Sober.

8 // We Are Family

"They will keep the sticks and stones from breaking my bones. Mom the stongest one of us all, never letting us break our bones. This little family is a rock. This little family show em what you got. This little family is strong as hell."

-This Little Family ( Written By Shea Avery November 4, 2009 )

Something about being in an empty airport transports you into another reality. The world is quiet, the calm before the chaos, before I knew my life would change.

I pass a few exhausted staff members, all looking like they wished they could be at home with their loved ones or with a bottle of wine.

I felt so alone, yet I see people on any side of me as we all make our way to the waiting cabs, loved ones, or friends here to take us to our next event, our next day. The people that surround me I will only see once, our stories all intersect at a single point in the space time continuum, but it means nothing, but it also means everything.

"Shea Bay, My favorite daughter!" I let out a low 'huf' as my mother engulfs my body into a warm familiar hug, one of the only things I grew to miss about South Carolina.Lucky for me, she moved to Florida after Dylan graduated. Saying that she needed a change of pace, but we all knew South Carolina reminded her too much of dad.

"I'm your only daughter!" I mumble into her hair as she just hugs me tighter, not wanting to let go of her not so little girl. 

I try to see my mom once a year, twice if I'm lucky. This will be my first time seeing her in 2016, the last time was October 2015. She recently got a new job, more like she started her own bakery in Florida. Growing up there was always the smell of fresh baked cookies and cupcakes in the house. I swear the only reason people came to my house was for my moms baking.

"I love you so much my body wouldn't make another girl to replace you." She finally lets me go, but not after kissing the top of my head.

"Let's get moving, it is one am." My mom takes my suitcase and shoves it into the trunk of her black Honda CRV. The car is older than me, believe it or not.

"Mom, you need a new car."

"It works perfectly fine, plus I had your brother in that back seat twenty four years ago."

"Gross! Mom!" I gag covering my eyes, trying to shield my eyes from my own mind. It did not help as I vision that moment that Dad couldn't get mom to the hospital fast enough.

"The miracle of life." She smirks, my mom had one of the wittiest personalities, she is where I got my witty remarks from, but none measure to hers'. 

I watch each street light pass, tapping my foot the the music my mom has playing softly over the radio.

"Close your eyes in the night, and I'll be right in front of you. So sit back enjoy the view until the morning." Spinner sings into the radio. The volume is low enough that I can hear the world around me slowly turning, around and around. I can hear the faint noise of the broken engine and a car fly by us. Zoom.

Soon we arrive at the small house right outside of Orlando. The warm sticky summer air hits my skin and large contrast from LA's heat which was just like an over while Florida is like a sauna.

The lights are dark so my mother and I resort to our phone flashlights to follow the illuminated sidewalk to the front door. The house was nothing special to me, but to my mom she was happy. If her being happy meant giving up my childhood home, I'm happy she moved to Florida.