.

"Come on Brooke, would it kill you to be nice this once?" Max says, his annoyance coming back.

"What more do you expect from me?" I ask, rolling my eyes in the process.

"You have pretty much gone back to your old self." He comments so quietly I almost miss it. His words bring a small smile to my lips though.

Before I realize it, I feel a pair of arms wrap me up in a hug. A warm, familiar hug that can only mean it's mom.

"Hey baby, I missed you so much." She whispers and gives me a kiss on the cheek, pulling away.

"Hi mom," I tell her with a small smile.

She walks over and embraces Max with a hug too. "Thank you for bringing her back," I barely hear her whisper.

"And we are glad to be back, right Brooke?" Max brings the attention back to me.

"Sure," I cover up my unhappiness with a small smile. A small smile hopefully my mom will believe. Max, on the other hand, sees right through me.

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"How have you been?" My mom tries to start conversation on our ride home. Scratch that, our old home.

"Pretty good." Short answers will be my friends on this trip.

"What about this Calum, Max has told me about?" She glances back in the mirror to meet my eyes.

"He is great, from what I remember." I mumble the last part to myself.

"Good, as long as he is taking care of my little girl."

"I'm not a little girl anymore," I grumble.

"You always will be."

"Oh so now you care?" I scoff.

I hear my mom let out a sigh and before she gets a word out, Max speaks up.

"Brooke," the annoyed tone in his voice coming back.

"It's the truth and I can say what I want." I state to my brother, who is starting to annoy me.

"Brooke, I have always cared. I know that I have just had a funny way of showing it. I have been wanting to tell you that I...I am sorry." My mom speaks up, silencing Max and me.

An apology? Wow, didn't expect that to come from my mom.

"Why apologize now? After all these years and all this time, you choose now, why?" I question her.

"Because it's better late then never. I know I should have already said it, but at least you know that I do care and I do love you. You and your brother, always have." She continues to explain herself.

This is going to be a long trip...

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Here's another chapter, sorry it took so long and sorry that it's so short. I haven't really known what to right.

Vote and comment what you guys think. Thanks for reading.