Coming Home
she’s probably just a fan
“come on shadow, walkies” I called out to my German Sheppard puppy, holding her lead up so she could see it. She jumped up and started jumping around me, making me laugh. “Ok, you dork, let’s go” I told her, clipping her lead to her collar. “Mum, I’m taking Shadow for a walk” I yelled out, my voice echoing through the house. “Ok, don’t go too far Cady, and take your phone in case you get lost” I sighed and rolled my eyes, knowing she had a point. We’d only moved here a few days ago, and me and Shadow had been locked inside for most of that, getting lost in the swanky gated community we’d moved to was a good possibility. “Ok” I yelled back as I opened the door. Shadow just about ripped my arm out of its socket as she mad a mad dash out the front door. “Whoa, slow down Shad” I complained as I was dragged down the driveway to the letterbox. “You done yet?” I asked shadow as she marked the letterbox as hers. She looked up at me with a doggy grin. I looked back at the front door and waved as my mom stepped into view. She waved back and then shut the door. Shadow and I started off up the block, and I wasn’t sure who was walking who.
After an hour of wandering the streets and stopping to sniff every pole (That one was shadow) we somehow ended up back in our street “Come on Shad, let’s go get something to eat” I said to my puppy, heading for my driveway, idly noticing that the house opposite mine had a couple of good looking guys sitting in the front yard. Shadow decided she need to make sure that the letterbox was still marked as hers, “Come on you” I said to her, giving the lead a bit of a tug, trying to rush her as I felt several eyes on me. After a few moments, she turned away, apparently satisfied, she followed me back to the front door. Mom looked up as we came through the door, she was hunched over one of the million half unpacked boxes that littered our new home. “Good walk?” She asked as I unclipped Shadows lead. I nodded, dropping Shadows lead on the hall table. “Are you ok kiddo?” Mom asked watching me, I just shrugged as I dropped down on the couch “Well, this place isn’t Cape May” I replied Glumly, mom nodded, “I know sweetheart, But this is where your dad is from and he would have wanted you to get to know your grandparents” she told me as she got up and came and sat next to me, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. I sighed, leaning into her one armed hug. “How about you go set up your kit in the garage?” She suggested after a long moment, I nodded and stood up, “Call me when dinners ready” I said softly, heading for the garage.
Within an hour I had my drum kit set up perfectly and was searching for the drill so i could reassemble my surfboard rack. Just as I found it, a football bounced off the roof of my new Ute and came to rest at my feet. Looking up I met the gaze of the young guy from across the road. “Sorry, Sanders can’t throw a pass to save his life” The guy said as he approached, I smiled and picked up the ball. “I’m Levi. You and your mom just moved in the other day, right?” He asked as I handed him the ball. “Yeah, I’m Cady” I replied, he smiled then frowned as his gaze settled on something behind me. I turned to look at what he was looking at, my eyes coming to rest on my drum kit. “Where did you get that?” Levi asked me, I shrugged “It used to be my dad’s. Mom kept it so I’d have something of his when I grew up” I replied, then added with a frown of my own “Why do you ask” Levi shook his head “just looks like one that my dad’s friend used to play. Doesn’t matter. I’ll see you around” Levi turned and waked away. I watched him walk across the street and say something to one of the guys he was with, and then all of them turned to look at me. I turned back to my surfboard rack and focused my attention on putting it together.
a while later id finished putting it together when my mom spoke “Do you wanna go get pizza for dinner and eat it on the beach?” Mom asked, I nodded with a smile, “How about you bring a Board and have a surf after” Mom suggested. “Ok” I replied, placing three of my four surfboards into the rack before carrying the last one over to my ute and placing it gently in the back and tying it down. Once I was sure it was secure, I shut the garage door and headed inside to get changed. I was pulling on a beach dress when mom appeared in the door. “So, I was thinking, how about I drop you at the beach then go get food while you catch a few waves?” she suggested to me, I grinned “Are you sure mama? I don’t mind coming with you” I replied, grabbing my beach bag. Mom grinned back at me. “No, it’s ok. You’ve been cooped up for the last couple of days. Go hit some waves and we’ll have dinner when you’re done” Mom replied with a smile
Less than an hour later I was sitting on my board out in the water, waves occasionally lifting me as I let my mind wander. The guy today was kinda cute, if not a bit strange. Maybe I should make the effort to get to know him and his friends, I could do with some new friends before school started, I’m not sure I wanna try to do the first day of school without a friend. But what was with the weird look he’d given me? I sighed. I really missed my friends back in Cape May. So far, I didn’t see anything about Huntington Beach that I’d fallen in love with. With a shake of my head, I lay flat on my board and started to paddle.
