Coming Home

“…and everyone that you see just says the same things. You know like, ‘he isn’t suffering anymore’ or ‘he’s in a better place’. But really, how the Hell do they know? Are they able to talk to dead people? I don’t think so. It is infuriating. It just feels like they can’t understand.”

The radio DJ chuckled. “Yes, Linda, I know what you mean. When my family friend died recently, it was hard, because he was like a father to me. Everyone kept saying the same things to us and it was nice, but I couldn’t take it after a while. But things do get better. Unfortunately, as much of a cliché that it is, it just takes time.”

Kit clicked her radio off, and sighed into the silence. It had been forever since she had been able to listen to Tyler on the radio, but at the mention of her father…she couldn’t keep listening. It had been two weeks since she had gotten the late night phone call from Aaron. She had just gotten off the stage after her concert, and that was a night she would never forget. Her brother had forced her to finish her tour, and the minute she was finished she threw all of her clothes into her car and drove off on her journey home.

It had been nearly two years since she had been back to Weller Springs, and not only because it was so different from L.A. Weller Springs was the kind of southern town where news travels fast and everybody knows everybody; it was weird going back but she knew she had to. As she passed the sign, she felt her heart clench.

She didn’t realize, as she thought about her father, that she was going a bit over the speed limit, and it was only when the sirens of a police car went off that she slowed her speed. She pulled over and as the officer got out of his car, she grinned.

He walked to her window and sighed as it was rolled down, not looking up. “License and registration.”

She rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses. “Now I don’t think you will need that to identify me.

”He finally looked up and she pulled off her sunglasses. His eyes went wide. “Oh my God! Kit!” He opened the door and pulled her out, into a big hug. “I didn’t know you’d be here today!”

She laughed and held onto her older brother. “I know. My tour finished, and I just jumped into the car and started driving.”

He nodded and they pulled apart. “So you drove for a few days when you could have flown and gotten here sooner?”

She shrugged. “I liked the time. I was able to think about stuff other than press, tour details, fans, and my music. Although, I had to switch the station a few times before I found one that doesn’t play my stuff.” She grinned.

He sighed. “Well I definitely wasn’t expecting this to be you. You’ve changed your look again.” He teased.

“Oh I just dyed my hair and lost weight. That is what happens when you become famous. You change.”

He smiled at her. “Well I should probably get back to work.”

She rolled her eyes. “How many people do you actually have to pull over or arrest in this town?”

He cocked an eyebrow and motioned to her car. “Um…you?”

“Yeah, what is that about, anyway? Pulling your own sister over.” She shook her head, but grinned.

“Well you were going over and I didn’t know it was you!” He defended but laughed. “But seriously, I have to work. However, if you are sick of being alone with your thoughts, I happen to know that a few certain guys are at Eric’s diner for lunch right now…”

Her eyes lit up. “Really? Okay, get back to work. I am heading there.”

As she drove away, she had a grin on her face. She hadn't expected that that would be the way she would greet Aaron, but she couldn't complain. For their entire lives they had been close. Since their mother had left when they were little, Aaron had helped raise her and she couldn't have been more grateful. He looked a lot like their father, with blond hair and green eyes. He was tan, but that came from living in the country. She made a mental note to see his girlfriend, Lily, at some point during her stay and drove towards the diner.

When she pulled up to the diner five minutes later, she grinned again. It felt so good to be home, and it would be even better to see the rest of her ‘family’. She ran a hand through her hair and got out. Walking around to the back where the kitchen was, she entered and saw Eric cooking up everyone’s food.

“Hey you can’t be back here!” He said quickly.

She rolled her eyes again. “So I have been gone for two years and suddenly family isn’t allowed to be here?”

He jerked his head up and laughed. “Kit!” He ran over and hugged her. “I can’t believe you’re here!”

She nodded. “I know! I just saw Aaron and he said that the boys were here, so I decided I would have the reunion here. It’s as good a place as any. Plus, I am starving and after driving for about three days, I could use a decent meal.”

