"Mom? Do I really have to go?" I ask through the phone as I get out of my cab, grab my stuff and make my way to the entrance of the airport. "I really don't want to go back there and you can't make me."
I hear my mom sigh on the other end of the line. "You're not doing this for me or yourself. You're doing this for your father. You know how bad he wants you there with him."
I roll my eyes at her words. She's one to talk. She never went back to Wade Valley after she divorced my dad and moved away three years ago. Not only did I leave in a rush back then, I never went back to visit after.
All the times I have met with my father he visited me, or we spent a weekend together somewhere in the middle. And yet, here I am. Standing at JFK airport, ready to go back to where I grew up, for the first time in three years. And I am nervous.
"You have an easy way of talking. You're not the one going back after three years. You're not the one who has to face everything and everyone you left behind. You're not the one who gets a step—mom and a step—sister!" I whisper yell through the phone.
I have never met the woman or the girl, maybe they are great and maybe they are the spitting image of the step—family in Cinderella. Who knows? All I know is that I'm not too excited to find out.
"Come on Kat, you're twenty—one years old. Don't you think you're a little overreacting about all of this?" My mom lets out a deep breath, signaling she is losing her patience.
"Look, mom, I got to go. It's almost my turn to check—in. A rental car will be ready at LAX and I'll let you know once I arrived at Dad's. Bye, Love you!" I hang up before my mom has a chance to reply. She'll survive.
When it is finally my turn to check in I step forward and give the lady my passport and the confirmation of my ticket purchase. She types some things on the computer and then gives me back my passport and a boarding pass. "Have a nice flight miss."
I grab my passport and boarding pass, smile at the lady, and then make my way to the waiting area of the gate my flight was boarding at. I arrived late so there is no time to roam around the stores in need to pass my time.
I sit down and take my phone from my purse to see if I received any new messages. There was one from my dad, wishing me a safe flight and there was also a message from my ex, begging me to take him back.
Vince and I broke up a year ago and somehow he still didn't get the message. It's sad really. How a twenty—two—year—old guy can't let go of a girl and just move on.
What am I saying? If that's sad then I must be pathetic.
Here I am, biting my nails to calm my nerves. All that because I'm now traveling back to the place where I grew up. A place with memories and people I left behind without looking back.
—
The flight was long and I'm glad I can finally stretch out my legs. Luckily I have already retrieved my luggage and picked up the keys to my rental car.
I decide to grab a sandwich first before I have to drive two more hours to get to Wade Valley.
When I have finished my sandwich I make sure I have all my stuff and load it in the car. It's a two—hour drive and I had told my dad I would be there at four. I set the navigation for Wade Valley, start the car and drive off. As I come closer to the little town that I used to call home, I feel the nerves welling up inside of me.
Come on Kat. Grow up!
—
After a two—hour drive, I arrive in my used to be hometown. I park the car in front of my father's house. The house I once called my home. To my surprise, I was relieved to see nothing has really changed and that the house still looks exactly the same as I left it three years ago.
I get out of the car and finally get a chance to stretch my legs. After a six—hour flight and a two—hour car ride my legs are rather stiff. I walk up to the door I used to go through so many times when I went to school or when I went out with friends.
I lift my hand to knock on the door but the door swings open before I have the chance to actually make contact with the wooden surface. In front of me now stood a dark—haired woman in her mid—thirties, who I have never seen before but I know she's my father's fiancé, Lillian.
Trying to find the words for an appropriate greeting I feel my mouth go dry. I tried to pull myself together and just give her a simple greeting when I'm cut off by the surprise of two arms wrapping around my body. I am currently caught in a hug by my soon—to—be stepmom. She lets me go off the hug and takes a step back to look at me. "You must be Katherine. It's so nice to finally meet you. Your father told me so much about you." She says with a big smile on her face.
She steps aside to let me in. "Come on, get in. You've had a long journey to come here." I gave her a small smile and step into the house I know like the back of my hand.
