Don't Save My Life

Chapter 28

Willa

     I lowered my suitcases to the ground with a loud exhale, my voice only audible to myself beneath the noise of the busy airport. A woman spoke over the intercom announcing the departure of flights to South American Countries. Families gathered in circles, hugging and conversing and other people traveled along. They were pacing past at warp speed. Some spoke into ear pieces about business and stocks.

     I scanned the hive of people. Rickie had stayed behind in Brazil with her family, where I'd been a guest for the past few months. I would miss them all but there was no doubt I'd be back to visit again, until then, I would have to adjust back to life in South Carolina. Leaving it behind had been the release I needed. Leaving town, and cutting everyone off. I still spoke to my mother and Theo on the phone or Skype every day, but if anything, they were my only reason to ever come back to this place.

     It wasn't even the memories that bothered me anymore, I accepted them, even appreciated them.  It was that feeling that I got when I first stepped off of the airplane, into the scalding South America air. Nothing like the wave of assurance from the first day of school that reminded me I was stuck. Being gone told me that there was something better; I didn't have to keep falling down to stand up straight. I just needed to open my mind to wider possibilities.

"Willa!"

I spun at the sound of my mother’s voice but obviously my twirl wasn't quick enough. My back bent at an inhuman angle as I was attacked, my mom’s grip like a rubber band around my ribs.

"Oh, my beautiful baby girl! You're hair! You changed it?"

I nodded, letting my brown curls bounce in confirmation.

"I cut it and died it. Do you like it?"

"I love it! And you're complexion is so radiant and you seem taller and-"

I raised an eyebrow putting my hands up playfully. I said, "Okay mom, I went to Brazil, not mars. I'm still the same person."

She squeezed me again at my words and in her embrace I could see Todd and Theo approaching.

When Theo looked up and saw me his small hands broke from Todd's grip. His small legs were no longer clumsy as he ran in his big boy shows, using my leg as a stopping mechanism.

     Mom stepped aside so that I could scoop him up. Todd strolled over and we all stood in a circle grinning ear to ear like something you'd see in a movie. I pushed away that thought that had come back with being home. The voices in my mind warned me from these temporary moments. I’d learned that dwelling on these kinds of things were only wasting the time I did have to devour every shred of the happiness.

     I passed Theo off to my mom and laughed at the shock Todd tried to hide when I hugged him next. Mom looked like she just might cry. There was no reason to be bothered that my mom had started a serious relationship. He made her happy, and that made me happy.

     The drive home was a burr of questions and updates. It wasn't until the car had stopped that I realized I could see the ocean behind the small house we'd come to a stop at. I knew this area easily, a few miles down I could see The Crescent sea food restaurant, the drive in movie screen replaced with clean white sand.

"What are we doing here?" I said this while keeping my eyes trained out my window. 

"What do you mean?" Mom said trying to give a sly smile that erupted into a giant grin. "This is our new house."

"But-"

     My reaction was pretty unexpected, even to me. But I didn't know how to react. I was happy, and scared at the very same time. When she'd told me we were moving I'd assumed out of our town completely, not right into the social fire pit I'd promised I'd avoid when I got home.