It's the day I leave to go to back home to Ohio, me and Jess say a long goodbye as I stand beside the cab I had prebooked earlier on in the week.
"I'm going to be back in a month" I say as she's holding me tight
"I know, I'm just going to miss you"
"I'll miss you too"
She releases her grip on me and I get in the back of the cab, I instruct him to go to the airport. I got a text from Lou this morning telling me she's leaving for California tomorrow. She's the one I'm going to miss the most this week.
The flight to Ohio is only around 1hour and 20minutes long. I text Jess and Lou to let them know I've landed safely. I prepare myself for the welcome I'm about to recieve from my mom when I walk outside. I collect my bags and make my way to where I'm meeting my mom.
"Come here my baby!" She comes bounding over with open arms
I embrace her as she embarces me "Hey mama" I say as she squeezes what air was left in my lungs out.
"We've missed you so much darling" she picks up my bags "come on, cars this way...grandma is at home"
"Why did she not come?"
"She's not really able to anymore baby, you know"
I nod.
We finally arrive at the car, I help her put my bags in the trunk and jump in the passenger seat. As we are driving home I'm reminded of my past by all the familure sights and smells, some good...some bad. I see familure faces walking the sidewalks and places I used to hang out with friends on a Friday night.
The city is far in the distance as we arrive home, there's nothing but dirt roads and fields surround our little house. I could never imagine Lou living somewhere like this. I run up the steps to the front porch and bolt in the door to find my grandma in her chair, I sprint over to her to hug her.
"Oh hey suger, easy now...I'm getting old you know" she laughs
"I know, I've missed you"
My mom follows behind holding my bags.
"You certainly don't travel light deer"
I laugh "im going to california next week for two weeks with a friend, I need enough stuff for three weeks"
"Oh good cause I thought you were moving back in" she jokes
I take my bags to my room, everything still how it was left. I fall backwards on my bed and stare at the cieling. My mom is in the kitchen making homemade lasagne, I decide to join her.
"Do you need any help?" I ask her
"No thats okay baby, go relax...you deserve it...also I forgot to mention...we are having a little get together tomorrow night as a welcome home party"
"Oh you didn't need to do that" I look away and role my eyes thinking she won't see
"Hey, don't think I can't tell you're rolling your eyes...you haven't been home in over a year...people are excited to see you honey...now go relax, dinner won't be long"
I sit with my grandma in the living room, she chats to me about what's been happening in the town. She likes a gossip. She's also telling me stories about when she was my age, I sit and hang onto every word. I remind myself every once in a while that she's getting old as I'm getting old, she won't always be here to tell me these stories. Even if I've heard them one hundred times.
"Have you been seeing anyone in the city darling?"
"There is someone but we are just friends"
"Life's to short honey to be just friends, trust me...if you want them...you have to go get them"
I laugh "Yeah maybe grandma"
My mom shouts that dinner is ready, we both make our way to the dinner table. Only on a very rare occasion that we don't eat at the table. The smell and taste of home cooking gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside, nothing beats it.
"Gwen has been seeing someone in the city, did you know" my grandma says excitingly to my mom
"Oh you never mentioned that to me" she frowns at me
"We are just friends, it might not go anywhere...I didn't want to get you excited for no reason" I take a mouthful of food.
"I wish you had said, I invited Liam tomorrow"
I freeze and look up at her "why did you do that?"
"I thought you both could talk"
"No I don't want to talk, we've spoke about this mom..." I role my eyes
She holds her hands up " I'm sorry, he's a lovely boy...I know you love each other"
"Mom, we loved each other...its been over for over a year now...let it go"
"Okay...okay, eat your dinner...its getting cold"
I shake my head at her, my grandma didn't bother adding to the conversation. I take everyone's plates through to the kitchen when we are all done eating. I help my mom clean up.
"Everything been okay with you?"
She wraps her arm around my shoulder and pulls me against her.
"Yeah" I smile at her "have you both been okay?"
She smiles back "of course"
We finish cleaning up and I decide to have a shower before going to bed. I have a couple of texts from Lou telling me how she misses me. I lay down on my bed, looking at the empty space beside me. Realising how much I miss Lou also, what I would say to her if she was here right now. I brush the feeling off and text her goodnight. She's getting a plane to California tomorrow morning, I wish her a safe flight. I close my eyes and fall into a deep sleep, trying to find Lou in my dreams.
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It's the next morning, my mom shouts that breakfast is ready. She has made pancakes and bacon. The smell getting better as I walk through to the kitchen to grab a plate. There's a loud knock at the door, it's only 9am.
