The Great Awakening

As soon as Mia stepped off the plane, a sense of relief washed over her. Burlington felt worlds away from Salt Lake City. The people were nicer, the airport was smaller and less crowded, no one was pushing past her in a mad dash to their gate, and the air outside even smelled different. But above all else, it was home, and no other place on Earth would ever be able to compare. After being away for so long, it didn’t feel like home, though. Her home soil felt almost foreign to her. She hoped the feeling would fade after she was there for a few days.

On her way from her hotel to the airport, she’d called her mother and told her when her flight was scheduled to land. She was ecstatic about the news. That was understandable, though; it’d been nearly two years since she’d last seen her daughter. Caroline, her mother, told her she’d be waiting for her at baggage claim and as soon as Mia came down the escalator in search of her bags, she saw her mother standing there with a gigantic grin on her face. Even though it should’ve had the same effect on her, Mia just felt guilty. She hadn’t even come home for the holidays.

The thoughts escaped her mind as her mother rushed over to her and wrapped her in a bone-crushing embrace. Mia could feel the warm tears on her shoulder as Caroline began crying. This made her feel even worse. She’d tried to come home for her mother’s birthday but there were no flights available until three days later, which happened to fall on the first day of Olympic training - something she obviously couldn’t miss. Christmas was out of the question because her parents were flying to Texas to spend it with Mia’s brother, Soren. He’d gotten a job there at a law firm. This came as a shock to Mia because her brother was the biggest homebody she’d ever met, but they offered him a six-figure starting salary so it wasn’t like he could refuse.

“I missed you, honey,” her mother sniffled as she released her grip.

Mia took a long look at her mother, noting the changes as she scanned them. The bags under her mother’s pale blue eyes had gotten darker and puffier; she’d lost a bit of weight as well, and her hair, which had been a shade between blonde and gray the last time Mia had saw her, was now dyed a warm auburn color. In short, if the woman hadn’t latched on to her as soon as she came into her sight, Mia wouldn’t have known it was the same woman who’d given birth to her.

“You look great, Mom,” Mia replied sweetly. She sincerely hoped her mother wasn’t holding some unspoken grudge against her for missing out on the last two years. It didn’t seem likely, though. Since she’d left, she never met a person sweeter than her mom.

Caroline blushed as she accepted her daughter’s compliment. “Lis convinced me I needed a change. She said my age was starting to show.”

This came as no surprise to Mia and it elicited a laugh from her. Lis, her sister, was a stickler about two things: fashion and men. She’d gone to school in New York City for fashion design (or something of the sort - Mia couldn’t be bothered with the difference) and came home every Christmas with hair a different color than when she’d left. She also came home more bossy - a sure sign to Mia that her sister was in the right profession. If there was anything Lis was good at, it was getting her way. Mia was convinced she’d be running fashion shows and showcasing her collections in no time.

The conveyor belt started beeping, informing everyone waiting in baggage claim that their suitcases were going to start coming around. It didn’t take long for Mia’s large, sunshine yellow bag to be spotted. She grabbed it and followed her mother out to the parking lot. After she secured her bags in the trunk, she climbed into the passenger’s seat and awaited the ride home. It’d only be about two hours until she was warm and safe in her bed, and she hadn’t realized just how exhausted she was (both mentally and physically) until her mother got on to the highway.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, Mia, but why aren’t you in Utah with Kevin?”

Mia’s eyes squeezed shut, succeeding in preventing the tears that had welled up behind them from falling. Not a second had gone by where she hadn’t regretted her decision in leaving. She felt awful about it, mostly because she hadn’t said goodbye. The situation could’ve been handled way differently and Mia knew that, but there was no turning back now. She’d have to deal with what she’d done later and hope that Kevin would understand enough to forgive her.

“He...he didn’t need me anymore,” she answered hesitantly. Her mother was still her mother even if she had spent the last two years missing in action, meaning she could tell when her daughter was lying even when Mia convinced herself she wasn’t.

“There will never come a day when that boy doesn’t need you, sweetheart.”

