My Name is Driftwood
Mama I'm Comin Home
Emilia got off the plane and looked around. She hadn't been back to Omaha for almost 6 years. Nothing had changed. She dragged her suitcase, but carried her most precious piece of cargo in her arms. She caught a cab and sat in the back seat silently as it made its way out of the city and into the suburbs. She had to come back, she had no choice. But now, as the cab pulled in front of the familiar house, she began to feel sick. She paid the cabbie and trudged up to the door. It opened before she could ring the bell.
"Emilia!"
"Dad."
The stood there for a moment just looking at her. Then, her father reached forward and lifted the sleeping child from her arms. Emilia tiredly followed him in the house. Her mother came out of her bedroom dressed in a nightgown and robe. She placed a kiss on her granddaughter's head and then gave Emilia a hug.
"Hi, mom. I'm going to go tuck her in. I'll be right out."
Emilia followed her dad into her old bedroom where he laid the little girl in the bed and left. Emilia pulled off her daughter's shoes and pulled the covers over her. She laid next to her and stroked her dark hair. Her daughter breathed deeply and rolled over onto her stomach. Emilia tucked a ragged stuffed puppy dog into the bed and kissed her. She laid there, stroking the little girl's hair. Then, she went into the living room where her parents were waiting.
"I promise I'll be out of your hair soon. I'll start looking for a job tomorrow," she said quickly.
"No rush, honey. Are you even sure that you want to stay in Omaha? Maybe you just need a break from California. You left a great job."
"I have nothing there, Mom. I just want things to be good again."
"Well, don't rush it. Everything will work out."
"I don't know. I just feel so out of place wherever I go. The only thing that feels solid is upstairs asleep in that bed."
Emilia's mom got up and sat next to her, placing her arms around her, squeezing her tightly.
"Mom, I'm a failure," she whimpered, "No one will ever love me, and I'm too selfish to love anyone."
"Baby, just give it time. You'll meet someone who will change that."
Emilia sobbed into her mother's chest, gasping for air.
"You need sleep honey," her father remarked.
"I know."
"I love you, darling."
"I love you too, Mom.
"Come on."
Her father helped her upstairs where she slid into bed next to her daughter. Emilia curled up next to her and fell easily asleep.
"Emilia!"
"Dad."
The stood there for a moment just looking at her. Then, her father reached forward and lifted the sleeping child from her arms. Emilia tiredly followed him in the house. Her mother came out of her bedroom dressed in a nightgown and robe. She placed a kiss on her granddaughter's head and then gave Emilia a hug.
"Hi, mom. I'm going to go tuck her in. I'll be right out."
Emilia followed her dad into her old bedroom where he laid the little girl in the bed and left. Emilia pulled off her daughter's shoes and pulled the covers over her. She laid next to her and stroked her dark hair. Her daughter breathed deeply and rolled over onto her stomach. Emilia tucked a ragged stuffed puppy dog into the bed and kissed her. She laid there, stroking the little girl's hair. Then, she went into the living room where her parents were waiting.
"I promise I'll be out of your hair soon. I'll start looking for a job tomorrow," she said quickly.
"No rush, honey. Are you even sure that you want to stay in Omaha? Maybe you just need a break from California. You left a great job."
"I have nothing there, Mom. I just want things to be good again."
"Well, don't rush it. Everything will work out."
"I don't know. I just feel so out of place wherever I go. The only thing that feels solid is upstairs asleep in that bed."
Emilia's mom got up and sat next to her, placing her arms around her, squeezing her tightly.
"Mom, I'm a failure," she whimpered, "No one will ever love me, and I'm too selfish to love anyone."
"Baby, just give it time. You'll meet someone who will change that."
Emilia sobbed into her mother's chest, gasping for air.
"You need sleep honey," her father remarked.
"I know."
"I love you, darling."
"I love you too, Mom.
"Come on."
Her father helped her upstairs where she slid into bed next to her daughter. Emilia curled up next to her and fell easily asleep.