Status: Back in action!! I am currently writing more chapters, so be on the lookout!
A Little More Personal
Departures
I pulled my wet hair back into a ponytil and zipped up my suitcase. The alarm clock read 5:12 a.m.; the flight was in a little over an hour. A knock sounded on the door, and I turned just as my mother entered.
"Hey, Mama."
"Breakfast in on the table for you."
"Okay. I'll be right there."
"Your father wants to say good-bye," she said, answering my unasked question.
I nodded, a lump in my throat. She closed the door behind her and left me to myself. This felt an awful lot like when I had been leaving fresh out of high school: Leaving my parents now was hard, especially since they'd taken me back in with very little questions asked. I sighed, picked up my bags, and headed down the hall to the entry hall. My father and mother were sitting at the table in the kitchen; they looked up when I sat in my seat. I picked up my fork. Unfortunately, I couldn't force down much without gagging. Mama saved me twenty minutes later.
"Jay's here."
I rose to my feet while Mama went to get the door. Daddy stood and stopped me.
"Taresa, I wanna apologise about the way I acted the other night. I had no right to say what I did. I just.. . . I don't want to see you get hurt again."
"Give us some faith, Daddy. I'm gonna make mistakes, but that's part of life. It's part of growing up."
"I know that now. Have fun, Reece-cup. Be careful, okay?"
"Always. I love you, Daddy."
"I love you, too."
He embraced me tightly, and I fought back the tears. Slowly, I turned, gathered my suitcase and duffel bag, and went to Debbie's car. Jay gave me an encouraging smile and helped me load the luggage into the trunk. With one final wave to my parents, I slid into the backseat; Debbi drove off.
I bit my bottom lip but followed Jay into the hotel room. There were two beds, once covered by clothes. In the corner by the window sat a table and a blue-and-white pinstriped armchair. Jay set his bags on the cluttered bed; I placed mine by the closet. The navy blue comforters on the mattresses had been folded back to reveal whie pillows and sheets. The white walls held non-offending paintings; the window was covered by large navy curtains.
"You're probably tired, so you can have that bed."
"Thanks, Jay."
"Welcome. I'm gonna take a shower."
"Okay."
The moment my head hit the pillow, I was asleep. Jay's face was painted onto the backs of my eyelids, and I knew, subconsciously, I was falling for him . . . And I was falling fast.
"Hey, Mama."
"Breakfast in on the table for you."
"Okay. I'll be right there."
"Your father wants to say good-bye," she said, answering my unasked question.
I nodded, a lump in my throat. She closed the door behind her and left me to myself. This felt an awful lot like when I had been leaving fresh out of high school: Leaving my parents now was hard, especially since they'd taken me back in with very little questions asked. I sighed, picked up my bags, and headed down the hall to the entry hall. My father and mother were sitting at the table in the kitchen; they looked up when I sat in my seat. I picked up my fork. Unfortunately, I couldn't force down much without gagging. Mama saved me twenty minutes later.
"Jay's here."
I rose to my feet while Mama went to get the door. Daddy stood and stopped me.
"Taresa, I wanna apologise about the way I acted the other night. I had no right to say what I did. I just.. . . I don't want to see you get hurt again."
"Give us some faith, Daddy. I'm gonna make mistakes, but that's part of life. It's part of growing up."
"I know that now. Have fun, Reece-cup. Be careful, okay?"
"Always. I love you, Daddy."
"I love you, too."
He embraced me tightly, and I fought back the tears. Slowly, I turned, gathered my suitcase and duffel bag, and went to Debbie's car. Jay gave me an encouraging smile and helped me load the luggage into the trunk. With one final wave to my parents, I slid into the backseat; Debbi drove off.
I bit my bottom lip but followed Jay into the hotel room. There were two beds, once covered by clothes. In the corner by the window sat a table and a blue-and-white pinstriped armchair. Jay set his bags on the cluttered bed; I placed mine by the closet. The navy blue comforters on the mattresses had been folded back to reveal whie pillows and sheets. The white walls held non-offending paintings; the window was covered by large navy curtains.
"You're probably tired, so you can have that bed."
"Thanks, Jay."
"Welcome. I'm gonna take a shower."
"Okay."
The moment my head hit the pillow, I was asleep. Jay's face was painted onto the backs of my eyelids, and I knew, subconsciously, I was falling for him . . . And I was falling fast.