**meanwhile in Leanna’s PoV**
As I was standing waiting for my pizzas I heard someone call my name, turning I was surprised to see Michelle and Val behind me. “Leanna? It is you. Oh my God” Val said coming over to me and giving me a hug. I stared at her as she pulled away. We hadn’t exactly parted on good terms. I’d taken off after Jimmy’s funeral, no longer able to live in the place we’d planned to raise our child in. “Hi” I replied softly as Michelle came to stand by Val’s side. “Wow you’ve barely changed” Michelle commented, I smiled, I was about to respond when the kid behind the counter Called out my name. “I gotta go, I’ve got a hungry child waiting to be fed” I told them, turning away. “We should catch up” Val suggested, following me to the counter as I went to grab the pizzas. “Yeah.” I agreed, before adding “I moved into the house opposite Brian and Michelle’s” i told her. Val looked surprised. “That’s your house?” She asked. I nodded “It’s probably a bit big for just me and Cadence but it’s close to where I used to live and it’s close to Jimmy’s parents. They wanna get to know Cady” I told her, Val frowned but didn’t say anything. “I’ve gotta go” I added. Val nodded “I’ll see you around” She told me, I just nodded and walked away.
That’s how I ended up on the steps of the beach, looking out at the ocean. I could see Cady in the distance, sitting on her board, clearly lot in thought. She always liked to think while on her surfboard in the middle of the ocean. She was always so cheerful and bubbly, but when she needs to think, she folded in on herself. She was a spitting image of Jimmy. It broke my heart that she’d never get to know her Father, Hell, Jimmy should have gotten the chance to watch her grow up into the amazing young woman she was becoming. I sighed, Only Jimmy and his parents had known I was pregnant, we were gonna tell our close friends as soon as id had the first ultrasound, but Jimmy had died three days before the appointment. I was wondering if coming home was such a good idea. I was uprooting Cady just before senior year. I watched as Cady caught a wave and rode it gracefully back to shore, jumping nimbly off as she hit the shallows. I waved at her getting a smile and a wave back in response before she picked up her Board and made her way up the beach to where she’d left her towel, dress and shoes.
**Jasmine’s PoV**
I got out of the car, surprised to find the guys not throwing around a football. “What are you idiots staring at?” I asked, noticing their attention was fixed on the house across the road. “The girl that lives there, she has a kit like the Rev’s. and I mean identical” Levi told me, “She’s probably just a fan” I replied with a shrug, slamming the car door shut. Levi shook his head “She said it used to be her dads, that its all she has left of him.” He told me, then hesitated before adding “I could have sworn that I saw a framed gold record for city of evil poking out of a box” I glanced over at the house across the road as a purple ute pulled into the driveway, a surf board sticking out of the back. The girl I assumed the boys were talking about got out of the passenger side and a woman got out out of the drivers side. “That’s her” Levi told me, I looked at my brother with a grin “You didn’t say she was hot” I replied. I watched as the girl opened her garage door and then walk over to the back of the ute and start unfastening her surfboard. “I’m gonna go say hi” I announced before walking across the road.
I reached her as she started pulling the surfboard out of the ute. “Hey” I said softly, making her jump so much she nearly dropped her board. “Hi” she replied warily as she rebalanced her board “Sorry hun. I didn’t mean to startle you. I just thought I’d come say hi.” I told her. She gave me a half smile “It’s ok. I’m just a little jumpy. You know, new home and all. I’m Cady” She told me, balancing her surfboard on her hip. “I’m Jasmine, but everyone calls me Jazzie. So….. you surf” I asked, she nodded “Yeah. Im always at the beach, well, I was before we moved here” She replied, looking a bit bummed out. “Not happy about moving here?” I asked her “You could say that” she replied, indicating for me to follow her. i watched as she put the surfboard in the rack before turning back to me. Couldn’t help but notice that she was quite good looking. Her bright blue eyes and full lips had me staring at her. “What?” She asked, a frown creasing her perfect pout. “Uh…. Nothing. Just thinking” I stammered, shaking my head. She gave me a funny look before going over to a black couch and dropping down on it, she gestured for me to the same. I took a seat next to her “So, what did you mean by…..” I started to say but trailed off. She shrugged “I miss my friends. The only reason mom moved here is cos my dads parents want to get to know me. It’s just funny that its taken almost eighteen years for them to do it. And I don’t get why I’m the one suffering. If they wanna get to know me, they should come to us” she replied grumpily “lame” I replied, not really knowing how to respond. She shrugged and looked up at me, and I could feel myself getting lost in her icy blue eyes.
