Scream Aim Fire
No Place Like Home
The night air was cool as I cruised up the I-40 my windows cracked as I tried to focus on the road before me, my eyes glancing up in to the rear view mirror to see the slumped over sleeping body of my daughter, she looked peaceful and well probably uncomfortable because sleeping in the back seat of a 2000 Jeep wrangler wasn’t exactly ideal. I thought back to two days ago when I got the phone called that rocked my world, I was hesitant at first because it was Brian that had called me not my dad, I never heard my brother so sad. My big strong fearless ‘tour the world’ big brother was crying telling me that Jimmy was dead my heart had been in my throat ever since. It was a short conversation but I had to pick up Charlotte from daycare and by the time I reached the doors and my daughters smiling face I knew I had to go back home.
I pulled in the drive way of my dad’s house killing the engine letting out a sigh of relief and rubbed my eyes clearing the amount of sleep I actually needed from them before I walked inside, it was dawn the night sky still had the stars out while the sun was trying to break the horizon, Charlotte hardly stirred while I unbuckled her and got her out of the back seat. Charlotte wrapped her arms around my neck as I grabbed my purse.
“Come on babygirl let’s get you in side and in to an actual bed” I muttered to myself shifting her weight on to my hip.
“You need some help?” A voice piped up from behind me, I struggled and looked to see Suzy my step mom standing in her robe and slippers with a sad smile on her face arms wide open
“Suzy” I breathed resting my head on her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around me and the sleeping child on my hip
“Hello sweetie how was your drive? You made sure to stop and rest right? You know how your father is when he hears your traveling” She said grabbing a duffle off the floor of the jeep I nodded and gave a reassuring smile
“I stopped, I ate, I let her run around at rest stops so she wasn’t cooped up for 30 hours” I said mentally rolling my eyes Suzy was always very motherly
“Let’s get you two inside your dad is still sleeping so is McKenna but your dad should be up soon let’s get you some coffee yeah?” I nodded and smiled as I followed her inside.
My father’s house was huge but Suzy made it homey and comfortable, it wasn’t harsh and modern as he would like it but it reminded us kids of what and were home was. I laid Charlotte on the couch covering her with a blanket kissing her forehead. She just turned 5 in October she seemed to acquire an even mixture of me and her father, but she has always had her father’s hauntingly jade green eyes.
I slipped my shoes off and walked in to the kitchen to lean against the counter Suzy looked like she hardly aged as she handed me a cup of coffee. I smiled as the warm liquid touched my lips “H-how’s Brian? The guys? Dad?” I asked finally sitting in the chair next to me leaning on my elbows Suzy closed her eyes and inhaled deeply
“The guys are a mess, there…there empty and sad and angry, your dad is equally as sad but you’re home now so that should make them all smile a little bit, it’s been what almost six years since you’ve been back?” I nodded sipping the coffee, six years since I decided to leave and go to college away from home away from the fame of my last name.
“Brian doesn’t know does he…that he’s an uncle does he?” Suzy shook her head and smiled over towards the couch at the sleeping mass under blankets
“He’s going to hate me” I said looking at my daughter with a small smile on my face. My dad, Suzy and Jimmy know the story, know who the father of Charlotte is and know why I left, Dad particularly wasn’t happy at all which is an understatement; he wanted to outright tell the dad but I told him I would handle it in my own time.
“Your bother loves you Addison, he misses you they all miss you” She said whispering the last part knowing she missed me too.
The stairs creaked under the weight of someone and I turned to see my dad stepping off the last step coming at me half asleep arms wide open I got out of my chair throwing myself in my dad’s arms, he smelled like mouth wash and deodorant
“Hi dad” I breathed, my dad rubbed my back and kissed my forehead
“Hi honey how was your drive?” He asked pulling away from me looking me up and down I wasn’t dressed for a formal event but Id pass for casual shenanigans.
“It was 30 hours of pure highway and a cranky child” I said sitting back down taking a sip of coffee
“Speaking of Charlotte” He said leaning against the counter giving Suzy a kiss on the cheek
“She’s on the couch sweetie” Suzy said patting his cheek he smiled. The type of love my dad and step mom had made me smile, they got together when my brothers and I were fairly young she was like a second mother to us, don’t get me wrong we still talk to our mom but not as often as we talk to Suzy.
“Don’t wake her dad, she’s been sleeping in the jeep for 2 days let her at least sleep comfortably” I said getting up for another cup of coffee
“And what about you? Have you slept?” He asked raising an brow sipping his coffee I shrugged my shoulders
“When I could yeah, but I’m fine I’ll sleep after I see the guys, when will Brian be here I know he knows I’m town” I said dryly looking over my parents whom seemed to blanch when I finished my statement.
