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"Ooh, Fancy car service." Cori laughed when the group met up with the two drivers holding signs of Drew's name. Drew let out an exasperated sigh when she spotted them.

"Damn it, I told mama not to make a big deal of us." Brian smiled an amused smile at the slight southern accent that slipped from her lips. Drew threw her bag over her shoulder and walked towards them. "Hi, I'm Miss. Calvin. Look, it's not really necessary for you to take us." Cori quickly ran up, putting a hand against her mouth.

"Now Drew, don't be crazy. Isn't it rude to not accept southern hospitality?" Drew rolled her eyes silently. "How about we let the boys ride together? You and I can have some girl time." Drew pulled her face from her friend's grip.

"Really Cori, lets not do this. You can go with Skylar. Have time to yourselves." Skylar laughed, slapping his hand onto Brian's shoulder.

"No thanks. I have plenty of time to spend with her. You girls go. I'll get to know Brian." Drew looked to Cori suspiciously as she dragged her off to the car. Once they were inside, Drew glared at her.

"What?" Cori obliviously asked.

"You know what. Don't try that innocent thing with me, It doesn't work." Cori rolled her eyes as she poured Drew a glass of the provided champagne. Seeing the alcohol, she took it swiftly and prayed for the effects to take hold of her.

"I just thought you'd want to vent some of your feelings to someone you're not sexually attracted to." Drew laughed, pouring herself another glass.

"Oh Cori, who ever said I wasn't attracted to you?" She joked playfully. Cori winked as she took a sip from her own drink.

"Darling. You know that our love is forbidden." Cori smiled, happy that her friend was starting to relax.

"Anyway, What do you want to talk about?"

"How about the part where you were dead asleep on Brian's shoulder." Drew didn't want to discuss that or anything that had to do with Brian at the moment. She hadn't meant to fall asleep on him. Drew didn't want to focus on Brian this trip. The plan was on hold as far as she was concerned. "Drew?" Cori asked trying to get her attention.

"Are you sure you're ready to meet my parents?" She replied, quickly changing the subject. Cori knew not to push something that Drew didn't want to talk about. She would wait until she had a bit more alcohol in her.

"I'm sure you're making them out to be worse than they actually are." Drew scoffed a laugh. Her friends had no idea what they were about to get into. They were about to enter a world of southern hospitality, elegance, and all her hidden family secrets. She was scared. There were things that she had never told anyone. Would it make them think differently of her? Would it make Brian think differently of her? That scared her more than anything.

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"Why are we turning into a country club?" Cori asked when the car went through a gate and down a long driveway. Drew sighed passively, not looking up from her blackberry.

"Welcome home." Cori gasped loudly when the house came into view. It was unlike any house that she had ever seen. It was beautiful. Drew looked to the house briefly. "Wow, Mom planted tulips this year." The car stopped and the driver came to let them out. Cori slowly got out of the car as if she was about to be pranked or something. Drew exited the vehicle like nothing was wrong. "Thanks Jacob." She smiled, handing him a generous tip before getting her bags out of the trunk. Drew looked to her friends to see them staring at the house with awe and wonder. She looked at the house, trying to see what they were seeing. "What?" She asked when she couldn't see anything. All three of them turned their heads to her slowly; eyes wide and mouths dropped. "What?"

"This is where you live?!" Skylar exclaimed. Drew sheepishly smiled and put her backpack over her shoulder.

"I told you guys," Suddenly the door swung open to reveal a familiar looking woman.

"Drew baby!" Her mother happily squealed. Drew smiled, her mother hadn't changed since she left. Her blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun, her make-up flawless, and her bright smile as warm as ever. Drew walked towards her mother who was rushing over. "My baby!" She cried, taking her daughter into her arms in a tight embrace.

"Hi mama." Drew was so happy to see her mother. Her nerves were instantly calmed in her mother's arms.

"I have missed you so much, Drew. I am so glad that you're finally home." She hugged her mother tighter.

"Me too mama. Me too." After a few moments into their mother-daughter reunion, Laura remembered her manners. She quickly pulled away from Drew to greet her guests.

"I'm sorry, I'm being so rude. I am Laura Calvin, Drew's mother. You must be her friends she's been telling me about." Cori, Brian, and Skylar were speechless at how much Drew and her mother looked alike. Drew was practically a carbon copy of Laura. "Are you alright, dears?" Laura asked, confused. Drew rolled her eyes at them. She knew what they were thinking. Everyone who saw her and her mother together thought the same thing.

"They're fine, mama. Jet lagged probably." Cori was the first to snap out of it. She hit Skylar who in turn hit Brian.

"I am so sorry, Mrs. Calvin. It's just...You and Drew look so much alike. It's a little scary." Laura laughed and hold onto Drew's hand.

"Isn't that sweet, Drew? Even after all these years they still say that." Drew laughed politely. She hated being compared to her mother. Drew spent years trying to get out of her mother's shadow. She'd be damned if one weekend was going to ruin all of her hard work.

"Lets go inside, please." Everyone picked up their bags and walked into the foyer of the house.