He nodded immediately. “Done. Anything you want, you got it.”

She smiled. “I could totally use a burger.”

“You got it.” He turned back to the grill. “Hey, if you really want to make an entrance…”

She sighed. “I will definitely take their plates to them.”

She quickly loaded their plates onto a tray and walked out into the diner. He smiled as she saw her boys sitting together at a booth. For as long as she could remember, the Compton boys had all been in her life.

Mr. Compton had been friends with Kit and Aaron’s dad since they were in high school, and growing up in a town like that, they were always together. When they had kids, they moved next to each other and raised their kids together. After Kit’s mom left town, the Compton’s seemed to semi-fill that void in their lives.

Ryan and Alec were the oldest and twins. At 31, they had taken different paths in life. Ryan, was married to Hannah (who was a photographer) and worked for the mayor. He was tall, muscular, and had blond hair like his mother. His blue eyes were also from his mother, and his skin was tan. Hannah was a red head, with freckles, and was just shorter than her husband. Alec, a firefighter, was engaged to Alexia, a journalist. Alec looked exactly like his twin, and although everyone in town got he and his brother confused regularly, Kit could still tell them apart. Alexia was gorgeous. She had brown hair and green eyes.

Finn was 29, and had taken a different route than his older brothers. When he was in college, he met Eric, and they were still together, although they couldn’t legally be married. Finn was a bartender. He didn’t look much like his brothers as he was a brunette and not as muscular; but he had the same eyes. All of the Compton boys had their mother’s eyes. Eric was tall, lean, and a fantastic cook. He owned and ran the diner in town.

Cooper was the fourth born to the Compton family, and at 28 he looked exactly as he had in high school. His brunette hair was floppy and his blue eyes captured you immediately. He was a doctor at the hospital, and if it fit him perfectly, as he was always the one taking care of them when they were younger.

Logan came next, and Kit noticed that he was the only one not at the diner. He was 25 and had been through more than any them could imagine. Although Kit had been gone for two years,
Logan had been gone for longer. For the previous three years, he had been in Iraq. Kit swore that she would never forget the day he enlisted, and to this day it she was right. It broke her heart the day he left. Without fail, during every concert on her tours she would give him a shout out. Growing up, they hadn’t hung out all the time, but she still cared for him. He was tall, blond, blue eyed, and stubborn. He had also come home recently, and Kit wondered if that is why he wasn’t present at the brothers’ lunch party.

Tyler became a local radio DJ when he got out of school, and at 23 (and the same age as Kit) he was her best friend. They had always been the closest between the two families, and he had always been able to see right through her and was the only one of the brothers who could see through every lie she had ever told. Tyler was tall, lean, blond, and had a killer smile. He was the kind of guy that every girl falls for.

Reese was the baby of the family, and at 21 he was an intern at a company in town. As kids, he would follow her and Tyler everywhere and it never really occurred to them to mind. They were actually really close; not as close as she and Tyler, but then again, no one was. He looked a lot like brothers, with his blond hair and blue eyes. He was also the one everyone sent when you weren’t in a good mood, as he could always turn a frown “upside down”.

Her smile got even bigger and continued to their table. As she approached, she heard them talking about their food. She arrived and handed their food to them without talking and for the third time that day she rolled her eyes. It had been two years, but none of them had changed at all.

“Thanks.” They all said, mumbling.

Kit sighed. “None of you have changed at all.”

They looked up and their food was instantly forgotten. “Kit! Oh my God!”

She hugged each of them and laughed. When Alec got to her, he wrapped his arms around her, lifted her off of the ground and spun her around. She hugged the rest and when she got to Tyler, she pressed her body to his and held on tight.

“Ty…you okay?” Her words were muffled in his clothing.

He pressed his head to hers’. “I am just making sure you are really here. I haven’t seen you in two years, and this could very well be my mind playing tricks on me.”

She chuckled, and wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing him back. She grinned into his shirt. It was definitely good to be home.