She stared back at me unblinking until I finally broke eye contact and looked away. “Hey, I’ve gotta go. My mom has probably got dinner waiting for me. I’ll catch you later” I jumped to my feet and headed out the garage door, hoping it didn’t look like I was running away
After an hour of wandering the streets and stopping to sniff every pole (That one was shadow) we somehow ended up back in our street “Come on Shad, let’s go get something to eat” I said to my puppy, heading for my driveway, idly noticing that the house opposite mine had a couple of good looking guys sitting in the front yard. Shadow decided she need to make sure that the letterbox was still marked as hers, “Come on you” I said to her, giving the lead a bit of a tug, trying to rush her as I felt several eyes on me. After a few moments, she turned away, apparently satisfied, she followed me back to the front door. Mom looked up as we came through the door, she was hunched over one of the million half unpacked boxes that littered our new home. “Good walk?” She asked as I unclipped Shadows lead. I nodded, dropping Shadows lead on the hall table. “Are you ok kiddo?” Mom asked watching me, I just shrugged as I dropped down on the couch “Well, this place isn’t Cape May” I replied Glumly, mom nodded, “I know sweetheart, But this is where your dad is from and he would have wanted you to get to know your grandparents” she told me as she got up and came and sat next to me, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. I sighed, leaning into her one armed hug. “How about you go set up your kit in the garage?” She suggested after a long moment, I nodded and stood up, “Call me when dinners ready” I said softly, heading for the garage.
Within an hour I had my drum kit set up perfectly and was searching for the drill so i could reassemble my surfboard rack. Just as I found it, a football bounced off the roof of my new Ute and came to rest at my feet. Looking up I met the gaze of the young guy from across the road. “Sorry, Sanders can’t throw a pass to save his life” The guy said as he approached, I smiled and picked up the ball. “I’m Levi. You and your mom just moved in the other day, right?” He asked as I handed him the ball. “Yeah, I’m Cady” I replied, he smiled then frowned as his gaze settled on something behind me. I turned to look at what he was looking at, my eyes coming to rest on my drum kit. “Where did you get that?” Levi asked me, I shrugged “It used to be my dad’s. Mom kept it so I’d have something of his when I grew up” I replied, then added with a frown of my own “Why do you ask” Levi shook his head “just looks like one that my dad’s friend used to play. Doesn’t matter. I’ll see you around” Levi turned and waked away. I watched him walk across the street and say something to one of the guys he was with, and then all of them turned to look at me. I turned back to my surfboard rack and focused my attention on putting it together.
a while later id finished putting it together when my mom spoke “Do you wanna go get pizza for dinner and eat it on the beach?” Mom asked, I nodded with a smile, “How about you bring a Board and have a surf after” Mom suggested. “Ok” I replied, placing three of my four surfboards into the rack before carrying the last one over to my ute and placing it gently in the back and tying it down. Once I was sure it was secure, I shut the garage door and headed inside to get changed. I was pulling on a beach dress when mom appeared in the door. “So, I was thinking, how about I drop you at the beach then go get food while you catch a few waves?” she suggested to me, I grinned “Are you sure mama? I don’t mind coming with you” I replied, grabbing my beach bag. Mom grinned back at me. “No, it’s ok. You’ve been cooped up for the last couple of days. Go hit some waves and we’ll have dinner when you’re done” Mom replied with a smile
Less than an hour later I was sitting on my board out in the water, waves occasionally lifting me as I let my mind wander. The guy today was kinda cute, if not a bit strange. Maybe I should make the effort to get to know him and his friends, I could do with some new friends before school started, I’m not sure I wanna try to do the first day of school without a friend. But what was with the weird look he’d given me? I sighed. I really missed my friends back in Cape May. So far, I didn’t see anything about Huntington Beach that I’d fallen in love with. With a shake of my head, I lay flat on my board and started to paddle.