This, however impossible it seemed at the time, was the truth. Both Mia and her mother knew this. What didn’t help, however, was that Mia knew how angry Kevin was with her. It was almost like she could sense it. That was probably the truth too. They both had somewhat of a sixth sense when it came to one another. Spending that much time together would do that to anyone. But Mia and Kevin were different. Their friendship, relationship, whatever it was, was different. They weren’t the typical ‘best friends’ who spent every waking moment together because they needed to. They didn’t have slumber parties and go everywhere together because there was never a dull moment whenever they went out. They spent so much time together because they wanted to. They lived together and traveled together because they couldn’t picture their lives any differently, or void of one another.

Mia finally realized this at a very strange time. In all the time they’d been best friends, Kevin had never had a girlfriend. She never had to deal with Kevin always talking to another girl or spending time with her. She never had to know how it felt to share your best friend because she never had to. What Kevin was dealing with regarding her and Mason was something new for the both of them. Sure, Mia had gone on dates and had boyfriends, but it was while she was away at college. This, of course, made her feel awful inside, like she’d just broken up with a long-term boyfriend or got her heart broken.

“I-I think I messed up,” Mia said quietly.

Her mother looked over at her questioningly. “What do you mean?”

“I shouldn’t have left him there. He doesn’t have anyone, he-”

“I understand you’re upset, baby, but don’t you think it’s time you did what makes you happy?”

Her mother’s words stopped her from making a fool out of herself with her ludicrous assumptions. Kevin would be fine on his own. His family was still there; they never would’ve left. But that’s kind of the role Mia played. She was part of the Pearce family, like the daughter they never had. Kevin’s brothers were no different to her than Soren was, and she was no different to them than Lis was to her.

“I was happy.” Mia was lying. This was new.

“Happy people don’t jump on a red-eye back to their parents after two years of being away, Mia.”

Caroline knew everything her daughter never said. The day Mia had met Kevin, she knew he would become an integral part of her family’s life. And he did; he was her daughter’s best friend. What she never would have guessed, though, is how big of a role he’d go on to play. She was never bitter toward Kevin for seemingly stealing Mia away -- she knew Mia would never do anything against her will -- but she always wished he’d encourage her to go off and do what she wanted to do.

Mia sighed, knowing her mother was right (like always) and didn’t argue back. As she’d previously gone through in her mind, all she could do was hope Kevin would understand where she was coming from and why she left. This probably wouldn’t happen for a while. Kevin was under a lot of stress from the accident and judging by the way he snapped at her in the hospital, it’d take some time for things to simmer down and return to normal. Relationship-wise at least. She wasn’t sure if things would ever completely go back to normal.

Once they pulled into the driveway, nostalgia hit Mia like a ton of bricks. Her house wasn’t out of the ordinary for Norwich. It was your normal two-story house with a wrap-around porch. It was painted white with dark blue shutters. In the summer, the grass was a lush green, accented by the flowerbeds her mother spent years perfecting. Daffodils, peonies, gardenia -- you could smell her mother’s flowers from a block away. In the winter, the yard’s trees were covered in snow and wrapped with Christmas lights. Simply put, it felt just like home.

“Daddy spent all afternoon shoveling the walkway for you,” Caroline smiled. She popped the trunk so Mia could get her things.

Mia’s father was just like her mother only in male form. There wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do for his children. Lis took full advantage of this and was always the most spoiled of the three. Mia, however, saw him differently. He was a mentor to her. Whenever she was unsure of something or needed advice, her father was the first person she went to. He didn’t see the world the way everyone else did. He was a thinker, a problem solver.

When she stepped in the house, she could hear the faint sounds of the television from the living room. She smiled, remembering the way her father would spend almost every night watching news channels and mumbling his commentary to anyone who was listening -- which was usually no one. She set her bag down in the foyer and crept up behind his armchair. Placing a kiss to her father’s cheek, she thought he nearly had a heart attack as he jumped ten feet in the air.

“Mia!” he smiled and wrapped her in a hug just like her mother’s.

