The next morning I was already back in Nebraska, driving the rental car as fast as it would allow.
I've drank three iced coffees in the past six hours, trying to make it home all in one drive.
My mom still has no idea that I'm coming home and that I plan on staying at her house, in the room I spent majority of my time the first couple of months after we moved.
Once she was released from jail she begged my for days to move back home, because that was our forever home. But I liked living with Bryn, away from potential slips.
I loved my mom to death, but I still couldn't look at her the same until she gave up on trying not to cry in front of me, finally grieving about the death of my father. Then it clicked, she was and still is my mother, the one who raised me all my adolescent teen years by herself.
I was only three houses down now, pulling into my mothers driveway, parking behind her blacked out SUV.
Thank god she was home.
I knocked three times before pushing the door open, letting my heavy duffle fall to the floor.
"Janice I'm in the kitchen!" She called, the sound of our ovens timer going off.
"It's California." I yelled back, scrunching my face.
There was no response, just a small voice singing from radio my mom had played whenever she was home on the weekends.
"Hey," I ran my fingers across the recently cleaned countertops.
"California." She jumped back, bringing her hand towel to her chest.
"Yeah." I smiled. "Who's Janice?"
"She's the owner of that small whole foods store," My mother was still surprised to see me in her kitchen.
"Is my room still available?" I laughed like someone else might be occupying it.
"Actually, that's Diana's room." She licked her bottom lip failing to keep eye contact.
"I'm sorry, what?" I laughed again.
"A couple ladies have moved in, were planning on becoming business partners." She fixed her apron that was hanging lowly on her waist.
"I came back to be with you-" I paused.
"I thought that's what you wanted." I slightly frowned, my lips pursed as usual.
I wasn't even mad that my mom that other people living here, I guess it was just the coffee wearing off, my mind only focusing on the tons of money I had just spent on gas.
"You should've called sweetie, I'm sure you could bunk with one of my girlfriends." My mothers 'hip' grammar got the best of me.
"We still have a couch, right?"
"Well duh, where do you think movie night occurs." She laughed, licking the frosting off of a tins cap.
"Then I'll be sleeping there," I turned to leave, still confused about the sorority like thing she was running.
"Tonight's game night, I'll pencil you in!" She yelled after me, her smile prominent.
"Okay.." I mumbled, dazed.
My bag still lays by the door, a small dog sniffing its contents.
"Hey-" I tried to shoo it away.
"Go!" I beckoned, and the dog beginning to growl at me.
"Milo!" A blonde woman scolded, coming down the stairs.