**meanwhile in Leanna’s PoV**
As I was standing waiting for my pizzas I heard someone call my name, turning I was surprised to see Michelle and Val behind me. “Leanna? It is you. Oh my God” Val said coming over to me and giving me a hug. I stared at her as she pulled away. We hadn’t exactly parted on good terms. I’d taken off after Jimmy’s funeral, no longer able to live in the place we’d planned to raise our child in. “Hi” I replied softly as Michelle came to stand by Val’s side. “Wow you’ve barely changed” Michelle commented, I smiled, I was about to respond when the kid behind the counter Called out my name. “I gotta go, I’ve got a hungry child waiting to be fed” I told them, turning away. “We should catch up” Val suggested, following me to the counter as I went to grab the pizzas. “Yeah.” I agreed, before adding “I moved into the house opposite Brian and Michelle’s” i told her. Val looked surprised. “That’s your house?” She asked. I nodded “It’s probably a bit big for just me and Cadence but it’s close to where I used to live and it’s close to Jimmy’s parents. They wanna get to know Cady” I told her, Val frowned but didn’t say anything. “I’ve gotta go” I added. Val nodded “I’ll see you around” She told me, I just nodded and walked away.
That’s how I ended up on the steps of the beach, looking out at the ocean. I could see Cady in the distance, sitting on her board, clearly lot in thought. She always liked to think while on her surfboard in the middle of the ocean. She was always so cheerful and bubbly, but when she needs to think, she folded in on herself. She was a spitting image of Jimmy. It broke my heart that she’d never get to know her Father, Hell, Jimmy should have gotten the chance to watch her grow up into the amazing young woman she was becoming. I sighed, Only Jimmy and his parents had known I was pregnant, we were gonna tell our close friends as soon as id had the first ultrasound, but Jimmy had died three days before the appointment. I was wondering if coming home was such a good idea. I was uprooting Cady just before senior year. I watched as Cady caught a wave and rode it gracefully back to shore, jumping nimbly off as she hit the shallows. I waved at her getting a smile and a wave back in response before she picked up her Board and made her way up the beach to where she’d left her towel, dress and shoes.
**Jasmine’s PoV**
I got out of the car, surprised to find the guys not throwing around a football. “What are you idiots staring at?” I asked, noticing their attention was fixed on the house across the road. “The girl that lives there, she has a kit like the Rev’s. and I mean identical” Levi told me, “She’s probably just a fan” I replied with a shrug, slamming the car door shut. Levi shook his head “She said it used to be her dads, that its all she has left of him.” He told me, then hesitated before adding “I could have sworn that I saw a framed gold record for city of evil poking out of a box” I glanced over at the house across the road as a purple ute pulled into the driveway, a surf board sticking out of the back. The girl I assumed the boys were talking about got out of the passenger side and a woman got out out of the drivers side. “That’s her” Levi told me, I looked at my brother with a grin “You didn’t say she was hot” I replied. I watched as the girl opened her garage door and then walk over to the back of the ute and start unfastening her surfboard. “I’m gonna go say hi” I announced before walking across the road.
I reached her as she started pulling the surfboard out of the ute. “Hey” I said softly, making her jump so much she nearly dropped her board. “Hi” she replied warily as she rebalanced her board “Sorry hun. I didn’t mean to startle you. I just thought I’d come say hi.” I told her. She gave me a half smile “It’s ok. I’m just a little jumpy. You know, new home and all. I’m Cady” She told me, balancing her surfboard on her hip. “I’m Jasmine, but everyone calls me Jazzie. So….. you surf” I asked, she nodded “Yeah. Im always at the beach, well, I was before we moved here” She replied, looking a bit bummed out. “Not happy about moving here?” I asked her “You could say that” she replied, indicating for me to follow her. i watched as she put the surfboard in the rack before turning back to me. Couldn’t help but notice that she was quite good looking. Her bright blue eyes and full lips had me staring at her. “What?” She asked, a frown creasing her perfect pout. “Uh…. Nothing. Just thinking” I stammered, shaking my head. She gave me a funny look before going over to a black couch and dropping down on it, she gestured for me to the same. I took a seat next to her “So, what did you mean by…..” I started to say but trailed off. She shrugged “I miss my friends. The only reason mom moved here is cos my dads parents want to get to know me. It’s just funny that its taken almost eighteen years for them to do it. And I don’t get why I’m the one suffering. If they wanna get to know me, they should come to us” she replied grumpily “lame” I replied, not really knowing how to respond. She shrugged and looked up at me, and I could feel myself getting lost in her icy blue eyes.
She stared back at me unblinking until I finally broke eye contact and looked away. “Hey, I’ve gotta go. My mom has probably got dinner waiting for me. I’ll catch you later” I jumped to my feet and headed out the garage door, hoping it didn’t look like I was running away