Turning Back..

Chapter 2

We stepped off of the train, it was just past 10 in the morning and we had just arrived in Portsmouth. We had set off early becuase quite frankly I wanted to get this family visit over and done with before we headed up to Birmingham to spend the remaining day or so we had here before flying back out to California. "I'm just going to nip into that WH Smiths and grab a card for her" I told Vic as he sat our cases down on bench "Ok, I'll be here" I trudged over to the shop, I hated this train station, I'd spent a lot of time in here waiting for trains to take me to school or to different cities when me and Jacky went out on day trips together. I scanned the rack of cards looking for a get well soon card. I grabbed the first one I saw and took it to the till to pay for it before heading back to Vic who was still waiting patiently with our cases. I shoved the card into my bag before grabbing my suitcase "Bus or taxi?" I asked Vic as we exited the station

"Erm, taxi for sure" I smirked at him thankful that he hadn't chosen the bus option. I walked over to the queue of taxi's and knocked on the window of one and telling him where we wanted to go. We got into the back seats and I started to write the card for my cousin. "What's your cousins name?" Vic asked me as I searched frantically through my bag for a pen "Demetria, but she prefers Demi" I stated as I finally laid my fingers on a pen, I pulled it out and wrote the card signing it from me, my mother and my father.

The taxi pulled up outside of my cousins house and I paid the driver the fare before following Vic out and grabbing my suitcase. I wheeled it up the short driveway and knocked on the door, I heard shuffling and then she appeared in the doorway "Deven Marie Taylor? Is that really you?" she embraced me in an awkward hug "Hi Demi, how are you we heard about your accident?" she shrugged "Well as you can see my arms broken and I'm a bit cut up but I'll be fine, come on in" she opened the door and allowed us in. I walked into her iving room and sat down on the couch "Who's this anyway?" she asked gesturing to Vic

"Oh this is my husband Vic?" 

"Hi it's nice to meet you" Vic stated shaking her hand 

"Oh your accent? Are you American?" he nodded

"We live over in California" Demi raised an eyebrow

"Really? Well you have done good for yourself are you still modelling? Only I haven't seen much of you in any magazines recently" I rolled my eyes

"Nope, I left all that back here" she nodded 

"Your parents haven't been around here recently?" she questioned 

"They live in California to, but anyway enough about my life what about you? How are things?" she shrugged "I'm good, married, working in that bar still" I smiled at her 

"Ahh I see so you aren't a Taylor anymore either?" I questioned her she shook her head 

"Nope, Smith" I was glad she had her life on track, part of me felt glad now that i'd stopped by to see how she was doing. She seemed different, not the teenager I used to try and out do all of the time. I don't know what I was expecting from her when I arrived but I wasn't expecting her to be so civil. I was expecting the many questions she was launching at me of course, but not with the politeness. Maybe I was just being silly, we'd both grown up we weren't in highschool anymore. "So what are you doing over here?" Demi asked bringing me out of my thoughts

"We just fancied a holiday" I didn't really want to go into it with her "Plus Vic loves England" 

After an hour or so of catching up I was eager to get going "We have a filght to catch home so we kind of have to go, but it was great catching up with you, here put your number in my phone and I'll call you some time" she took my phone from my hand and tapped her digits in before handing it back "Thanks for the card and thanks for stopping by, I hope to see you both again soon" I gave her a hug and then we left. 

Another train journey, not exactly what I wanted, it was midday and we would probably get to Birmingham at about 2pm ish if there were no delays. I snuggled into Vic's side as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder "I'm so tired" I announced, we had been up since five thirty getting all our stuff packed so we didn't miss the train. "Sleep, I'll wake you when we get to Birmingham" I smiled at him and placed a kiss on his cheek before snuggling back into his side and falling asleep. 

---

Vic shook me awake and I groaned as I lifted my head from his chest "We're here, do you know where the nearest hotel is?" I nodded 

"Yeah it's a premier inn, not far from the centre" I stood up and stretched. Before walking down the aisle to the exit where our suitcases were stacked in the luggage hold. It's been a while since I was last in Birmingham, we came here when Pierce The Veil were on tour for one of their shows but I'd spent it sleeping on the bus so hadn't really seen much of it. I remember a lot of this city from when I was a teenager it was the second city behind London and I'd been on a few shopping trips here when I was younger with friends, I liked it up North.. Probably because it was well away from my hometown of Portsmouth. We wheeled our suitcases out of the station and walked through the city until we got to the Premier Inn. "Hi, how can I help?" the lady at the reception desk asked

"Hi, could we book a room?" 

"Sure, is that for tonight?" I nodded

"Yes just for tonight thanks" she clicked about on the computer before handing me the chip and pin device so that I could pay for the room by card. "Do you want me to get it?" Vic asked me as I pulled out my card "No it's fine, you paid for the last hotel" I had money now, I'd gotten a job at a modelling agency but not as a model this time, I was working in the office there. I'd seen the advertisement online when I was job hunting back in San Diego and they wanted someone with experience which is exactly what I had to offer. 

Vic grabbed the key card and we headed upstairs to our room. It wasn't as nice as the hotel back in Devon but it was fine just for tonight "What times are flight tomorrow?" Vic asked as I sat on the end of the double bed. I fished around in my bag till I found the envelope "midday, so we will need to be at the airport for 9" Vic nodded and sat down next to me "What do you want to do today?" I asked him seeing as it was his choice to come up to Birmingham anyway.

"Shopping, food and then a bar?" I smirked at him 

"Sure that sounds fun" I looked at my watch and it was already 3pm and the stores would be shutting in a couple of hours. I grabbed my bag and followed Vic out of the door and out into the city "Where first?" Vic asked me pulling me into his side "the bullring shopping centre, it's huge!" I announced as we walked towards it and through the doors. 

After a couple of hours of shopping we decided to go get some food seeing as we hadn't eaten yet today and it was nearing five. "Pizza hut?" I asked as we walked by it

"We haven't had pizza in a while I guess" we turned around and went inside. The waitress seated us at a table and handed us some menu's "Hey, it's happy hour" Vic announced grabbing the happy hour menu and looking through it. "Ok we will do that then" we ordered Pepperoni pizza's and garlic bread "Hey there's wifi here, can I borrow your Ipad to check my emails?" I sighed and went into my bag grabbingmy Ipad and handing it to him. It was the only way he could contact his band as it cost a fortune to call people across the pond. Our pizza arrived and I watched Vic as he stared down at the screen "So we go on tour Friday" I groaned

"Oh that's so soon!" he grabbed my hand from across the table 

"It will only be three months, I promise you'll be fine" I groaned, it wasn't that simple. Kacie was going with Mike on this tour but I couldn't go due to the fact I wanted to keep the job I currently had. I had so many shoots to attend to. At least I would be kept busy.