Back to Where We Started From (Miracle)

Chapter Twelve

"It was nice of your mom to invite me for dinner," Julie said, staring absentmindedly out the window as they drove through Robbie's neighborhood outside of Saint Paul. It was a short drive from Julia's house, but it would've been too far for Robbie to walk from the boys' dorms.

"Oh, she didn't invite you," Robbie said casually. Julie looked over to her best friend, her eyebrows knitted.

"What do you mean she didn't invite me?"

"We're surprising her," Robbie announced, a grin on his face.

"Robbie! What the hell? I was under the impression that your family wanted me to come to dinner!"

"They do, Julia! It's just that I didn't ask them because I wanted to see Mom's face when she sees you. Why are you freaking out? It's just my parents and Kathy."

Julia slumped into her seat as they pulled onto his street.

"What if they don't want to see me?" She muttered, causing her friend to roll his eyes.

"You're not seriously still going on about this, are you? They love you, and they'll be over the moon to see you. Just watch and see," he insisted, pulling into the driveway. Doing something like this was not typical Robbie behavior, but Julie tried to trust that her best friend knew what he was doing.

Julie took in the home she knew so well. It was a nice two-story home, made of red brick and sitting back on a large yard, a small pond behind the house. The inside of the house would be decorated immaculately and perfectly clean, but somehow still feel welcoming. Julie smiled, remembering when her and Rob would skate on the pond in the winter time.

"Look, you're smiling already! Let's go surprise them," Robbie told her. Julie sighed at him, rolling her eyes before getting out of his car. Rob walked towards the house, Julie following behind him. He entered the house, looking around the living room to see that no one was there, before beckoning Julie to follow him inside. They walked through the foyer into the living room, past the steps leading upstairs to the bedrooms. They went through the swinging door and into the kitchen, where Beverly McClanahan stood over the stove,her back to them. Her son didn't look anything like her. She was small in stature, with light brown hair that was beginning to go gray at the roots. Her blue eyes were busy looking down at the pot cooking on the stove.

"Hi, Ma," Robbie spoke, grinning to his friend. They waited for her to turn around and notice her guest.

"Hi, honey, how was Europe?" Beverly asked, still not looking at her son.

"It was fine. I brought you a surprise."

Beverly turned to look at her son, about to ask him what he brought her when her eyes landed on the girl next to him. Her brown hair was longer but a little straggly, her eyes were as blue as ever. She was thinner than she had been last time she stood in this kitchen. Julie looked at Beverly, waiting for her reaction.

"Julia!" Beverly cried, smiling widely and going to hug the girl. Julie hugged her back tightly, her heart filling.

"Hi, Mrs. McClanahan," Julie said, holding back tears.

"Oh, you stop that. You know it's Beverly to you."

Julie laughed quietly, a tear finally falling from her eye. Robbie smiled, watching as his mother and best friend held onto each other.

"Sorry. And I'm sorry I've been away so long," Julie said, wiping her eyes as they finally broke their hug.

"Don't you apologize, sweetie. You've been off living your dream, and I am so proud of you," Beverly told her, her hands on Julie's shoulders. Julie couldn't help the tears that continued to fall from her eyes. She didn't understand it. She had messed up so badly. She had hurt herself and so many people that loved her, and yet she was still being unconditionally loved by them. Beverly used her thumb to wipe a tear off of her second daughter's cheek.