Coming Home

Chapter 9

“What are you talking about sweetheart?” her mother’s voice was filled with concern.

            “I’ve been running,” her own voice was soft as she turned to the distraught woman. “I’ve been running for ten years now,” soft leathery hands held hers as she explained, “I’m done running,” she vowed.

            “Running from what?” brown eyes still watched her wearily, “I don’t understand.”

            “From my past,” the eyes watching her went wide. “But I’m done running.”

            “Okay,” Bess didn’t know what else to say to the stark white face of her daughter.

            “I think I’m going to go to bed now,” Chey stood, still a bit dazed from the realization of her brother’s message.

            “Okay,” was once again the only indication she got that her mother had heard her.

            “I’ll see you in the morning,” Chey smiled down at her mother before leaving the room.

            Her mother woke up the next morning still not completely sure what had transpired the night before, but she poked her head into Chey’s old room to find it empty.

            “Cheyanne,” her echo was the only answer she received, panic surged through her. “Cheyanne?” she called again, hoping that maybe her daughter had just not heard her. Still no answer, her eyes searched the room, settling on the open suitcases on the floor and she let out a breath of relief.

            She had not left, she hadn’t run.

            Cheyanne was not downstairs either, but she had left a not on the old door.

            Went out, be back later. Love Chey.

            Bess smiled, taking the slip of paper down and turning to the phone. Riley had left last night unexpectedly again and she wanted to know why, so she found herself on the phone with him extending an invitation to breakfast.

            “You don’t have to do that,” his warm voice answered her.

            “But I want to,” she argued. “No more excuses young man,” the mom voice coming out, “you get yourself over here so I can feed you before you go off to work this morning.”

            Well he just did not have any room to argue with her now, “Yes ma’am,” she smiled at the mirth in his voice. “Be there in just a few.”

            “I’ll have the eggs ready,” she replied before hanging up on him.

            Bess had taken his decision to stay away from Cheyanne for a few days right out of his hands, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be upset about it. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself to stay away from her, he found himself longing to see her smiling face again or her sparkling blue eyes. Her womanly curves concealed beneath a pair of blue jeans that had him panting for air, aw hell. He shifted uncomfortably in the cab of his truck as he pulled into the drive way.

            “You could still leave,” he lied. “Yea right,” he answered himself. There was no way in hell he was missing out on the change to see little miss Cheyanne in her disheveled sleepy state, once again he adjusted himself. That was one sight he’d been waiting to see for the last ten years and he’d yet been afforded the pleasure.

            Like every other time he stood in front of the door he knocked twice before shouldering it open, reminding himself yet again that it needed to be planed.