finding you

two

The house is beautiful.

Of course it's beautiful, Theo. Dad probably bought it hoping you'd love it so much you would move in for good.

I want to laugh at the thought but thinking that it might actually be true keeps me from even smiling. I don't want him to do anything for me. I don't deserve it.

I stay standing in the doorway for what seems like a long time. I hear my dad's heavy footsteps behind me as he hauls my luggage with him.

"So? What do you think?" He drops my bags on the floor next to me. I look down at my feet. I haven't even taken my shoes off yet.

"It's beautiful. I wanted to wait for you so you can show me around."

"Well let's go on then."

He begins his tour of his beautiful new bungalow. Light shines from almost every direction bringing warmth into the house. We walk into the kitchen which opens up to the rest of the living room. The kitchen is coated with a wooden glaze on most surfaces giving it a rustic but modern feel. The walls are white tiles, including the island that stands in the center of the kitchen. I love everything about it. I can picture myself making my breakfast here while listening to soft country as the sun spills over the kitchen counters.

My body seems to think otherwise, though. I can't contain my dramatic yawn.

"I love this, dad. Seriously, it's... just exquisite."

My dad is chuckling lightly at the fact I just said that during a couple of giant yawns. "You can see it all in the morning. I mostly just wanted you to see your room downstairs."

I walk down the stairs into the basement. It's a cute twisted staircase and I can't help but admire the old style used in a modern way. When I reach the bottom, my jaw drops. "Oh my God."

Everything is open concept. Not to mention it's a walk-out basement, so right now it doesn't feel like a basement at all. The sun is shining through as much as it did upstairs onto what looks like my bed. My bed! It looks freaking adorable. Everything is white (which my dad knows is my favorite) and it's in what looks like a nook, but everything is so open it's hard to tell. By my bed is a makeup vanity that looks vintage with Hollywood-styled lights decorating the frame. Across the room sits a cute petite white sofa.

I feel so... excited. Dad, I love you!

"Dad, I love you!"

I barely hear his response from upstairs, but I know he's smiling. I cannot keep this grin off my face despite my lack of sleep.

Then again... at the thought of sleep, I turn to look at the one thing I've been waiting for since I stepped off the plane. I immediately take off my clothes, not caring at all to freshen up first, and crawl into bed.

I'm pretty sure I even fall asleep smiling.

***

I wake up to my phone spazzing out beside me.

Oh, shit. Ronnie.

My phone died early yesterday and I obviously forgot to text her—not to mention I still have to call my mom to check in with her.

New house... new room.

I look up and take in my surroundings. The sun is still rising. I'm up early. Probably because I fell asleep before supper time yesterday.

My phone rumbles again, bringing it back to my attention. Ronnie. I grab my phone and unlock it to a million messages. I text her to come over in a couple hours. That gives me time to ease into the morning—and prepare myself to see my best friend I haven't seen in two years.