"Welcome to our home." Laura smiled as they put their bags down and ventured into the formal living room. Their eyes were wide seeing the home that Drew had grown up in. "Now, would you like a tour first or would you like to get settled into your rooms?"

"Mama, please don't bother over us. We're no one special." Laura shook her head.

"You all are very special!" She argued. "It's not often that my baby comes home. I want to make your stay perfect."

"You have a beautiful home, Mrs. Calvin." Cori smiled.

"Oh thank you honey. Please, Call me Laura. That goes for all of you." Drew rolled her eyes. She loved her mother but her politeness could get annoying.

"How about you show us which rooms we'll be staying in. I'll take them on a tour when they're ready." Drew offered. Laura, sensing her daughter's anxiety, nodded her head.

"Yeah, that's fine. I have to get dinner started anyhow." She politely smiled. Instantly, Drew felt bad. Her mother was so excited to have her home. She didn't blame her for wanting everything to be perfect. "I'll show you to your rooms." They grabbed their bags and walked up the stairs to the expansive bedrooms. "Brian and Skylar, your rooms are the two rooms on the right side." They stopped at Skylar's room first. The giant entertainment center in front of the bed was the first thing that caught his eye.

"Wow, this is amazing." Skylar was in heaven. He ran to look out the window and below was the pool and patio.

"Is that a golf course?" Brian asked looking out of the window. Laura proudly smiled.

"Yes. Full 18 holes. We have actually turned the ground into a country club in the last few years. Drew's father handles the business end and I take care of the events." Drew was surprised. Her father had always talked about going into business for himself. He was why Drew was so career driven.

"You hold events here?" Cori asked while walking next door to Brian's room.

"Oh no, Dear. This is our private estate. The clubhouse is on the other side of the grounds." Laura explained.

"I'd love to see it." Brian replied. "My friends and I are pretty good golfers." Drew laughed lightly.

"Last I heard, it was Matt and Zack who were the golfers in your group." Brian's face blushed a light red.

"Well, I'm learning." Laura laughed and patted Brian on the shoulder.

"Once Charles returns from the course, I'm sure he'd love to take you on a grand tour." Get father did like to show off his hard work, which is why they had such a big house. "Cori, Your room is right next to Drew's. She'll show it to you. I have to go get dinner started."

"Thanks mama. I'll give them a quick tour and you let us know when dinner is ready." Laura gather Drew up in her arms and hugged her tightly.

"Its so good to have you finally home." Drew agreed. It was good to be home. Laura then walked off towards the kitchen, reluctantly leaving them to their own devices. Once they were out of her sight, they ganged up on Drew.

"Why didn't you tell us that you were loaded?!" Cori exclaimed excitedly.

"Because I'm not. My parents are." They didn't listen.

"You live in this palatial palace and you gave it up to live in crappy California?" Skylar laughed.

"Hey, California isn't crappy." Brian defended. Drew ignored their rantings over her parents home and their past life assumptions. They had it all wrong but didn't care to hear the whole story. Drew opened the door to her bedroom and took a step back into time.

Laura has kept Drew's room the same since she had left for college. The light purple with the white trim. The floral bedspread that she had had since her sweet 16. All of the pictures of her friends that she left behind still stood on her dresser. Her pageant trophies and crowns sat proudly on display. Everything was if it had been frozen in time. her room even smelled of lavender; her favorite scent.

"So this is where all the magic happened." Brian smirked leaning against the door frame. Drew looked back to him. The light from the setting sun made him look like he had just stepped out of her dreams. She always wondered what it would be like to have a man like him at her door. Call it teenage fantasy if you will. Brian stepped in and looked around; his attention going straight to her trophies. "No way. You were really a pageant queen?" Drew sighed and began to unpack.

"Since I was four years old." Brian looked through all the awards and her pictures. Seeing Drew all dressed up like that was interesting to him. She was an adorable child. Her long blonde hair and bright blue eyes made her the perfect pageant girl. "The only thing the pageant people didn't like was my name." Drew told him as he went through a picture album. "Mama went as far as to forge a birth certificate that said my name was Andrea so they could say that Drew was just a nickname."

"Wow, hardcore." Drew laughed. "Do any big pageants?" She walked over and picked up the biggest crown that was on display. She slowly raised it up and placed it on her head.

"Miss Teen North Carolina." She replied. Brian was impressed. He didn't know jack shit about pageants but he knew that being Miss Teen of a state was a huge accomplishment. "I would have won Miss Teen USA if one of the other girls mother hadn't slept with all the male judges."

"Aw, Laura wouldn't put out?" Drew shuddered and took the crown off her head.

"Please, you've met my mother. She worked hard for her perfect reputation. No way would she do anything to ruin that." They laughed and continued to looked around her room. Drew put her bag up on her bed and continued to unpack. She knew there was no way that her mother would allow her to live out of her suitcase. Besides, Drew didn't know how long it would be until she would see her mother after this weekend, might as well make it count.

"Cheer leading captain, Class president, Prom queen. You really did live the ultimate childhood." Brian smirked whilst he flipped through her yearbook. Drew quickly ran over and snatched the book from his grasp.

"This isn't me," She mumbled, clutching the book close to her chest. Seeing her apprehensiveness, Brian put his hand on her shoulder.

