••••
For the first time in two years, Caroline was excited to go home. Although home was now a foreign home in Dallas, it stilled housed the most important person to her.
It was one week until Christmas. One week until she promised to contact Brandon. She knew he called her every night to hear her voicemail and she struggled to let the phone ring while she sat there and stared at his name. She had struggled to do a lot in the last couple weeks, but it led her back to her love of music.
Caroline hated flying alone, it was so boring. She rather take a two days and drive home, but two days was too long to wait to get home. When she got into the airport, that was packed beyond belief, she could spot her dad and uncle from feet away. Their tan skin and built frames stood out in a crowd. As she walked towards them, she glanced around hoping to catch a glimpse of Brandon walking by.
"Daddy!" She yelped and jumped into his arms. Happy tears flowed out her eyes. She hadn't realized how much she had actually missed him.
"Hey sweetheart." He cooed, wrapping his arms around her, careful not to squeeze her too hard. She jumped down and hugged her Uncle Luke who was busy holding her bags.
"Uncle Luke, I think you've got bigger." Caroline pointed out, poking his bicep that was about as big as her head.
"Gotta make that little nerd quake somehow." Her Uncle retorted.
"Lucas." She warned, a smirk on her lips.
"I'm not a fan and you know it." He replied, walking off.
Caroline and her father followed him to the car. She knew neither of them had been fans of Brandon ever since he dropped her overnight shortly after her mom's diagnosis. The ride home was filled with catching up and 80s rock. Caroline had missed bonding with her dad and uncle. At the house, Caroline hesitantly went inside. Madeleine welcomes her with open arms and a big smile.
"Hi, Caroline! How was your flight?" She asked, letting go of her.
"First class was very nice, I have to admit." Caroline chuckled.
"Only the best for my future daughter." Madeleine smiled.
Caroline tensed up at the mention of her marrying her dad. She knew Madeleine wasn't trying to replace her mother by any means and, quite frankly, she was kind of glad to have a mother figure again. She just hated knowing her dad had found someone worth moving on with because no one would ever compare to the angel of a mother she had.
"What up, Care?" Her future step brother, Greg, said as he walked up the stairs. She and Greg had only bonded over Christmas break last year when they figured out they'd be siblings eventually.
"Hey, broski!" She yelled, following him upstairs to her room. Her uncle came in shortly after and dropped her bags on the floor.
"Your dad wanted me to hand you this." He said, holding out a set of keys on his outstretched hand.
"What are these to?" She asked, grabbing them from him.
"Keys to your actual home. Your dad figured you might want to drive other sometime over break." Her uncle said.
"Can you drive me now? My car is in Arizona and mom's car was in the garage still." Caroline asked, looking up at him.
"Yeah, I'll gladly take you." He smiled.
Caroline told Madeleine and her dad where she was going and that she wasn't sure when she'd come back. The 30 minute ride to the house seemed to last forever, until suddenly she was standing at the front door with the keys in her hands. A year was a long time to be away from something you held dear to your heart.
Caroline slowly walked into the house, slipping off her shoes at the door. The house felt scared now that no one was living in it. It felt empty and lonely, nothing like she had left it. She made her way to the basement and turned the light on. A thick layer of dust covered the plastic tarp covering everything. She jerked it off and smiled. All the equipment her mother had got her so she could practice her musical hobby was still set up as she had left it.
She sat down and turned on the keyboard, playing a few random tunes before she felt someone sit beside her. She looked up and saw her uncle smiling down at her.
"What?" She asked, just above a whisper.
"She'd be proud of you coming down here again. She always used to tell people "my daughters song are going to be all over the radio one day" and she'd have this giant smile on her face when she'd talk about you." Her uncle said, smiling as he did an impression of her mother.
"I guess I let her down, huh? Nursing was something I didn't even consider until she died." Caroline stated.
"You never let her down. Yeah, she was upset when you stopped coming down here and making music, but you never let her down." He said, shaking his head.
"Two weeks I sat down and wrote a whole song." Caroline said, suddenly. "I could feel her every step of the way, guiding me as what to do next. At 7am that morning I was apply to UCLA for music business."
"Change of majors?" He asked.
"When I was in my own little zone writing music and making the beats... I don't know... I felt free for once." Caroline sighed, slumping her shoulders.
"I'm all for having a bad ass DJ niece. Do what your heart tells you to do." He smiled down at her.
"Would she want me throwing away two and a half years of school just to start over?" She asked, leaning her head on his arm.
"I think your mom would want you to do whatever made you happy. Clearly music making makes you happy, Care." He answered.
"Thanks, Uncle Luke." She said, giving him a side hug.
Caroline wasn't sure what laid ahead, but she knew she was making the right decision. She felt it in her heart that she was doing what she was meant to do all along.
••••
Double update just bc I'm happy rn
Here's Uncle Luke 😂
and Brandon