“Hi, Dad,” she replied, finally realizing how great it felt to be home.

“Have a seat,” he told her. She sat on the couch across from him. Stealing a quick look at the television, she laughed as Glenn Beck’s face registered.

Her father, realizing what she was looking at, sighed in aggravation. “Have you ever watched this show? This guy’s a loony.”

“No,” Mia shook her head, “we don’t watch much politics.”

“Good. All they do is make you go bald with frustration.” Mia’s dad rolled his eyes upward, pointing to his balding head. Obviously not used to appearing his age, he quickly changed the subject. “So, tell me - how was the west coast?”

“Not as cold,” Mia answered easily.

“You photograph snowboarders, Mia. How warm can you possibly be?”

Acknowledging his point, Mia nodded. “Yeah, that’s true. Colorado’s a bit cold, I guess.”

“You guess?” her father roared. “I just watched the weather report and Denver’s expecting feet of snow. Feet, Mia!”

Mia laughed at her father’s over-dramatics. It felt like nothing had changed since she’d left. “Looks like we’ve got a few feet outside.”

“Yeah, but that’s old. Last week, approximately. Hey, Carol!” he called into the kitchen, where Mia’s mom had ventured once she stepped in the house. Mia heard a faint what? before her father yelled back. “When did we get all that snow last week?”

“On Tuesday, honey!”

“Yeah,” her father agreed. “That snow’s from Tuesday. You got home just in time to be snowed in again. Saw the weather report after dinner and they’re callin’ for about eighteen inches before tomorrow night.”

When you grow up in a place like Vermont, eighteen inches of snow is child’s play. When you follow professional snowboarders around for a living, it’s even more of a joke. Mia couldn’t remember the last time she went to a place that didn’t have snow. If it wasn’t Park City, it was Aspen. If it wasn’t Aspen, it was Mammoth Lakes. Even New Zealand was snowboard-ready whenever they traveled there.

“Anyway, tell me what’s been goin’ on in the life of Mia Fulton for the last two years.”

“Well,” Mia started, unsure of where to begin. “You already know about Kevin’s accident, so-”

“Oh yeah, how’s he doin’?”

“Better,” she answered. “His therapy sessions are getting shorter so they think he’ll be able to leave the hospital soon.”

“That’s good to hear. I talked to Simon the other day and they’re all worried sick about ‘im. I told ‘em he’s a strong kid and they ain’t got nothin’ to worry about but you know them.” Simon was Kevin’s father.

“I saw him a few times while I was there.”

Her father nodded. “That can’t be all that happened.”

“I, um - I guess I met a guy while I was there.”

Her father’s eyebrows raised so high Mia thought they were going to take off into space. “A guy, huh? And who is this mystery man that’s making my daughter swoon, exactly?”

Mia could feel the heat rise to her cheeks. “His name’s Mason.”

“And does this Mason snowboard as well?” Mia nodded. “Well, I think it’s safe to say you found your type.”

“We aren’t dating,” Mia said quickly. If her father had been hard of hearing it would’ve sounded like one jumbled word.

“Why not? Ya’d think the whole world revolved around ‘im with the way your face lights up.”

“Kev-” Mia paused, feeling physically unable to finish her sentence. “Kevin doesn’t think it’s a good idea for me to date his friends...”

“To hell with that Kevin thinks, Mia! If this guy makes you happy then that’s all that matters.” Her father’s tone adapted somewhat of a scolding tone although Mia knew he wasn’t scolding her. “If you ask me, which you have, I’d invite him over for dinner once this weather clears up.”

Mia’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “What?”

“I want to meet him.”

“Why would you want to do that?” She was horrified.

“Would ya stop askin’ so many questions and listen to your old man?” He chuckled, showing her he wasn’t at all angry with her. “Have I ever steered you wrong, sweetheart?”

“No.”

“Well, then,” he replied triumphantly, “I expect him to be here by March first as long as we ain’t under ten feet of snow.”

Mia was glad it was only the third of February.