“He said when he wakes up” I nodded knowing that could be 8 am or 2 pm depending on what type of night he had
“What are we going to tell him about Charlotte?” Suzy asked looking at me then at my father
“The truth., he’ll freak the fuck out and get over it in true Haner fashion, or he’ll except it and just roll with it” I said shrugging my shoulders not really caring because I know one way or another he would except it.
I pulled in the drive way of my dad’s house killing the engine letting out a sigh of relief and rubbed my eyes clearing the amount of sleep I actually needed from them before I walked inside, it was dawn the night sky still had the stars out while the sun was trying to break the horizon, Charlotte hardly stirred while I unbuckled her and got her out of the back seat. Charlotte wrapped her arms around my neck as I grabbed my purse.
“Come on babygirl let’s get you in side and in to an actual bed” I muttered to myself shifting her weight on to my hip.
“You need some help?” A voice piped up from behind me, I struggled and looked to see Suzy my step mom standing in her robe and slippers with a sad smile on her face arms wide open
“Suzy” I breathed resting my head on her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around me and the sleeping child on my hip
“Hello sweetie how was your drive? You made sure to stop and rest right? You know how your father is when he hears your traveling” She said grabbing a duffle off the floor of the jeep I nodded and gave a reassuring smile
“I stopped, I ate, I let her run around at rest stops so she wasn’t cooped up for 30 hours” I said mentally rolling my eyes Suzy was always very motherly
“Let’s get you two inside your dad is still sleeping so is McKenna but your dad should be up soon let’s get you some coffee yeah?” I nodded and smiled as I followed her inside.
My father’s house was huge but Suzy made it homey and comfortable, it wasn’t harsh and modern as he would like it but it reminded us kids of what and were home was. I laid Charlotte on the couch covering her with a blanket kissing her forehead. She just turned 5 in October she seemed to acquire an even mixture of me and her father, but she has always had her father’s hauntingly jade green eyes.
I slipped my shoes off and walked in to the kitchen to lean against the counter Suzy looked like she hardly aged as she handed me a cup of coffee. I smiled as the warm liquid touched my lips “H-how’s Brian? The guys? Dad?” I asked finally sitting in the chair next to me leaning on my elbows Suzy closed her eyes and inhaled deeply
“The guys are a mess, there…there empty and sad and angry, your dad is equally as sad but you’re home now so that should make them all smile a little bit, it’s been what almost six years since you’ve been back?” I nodded sipping the coffee, six years since I decided to leave and go to college away from home away from the fame of my last name.
“Brian doesn’t know does he…that he’s an uncle does he?” Suzy shook her head and smiled over towards the couch at the sleeping mass under blankets
“He’s going to hate me” I said looking at my daughter with a small smile on my face. My dad, Suzy and Jimmy know the story, know who the father of Charlotte is and know why I left, Dad particularly wasn’t happy at all which is an understatement; he wanted to outright tell the dad but I told him I would handle it in my own time.
“Your bother loves you Addison, he misses you they all miss you” She said whispering the last part knowing she missed me too.
The stairs creaked under the weight of someone and I turned to see my dad stepping off the last step coming at me half asleep arms wide open I got out of my chair throwing myself in my dad’s arms, he smelled like mouth wash and deodorant
“Hi dad” I breathed, my dad rubbed my back and kissed my forehead
“Hi honey how was your drive?” He asked pulling away from me looking me up and down I wasn’t dressed for a formal event but Id pass for casual shenanigans.
“It was 30 hours of pure highway and a cranky child” I said sitting back down taking a sip of coffee
“Speaking of Charlotte” He said leaning against the counter giving Suzy a kiss on the cheek
“She’s on the couch sweetie” Suzy said patting his cheek he smiled. The type of love my dad and step mom had made me smile, they got together when my brothers and I were fairly young she was like a second mother to us, don’t get me wrong we still talk to our mom but not as often as we talk to Suzy.
“Don’t wake her dad, she’s been sleeping in the jeep for 2 days let her at least sleep comfortably” I said getting up for another cup of coffee
“And what about you? Have you slept?” He asked raising an brow sipping his coffee I shrugged my shoulders
“When I could yeah, but I’m fine I’ll sleep after I see the guys, when will Brian be here I know he knows I’m town” I said dryly looking over my parents whom seemed to blanch when I finished my statement.
“He said when he wakes up” I nodded knowing that could be 8 am or 2 pm depending on what type of night he had
“What are we going to tell him about Charlotte?” Suzy asked looking at me then at my father
“The truth., he’ll freak the fuck out and get over it in true Haner fashion, or he’ll except it and just roll with it” I said shrugging my shoulders not really caring because I know one way or another he would except it.