The Pursuit

Fourteen

FOURTEEN 

At the end of the next week, I went home back to Olympia. I had to leave early from my interning at the company on Friday, and as soon as Caleb found out, he wanted to come with me. His excuse was that he wanted to meet my mother, but I argued with him that it wasn't the appropriate time. I couldn't just pop back home to where my mom could be drunk, tell her we're sending her off to rehab, then introduce Caleb as my boyfriend. It just didn't work that way.

My dad was flying back in to Seattle Friday afternoon to help us with Mom since he organized the entire thing. I was to ride in with him back home. 

Caleb gave me a lift to the airport to pick up my dad, then we could get a rental car. Caleb pulled in to the busy arrival area where people were getting into cars, hugging loved ones they hadn't seen in years, and conspicuous tourists having a camera around their necks and an umbrella. 

"I'll just get off here," I told Caleb unbuckling my seat belt. "You'll have a hard time maneuvering around these cars if you pull up to the side." 

Caleb stopped the car gently behind an idling car and put the car on park. 

"I'm pretty sure this is illegal," I commented with a raise of my eyebrows. 

"As long as I give my girlfriend a proper kiss goodbye." Leaning over the compartment that served as an arm rest, he moved my head towards his tangling in his fingers in my hair at the same time. 

I freed my hands and placed them on both of his cheeks, kissing him deeply. 

"You'll do fine," he told me pulling away. He brushed stray hairs from my forehead and looked into my eyes. "You're the doing the right thing by helping your mother."

I managed in giving him a smile. "Thank you, Caleb." I kissed him once more on the lips. "I have to go. Dad should already be out of the plane by now. I'll let you know once we reach Olympia."

He had let go of me then while still holding my hand. "I wish I could have met your mother before."

"Next time," I assured him grabbing my purse and duffel bag on the floor by my feet. "I'll see you again on Monday." With one last look, I exited the car and ran towards to the side where people were spilling out of the automatic doors to avoid the honking cars.

I watched as Caleb started his car back up and waved back at him as he drove away. I didn't have to wait long for Dad to walk out among the groups of people. He looked out of place with a suit against the comfortable clothes of the other passengers. 

"Honey!" He shouted across the distance between us. "You been waiting long?"

I shook my head. "Just got here. Come on. Let's go and get a car before they tell us there aren't any available anymore."

"Oh no, I already called ahead and have one waiting for us," he looked around the sea of cars, "somewhere around here..." He motioned for me to follow him. "It should be here somewhere. Ah! There it is. See I told you."

Dad and I end up getting into a darkly tinted SUV with a driver ready to drive us to wherever we might have pleased. I get into the back along with Dad who gave me a smile. 

"Ready?"

I nod.

"This will be good for Bella."

Arriving at the house I grew up in and left just a couple months ago, nostalgia had hit me like a bag of rocks. I stood outside of the car watching the stillness of the house intensify. Dad got out right behind me, staring up at it in the same way I was.