A New Life (COMPLETED)

Chapter 23

At 5 am Chance was knocking on Tim's room door. Tim staggered to the door, barely awake.." why do you do this to me" he remarked as his friend walked in, grinning like a cheshire cat.

"Come on..the sun is coming up, the air is warm, it's a beautiful day to be alive" he replied as he opened the curtains of the room.

"Ugh...close the damn curtains" he yelled flopping face down on the bed.

"Come on sleepy head..we've got a plane to catch, you can get your beauty sleep there" Chance told him grabbing his suitcase, taking out his clothes to wear.

"You're as bad as Jenika getting up at the ass crack of dawn" he mumbled into the pillow.

Chance tossed the clothes on to Tim, "Don't make me dress you" he threatened with a lighthearted tone.

Tim mimicked his threat as he rolled to his back, shielding his eyes from the rising sun with the clothes. "Ugh...alright..sheesh... one of these days pay back is gonna be such a bitch" he told him heading towards the bathroom.

Chance packed the rest of Tim's clothes to save more time. He grabbed the jacket he'd worn the night before, rolling it carefully to fit in his duffle bag, leaving enough room for Tim to put his toileteries inside. Placing it on the bed he yelled through the bathroom door he had 5 more minutes or they would miss their flight. Tim emerged with his hair still damp but at least dressed and a bit more awake than before.

"If you think packing my bag for me makes up for this, you're sadly mistaken" Tim grumbled, grabbing the bag from the bed, heading out the door.

****
Jenika sat at the breakfast table with her mother and father, mindlessly playing with her food. Her father looked across the table, wondering what seemed to have completely consumed her thoughts. He looked at his wife who merely smiled and nodded in their daughters direction.

Her father talked for several minutes with only an occasional nod or "uh huh" spoken from her as she continued to play with her food. "Ya know Jeni, if you wanted your eggs scrambled all you had to do was ask" he remarked.

"Huh?...Oh, sorry Dad..guess my mind wondered for a minute" she replied, finally taking a bite of her now cold breakfast.

"A minute? Try more like 10 minutes " he replied lightheartedly before finishing his coffee.

"Guess I'm not very hungry" she replied cleaning her plate off into the garbage and placing it in the sink. "Please excuse me" she said walking out of the room.

Her dad turned, watching her walk away with a look of confusion. Looking back at his wife he said " what has her so preoccupied, is she alright"

"She's fine..She's in love" her mother smiled.

He poured them each another cup of coffee "oh really...and do we know this person?" he asked sitting down next to his wife.

"Uh huh...it's Tim" she smiled looking over her cup.

****
Walking into the room memories flooded his mind, the pain, the sorrow..he could feel it all. But why, this wasn't his home or was it. It was familiar yet strange, abandoned. The photographs, the furnishings, triggering his mind as he walked around the bed touching the fabric, the softness beneath his fingers. Suddenly feeling a presence behind him, he turned as he took in the aroma surrounding him. He reached out.....

"Tim...Tim...wake up, we're about to land" Chance coaxed as he touched his shoulder.

"What!..Wait..where am I" Tim exclaimed, startled, his heart nearly beating out of his chest.

"Whoa there buddy..calm down. The plane is going to be landing, buckle up" Chance told him.

Tim looked at him then around the plane "what the hell was that' he thought as he tried to connect the seatbelt, his hands trembling.

"Man, are you alright. You look like something scared you half to death" Chance remarked to his friend.

"Yeah..uh no...something...never mind" he sputtered now looking out the window as the plane descended.

"It's a good thing I love you" Heather smiled at her brother as she waddled towards him, arms outstretched.

Chance laughed, hugging his sister tightly. He laid his hand atop her expanded belly, smiling "how's my little niece doing, she almost done cooking in there" he replied.

"Any day now" Jake answered "Don't let her fool you, she insisted on coming along to pick you up, thought the ride might get labor started"

"Well, it didn't all it did was make me hungry. You guys need food? " she asked, now giving Tim a hug.

He smiled at her, she was absolutely glowing and for a moment he thought how Caroline would have looked just as beautiful if she were carrying his child. A chill ran up his spine before he quickly shook his head to remove the thought.

"Tim..are you alright" Heather asked at his movement.

"Yeah..fine..haven't had much sleep" he replied with a slight smile.

"Well then, let's get you guys to mama's. You can rest there and I hope you're hungry, she's cooking up a feast, as usual" Heather replied.

"It's what she does, can't fault her for spoiling us with real southern cooking. But, could you drop us off at my place first. We'll be staying there and I'd like to grab my car" he replied.

"You're going to let Tim drive your car? No one else ever drives your car, not even me" Heather remarked.

"No, I'll be driving it. Doc gave me the all clear, for everything" he grinned " besides, he already drove it".

"That's great" Heather stated, surprised. "Wait...what..Tim drove your car...but... I" she pouted.

Chance, Jake and even Tim laughed at her response. Heather looked at the three in disbelief,  "It's a guy thing" Jake stated putting his arm around her.

"Whatever" she replied.