Looking After You

(25) Ages: 20 & 17

Ages: 20 & 17

The last time Jenny was in North Carolina the trees were bare and fall leaves covered the ground like puzzle pieces. It had been six months and the essence of spring was all around. Jenny felt peace about the fact that she hadn’t seen much change in her small town. Buildings were still in place, road signs were still as she remembered and the large white church was still in the middle of town surrounded by tiny shops. She smiled from the backseat of her taxi cab as everything sped by. Maybe it was because she had changed so much in the last six months that she was so elated to realize some things could stay exactly the same. As they came upon the road that led down to James’ apartment buildings, she wanted so badly to tell the taxi driver to turn. She wanted to go down that road and see if more things could stay exactly the same, but she knew disappointment is all she would find. So, instead of tapping the driver on the shoulder and insisting he take the next right turn, she sat back in her seat and once they passed the road she released the breath she had been holding. Jenny’s phone buzzed from the seat beside her and she lifted it up, the message putting a smile on her face.

Miss you already.

There were a few things she had found in England, one of those being a cute English boy with deep blue eyes and an alluring crooked grin, but the most important thing she had found was herself. She found her confidence and her beauty, her love of the world and the realization that your heart can break multiple times, but it doesn’t break you. It doesn’t mean that you’re broken. Being in England made her realize that she didn’t have to try so hard and good things could happen if she just let them. She turned off her phone and slung it back onto the seat beside her. She would text him back later but at that moment, she was home and that’s where every part of her wanted to be. The taxi cab pulled up to the curb beside her house and she stared out the window a moment as if she had been gone years and in a way, she may as well have been. The cab driver began placing her things onto the sidewalk and she stepped onto the curb just as her front door swung open. Her parents exited the house with ecstatic smiles as they rushed forward to greet her.

“Don’t you even think about going anywhere ever again!” Her mother scolded playfully as she wrapped her arms tightly around Jenny, moving her from side to side. She laughed and out of the corner of her eye, watched as her father stood idly by, waiting for his turn to hug her separately. It seemed strange for a moment but Jenny quickly overlooked it and Keith wrapped his arms around her just a second later.

“We missed you, kid.” He pulled back rather quickly but kept his hands securely on her upper arms as he examined her from head to toe. “Something’s different,” he quirked an eyebrow before placing a hand on her head. “Did you get taller? Change your hair? Maybe it’s the clothes.” He continued guessing and Jenny just snickered. Something was missing and in that split second, her eyes traveled to the house next door.

“Where are Denise and Richard?”

Her parent’s faces slumped as a look of honest disappointment took over and suddenly she felt like a complete jerk. “That’s all we get? We haven’t seen you in six months and the first thing you ask is, ‘where are Denise and Richard’?” Jenny was grateful for her mother’s humor and quickly apologized.

“You’re right, I’m sorry. I missed all of you so much, I just kind of thought they would be here too when I got home. I wanted to see everyone.” If Denise was standing here, she would understand what that meant. But Denise wasn’t here and everyone simply meant everyone.

Alison wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulder and began leading her to the front door while Keith grabbed her bags from the curb and paid the cab driver. “Well, lucky for you, your mother loves a good party so tonight everyone will be over here to celebrate your homecoming.” She winked cleverly and led Jenny into the house where a large banner reading, ‘Welcome Home, Jenny’ was strung from one wall to the other. About a hundred balloons were pinned and floating around the room accompanied by noise makers, party hats and everything else you could possibly imagine for a twelve-year-olds birthday party.