"Trust me, I know." Drew's heart beat a little faster. He did know the real Drew. He was practically the only one who did. He would probably be the only one who ever would.

"Drew," Her mother's voice sounded over the intercom in her bedroom bellowed. "Your father just got back. We'll wait for you in the family room." Drew closed her eyes. It was time for them to meet her father. Time for them to meet the sole reason for not coming back all these years.

"You alright?" Brian quietly asked. Drew opened her eyes to see her friends staring back at her with concern. Drew then carefully put the yearbook back into its designated spot before smoothing out her appearance as calmly as she could.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Lets go." Drew walked out of her room and down the hall, her heartbeat falling into the beat of every step she took. She guided them into the kitchen where her mother was meticulously making dinner.

"There y'all are." She smiled. "All settled in then?" They nodded their heads.

"Thank you so much for the beautiful rooms. Everything smells delicious in here." Skylar complimented. Skylar was raised in a family not unlike Drew's own. He was taught to always use his manners or else. He understood the pressure that Drew was under.

"Oh honey, you are so sweet." Laura grabbed onto Cori's hand and gently put it into Skylar's. "Honey, you hold onto him tight. You don't find men this good everyday." Cori smiled brightly and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"No way I'm letting him go." Drew looked through the kitchen, seeing her father in his favorite chair watching some game on the flat screen. Her knees began locking, her breath hitched, and she suddenly became slightly dizzy. The first time seeing her father in over 10 years. Nervous didn't even begin to express how she was feeling.

"Well let me introduce you to my husband." Laura began leading them into the family room when Drew grabbed her arm. "Honey?"

"Would you mind if I talk to him first?" She nervously asked. Laura smiled, knowing this was important.

"Yes, Of course." Laura wrapped her arms around her tightly. "Don't be afraid. He's only your father." She whispered to her frightened daughter. Drew lightly nodded, her eyes not leaving where her father sat. Laura released her and turned to her guests. "Please, allow me to show you around." Cori gave Drew's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before following Laura and Skylar.

"You going to be alright?" Brian asked. Drew shrugged her shoulders. "I know that you and him aren't on the best of terms. If I know anything about dads, it's that they'll always love their daughters." Drew looked up to Brian in surprise, she didn't expect him to say anything like that.

"How can you be so sure?" She asked shakily. Brian smiled as he put his hand on her lower back and leaned into her ear.

"Because that's how I'll feel whenever I have a daughter." He whispered into her ear. Drew immediately smiled, feeling much better. Brian kissed her cheek and walked away towards the tour. It was now or never. Drew took a deep breath and walked into the living room.

Drew's father, Charles Calvin, was a true man's man. Brown hair with the highlights of gray from the years of stress now matched the goatee on his face. The lines on his face were now more pronounced than they had been in the past. He had seemed to have lost weight since the last time she had seen him. Drew guessed that since the Country Club had taken off, her mother had made him go on a diet to improve his image; and hers. Behind the looks of age, she could still see the man who had taught her to ride and bike and fly a kite. Brian and her mother were right. No matter how much they disagreed, he would always be her father.

"Hi daddy." Drew said softly, trying to hide her shaking hands. Charles looked over to her briefly.

"How long have you been here?" He asked focusing his attention back on the game.

"About an hour," She replied. "My friends and I came for the party." Charles scoffed a laugh.

"Yeah, That damn party that's costing me a lot of money."

"But it's your 30Th wedding anniversary. That's a huge milestone! Aren't you excited?" She smiled. Charles sighed and turned off the TV. Drew instinctively sat down. Whenever she would get in trouble when she was little, she'd know it when he turned off the TV.

"If you wanted to talk about the party, your mother wouldn't be giving a house tour to your friends right now." He was right. Drew was trying to stall the inevitable conversation. "Lets get into it."

"Daddy, there's nothing to get into. I'm living my life like you wanted me to." Charles shook his head and leaned his elbows onto his knees.

"No. You were supposed to stay and work here. you knew that and you still went off to the land of Hippies." Drew hated how he perceived California.

"Yeah, I went to get some freedom! You have no idea how suffocating you are. I have to work since I was 14 and that still wasn't enough for you." She exclaimed, tears coming to her eyes as she finally let out all that she had wanted to say to her father. "I went to California to see if I could live on my own, and I did it. I finished school at the top of my class and I created my own company, by myself. I had no help and that's how I like it." The tears flowed freely now, the huge weight that had been on her for so long finally felt lifted. "Wanna know why I did it all dad? To make you proud of me. To make you feel like I wasn't the biggest disappointment of your life. It's not enough though. No matter what I do, It'll never be enough." Charles sat looking stone faced while Drew poured her heart out. Drew had waited so long to get all of that off her chest and now she was afraid that it had fallen on deaf ears. That's when her father did something she had never expected him to do. Charles grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. Drew didn't know how to respond.

"There hasn't been a day since you were born that I haven't been proud of you." He whispered. "That day will never come. I will always be proud of you and I will always love you." With that being said, Drew crumpled. She threw her arms around him and cried happily. All of her fears and worries blew out the window. She had her father back and that's all she ever needed.