"Who the hell is here this early" my mom moans
She opens the front door and I hear a familure voice, a very familure accent. It can't be!
"Hello mam, is Gwen here?"
I rush through to the front door, gently pushing my mom to the side. I see Lou standing infront of me with her hands in her back pockets. Im lost for words.
"Hello Gwen" she smirks at me
"What are you doing here? I thought you were going to California"
"I thought I would surprise you" She winks at me.
My mom standing looking at both of us "sorry mom, this is Lou Miller and Lou this is my Mom Ophilia"
"It's lovely to meet you"
Lou reaches out a hand for my mom to shake but instead my mom grabs her and gives her a big hug. My mom has a lot of Love for anyone I care about, I love that most about her.
"Come in! We love Gwens friends visiting...how long are you staying suger?"
She quickly picks Lous bags up and brings them inside.
"Just a phew days, I hope thats okay...I don't want to be intruding"
She shakes her head "Nonsense! You can sleep in the spare room"
I look at Lou then back at my mom "actually mom, Lou will sleep in my bed with me...you don't need to make up the spare room"
My mom stops what she's doing and takes a glance at Lou then at me "is this the friend you told us about last night"
I laugh "maybe..."
She laughs back then looks at Lou "you can stay as long as you like honey, I'll put your bags in Gwens room"
I smile at Lou and take her hand to lead her to the kitchen. "Hungry" I ask her.
She nods "very" her eyes gazing into mine
"Here" I hand her a plate with some pancakes and bacon
We sit at the dining table and eat together.
She laughs "you know pancakes make you gay" she says as I shove one into my mouth. I almost choke on my food.
"You must have ate a lot of pancakes in your time then" I joke back.
My mom comes rushing through "Lou are you coming tonight?"
"What's happening tonight?" She asks confusingly
"Did Gwen not tell you" She gives me a dirty look "We organised a welcome home party for Gwen"
"I never got a chance to tell her mom, Lou would you like to come"
"Of course" she has a big smile on her face.
My mom wonders away again to wake my grandma up. I lean over to Lou "I'm sorry about her, she gets very excited about stuff like this"
"Don't apologise, its nice...its really nice, she's lovely"
I smile while looking down at my empty plate, I look back up at Lou. She's already gazing at me "thank you for coming, I'm so happy to see you" I place my hand over hers.
We are interrupted by my grandma, she's walking quicker than usual. I role my eyes.
"Hello! So this is your friend...its lovely to meet you Lou" my grandma hugs Lou.
"It's lovely to meet you too, can I get you some breakfast" Lou starts to stand up
"Sit back down, I can manage...you are our guest...did Gwen get you something to eat"
Lou looks at me and chuckles "Yeah she did, the pancakes were lovely"
My grandma smiles at her "im glad"
"I'm going to quickly shower then we can go for a walk if you like?"
"Sounds great" She smiles at me.
I quickly get ready, I can hear my grandma telling Lou the same stories she told me the night before. I quickly walk through and gesture to Lou we are leaving.
"It was great hearing your stories, what a good life you have had"
"Thank you dear, I will see you both later"
"Bye grandma" I kiss her on the cheek.
I shout through to my mom that we are going for a walk.
We are walking down what looks like a dirt road, I know this is definitely not what Lou is used to. She takes my hand in hers.
"Are you looking forward to the party tonight sweeheart"
"Not really, I'm really glad you are coming though"
She looks at me and smiles "me too"
"There's something I want to show" I say to her excitingly.
Holding her hand tighter I lead her to a small beautiful Lake thats near my mom's house. Its hidden behind trees and bushes, not many people know its even there. We push our way through branches and leafs.
I look back at Lou and chuckle slightly to myself "how are you holding up back there?"
"I never knew I would fighting my way through a forst today" she laughs
"Not much further, just keep following me"
"I'll follow you anywhere sweetheart"
I look back to smile at her, she's already smiling at me.
Finally we are in the open and the lake is just infront us, she places her arm around my shoulder.
"Beautiful isn't it" I say to her while admiring the scenery
She doesn't answer me, I look at her to find her ssmirking me "very"
I blush at her comment.
"There's a bench over there, come on"
I take her hand again and lead her to it. She stops walking and pulls me towards her by my hand, still holding my hand she holds it behind her back. Pulling me close so our body's are against each other. She let's go of my hand so she can hold my waist. My hands now resting on her shoulder. She brings her arms around my body and burries her face into my neck. My arms wrapping around her.
She whispers "I've missed you so much"
"I've missed you too" I whisper back.
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Author
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoy 💛💛