PAINTS, WORDS, & LIQUORS [LASHTON AU]

prologue

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-luke-

I took in the smell of Sydney. Six years. Six years that I have not been here. Not even visited for once. Now I am back to this place where I was born, grew up, and made a lot of precious life memories: both good and bad. The place where my family and friends live. The place that I do love but chose to leave to chase my dreams. Now, I am back. I am home.

A cab stopped in front of me as I stood outside the airport. "Need a cab or waiting for someone to pick you up?" The cab driver, a friendly looking old man, peeped out the window and smiled at me as he asked with his strong Australian accent. It has been a long time since I heard the sound of an Australian accent.

I smiled at the man and said, "I never really told anyone that I'd be arriving today, so I guess I'm gonna need your service."

"Well then, hop in, kid!"

"Mind giving me a hand with my stuff?"

The old man chuckled and stepped out of his cab and helped me out with my luggage. As everything was inside the cab's trunk, I slipped into the backseat as the cab driver also got back inside the cab, sitting behind the wheel. I gave the man the address of my mother's home, and he started to drive.

"You seem to have brought a lot of things with ya?" the old man, commented.

I smiled as I looked at him through the rearview mirror and said, "Yeah, just all of my stuff."

"Really? Moving here?"

"Moving back."

The cab driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror with a surprised look on his face. "Are you from here?"

"Yeah...born and raised. Why do you sound surprised though?"

"I thought you are an American. You sound American."

I smiled, "Yeah...I lived in New York for a few years, guess I lost my accent there."

"Yeah, I think you did, but you'll get it back soon enough, now that you are moving back, as you say."

I just gave the man a chuckle in response.

I exchanged a few more words with the sweet cab driver as he drove me to my destination. He was a really lovely man, and I like him, and so I gave him a generous tip when we reached my mum's house. He wouldn't want to accept it but I insisted, and he hugged me as a thank you.

I gave him a wave goodbye before I turned around and looked up at the house in front of me. Home.

I let out a breath and adjusted my bag on my shoulder and walked towards the porch, feeling my heart pump hard in my chest as I took every step on the stairs. I stopped in front of the door of the house I grew up in and took a heavy breath before I raised up my fist and knocked on the wooden door.

"Just a minute!" I heard the very familiar voice of my mother from inside the house, answering to the sound of the knock I made.

I really don't know how my mother would react to me just showing up at her doorstep at 8 in the evening without any warning. We haven't seen each other since I left Australia. We do talk though, and I still have a good relationship with her. It's just that, me coming home after all this time is a total shocker - even for me.

The decision was just made all of a sudden, and I told no one about it. Before I could give myself a chance to change my mind, I was already on a plane back to Australia with everything that I need with me.

The door then opened, and soon my mother came to sight. As soon as her eyes landed on me, she dropped the glass of red wine she was holding, the sound of the breaking of the glass rang around the place, and the red wine inside it spilled, staining the light brown carpet on the floor.