You're the One (Greta Van Fleet Imagines)

He is Home (Sammy)

It was a chilly, November evening in Michigan. The season's first snowfall was happening right outside the window. You were cozied up on the sofa in your warm knit hoodie and mismatched pajama pants with a mug of hot tea in between your palms as you watched the glistening white flakes fall from up above through the window pane. The steam from the beverage warmed your face as you held the porcelain close to your chest. Chicago's "Once in a Lifetime" was playing on the record player in the corner softly as you awaited Sam's arrival home.

He had taken an early morning flight to Nashville to pack up some of his things before he flew up to Michigan to spend the holidays with you and your families. He was always a family man and did everything he could to put time spent with his loved ones at the forefront. You had never felt more valued by another person as much as Sam. His afternoon flight had been delayed two hours due to the weather, but the wind had carried what was a snow storm North so the upper peninsula got hit instead of the small town in the middle of the state. Light flurries danced down peacefully as you peered through the darkness, nothing except a few candles illuminating the space around you.

Sam had been gone on tour and you hadn't seen him since early October when he made a special trip home to spend a few days with you after their Chicago show. It was a lonely existence while he was gone. He texted you constantly to keep you updated on what he was doing and always made sure to video call you before and after a show. Sometimes you would receive a beautiful vase of white roses at the veterinary clinic you worked at if it had been awhile since the two of you had seen each other. Your boss hated it, but you couldn't complain. It warmed your heart to know you were always on his mind.

As you started to ponder exactly what time Sam was going to show up, there was a quiet jingle of keys on the other side of the door as the locked clicked open. You all but sprung to your feet and set your tea on the table in front of you. You already had the door open when Sam was hoisting his duffel bag onto his toned shoulder. He towered over you as he stood there, a beanie hanging off the back of his head and melted snow flakes dotting the wool material of his heavy jacket. A thousand watt smile spread across his features as he immediately pulled you into a tight embrace. He buried his face in your blonde hair and dropped the bag back to the floor as the two of you stood motionless across the threshold of the apartment.

"I missed you so much," he spoke as he pulled back, only slightly, and pressed his soft lips to yours.
"I missed you, Sammy."

The two of you separated so he could come inside and take off his layers. He slipped his feet out of his boots and kicked them against the wall. You couldn't help but giggle at the socks he wore on his feet. They were a swirl of orange, yellow, and blue; the exact same ones that you wore on your own feet. Danny had gotten you both the same pair for a Christmas present the year before. Sam didn't seem to notice, but instead pulled you back into his arms and brought you down to sit on the couch with him as "You're the Inspiration" began to echo throughout the quiet room.

You tucked your feet beneath you and laid your cheek against his chest, the steady thumping of his arm lulling you into a complete feeling of serenity. His thumb rubbed circles into your arm as he quietly sang along to the song. You could feel his adam's apple bob along the top of your head with each syllable. His deep voice crooning melodies with matched perfection. He wasn't a singer like his older brother by any means, but he faired in his soft, jazzy kind of way and you loved it when his soft voice melted into the atmosphere around you.

"You're the meaning in my life, you're the inspiration
You bring feeling to my life, you're the inspiration
Wanna have you near me
I wanna have you hear me sayin'
No one needs you more than I need you," he sang along. You joined him on the last line in harmony with a sweet smile on your face.

Sam was all you ever wanted and all you would ever need. He was your light in all things shrouded in darkness. Whenever you were excited about something, you could count on him to be just as enthusiastic about listening to the rising and falling of your voice as you told your story. If you were having a down day, he wouldn't do a thing to pull you out of it, knowing his efforts would be fruitless. He would simply cuddle you and give you everything you asked for. He cared about you and he never failed to make that clear.

You were in love with him so deeply, it wasn't until he came home from whatever trip he was on that it truly hit you. The connection between the two of you was unmatched. It was the same kind of love you grew up seeing shared between your grandparents. It was a love so pure and so rare, you knew you were lucky to have it. No amount of distance or time apart could ever change how much you needed him in your life. He was your shelter, your guidance, your meaning, your inspiration to keep on keeping on and you were his. Sam was home to you.