had not told Drake about our last-minute plans, so I’m sure he was wondering where I was.
“Hey baby, where are you?” Drake asked, concern in his voice.
“Michael and I decided to take Stella on a road trip to Iowa.” I didn’t want to get into the whole panic attack and Liam situation. I wanted to tell him that in person so he understood where I was coming from. I was nervous how he would take the news. Hopefully he wouldn’t bail.
“Iowa? To see your parents?” he asked, confused.
“Yeah, I haven’t seen them in over two years, and I wanted to get away for a couple days. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to tell you. We just planned it, kind of spur of the moment, and had to start packing, and renting a car and all.”
“Oh, well, I hope you guys drive safe, and have fun. Call me when you get there.”
“Will do, honey. Call you later.” We hung up, and for the next four and a half hours, we drove through boring Illinois and Iowa, stopping twice, and finally made it by one in the afternoon. I hadn’t been back in so long, but it felt right. It was comfortable. It was home.
I knew my mom and dad would both be at work, but I knew where my mom’s hidden key was. Both of my parents had remarried after their divorce, but I was still the only child among my parents and stepparents. Stella was their only grandchild, and they loved spoiling her any chance they could. They sent lavish gifts on birthdays and at Christmas, so I knew they’d be blown away seeing her in person for the first time in two years.
“Mommy, where are we?” Stella asked as she walked through the door.
“This is Grandma’s house, baby. We’re going to stay here for the weekend,” I smiled, hoping to get a good response out of her. My mom had two spare rooms, which was the main reason why I chose to come here, although I planned to stop by my dad’s house, as well. He only had a one-bedroom condo with his wife and dogs.
“We better call Grandma, so she doesn’t have a heart attack when she gets home,” I teased, gesturing for Stella to come over to me.
“Hello?” My mother answered, worried. I never called in the afternoon, especially on a Friday, considering I was usually in class.
“Hi, Grandma!” Stella squealed. “I like your house!”
“Hi, Mom!” I chimed in.
“Hi, Mom!” Michael yelled from the hallway.
“Well, hello, dear. Where are you?” she asked confused.
“We decided to take a last-minute road trip. We are at your house. Hope you don’t mind.”
“Oh, my goodness! You are? Really?” She sounded like she almost didn’t believe it.
“Yes, we wanted to come see you and Dad. We used your secret key. Hope that’s okay.”
“Oh, honey, it’s more than okay. I can’t believe you’re here! I’m going to leave the office early. I can’t wait to see my little Stella-bug. I’ll be there in a half-hour!” she said eagerly and hung up. I couldn’t be happier to be home right now. This was a time in my life when I just needed my mom.
My mom arrived home a half-hour later and squeezed us tight for ten minutes. She was crying, and soon enough, so was I. I hadn’t realized how much I missed her after all this time. In fact, I hadn’t realized how much I missed where I grew up. Home Sweet Home.
“I just can’t believe you guys are really here!” my mom gushed, wiping away her tears of joy.
“Well, it’s been long enough. We missed you. And…I need to see Liam’s gravesite.”
“Liam’s gravesite?” she asked, confused.
“Yeah…I think it’s time I tell Stella about her father and show her where he is. And I need to say goodbye. It’s time.”
“Oh, honey.” She brushed her fingers on my wet cheeks. “You know he is always with you and Stella no matter what. But you deserve to be happy. You both do,” she said reassuringly. She hadn’t been there for me when he passed away, but she was doing her best to make up for it now.
“I know, mom. But it’s been difficult
“Hey baby, where are you?” Drake asked, concern in his voice.
“Michael and I decided to take Stella on a road trip to Iowa.” I didn’t want to get into the whole panic attack and Liam situation. I wanted to tell him that in person so he understood where I was coming from. I was nervous how he would take the news. Hopefully he wouldn’t bail.
“Iowa? To see your parents?” he asked, confused.
“Yeah, I haven’t seen them in over two years, and I wanted to get away for a couple days. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to tell you. We just planned it, kind of spur of the moment, and had to start packing, and renting a car and all.”
“Oh, well, I hope you guys drive safe, and have fun. Call me when you get there.”
“Will do, honey. Call you later.” We hung up, and for the next four and a half hours, we drove through boring Illinois and Iowa, stopping twice, and finally made it by one in the afternoon. I hadn’t been back in so long, but it felt right. It was comfortable. It was home.
I knew my mom and dad would both be at work, but I knew where my mom’s hidden key was. Both of my parents had remarried after their divorce, but I was still the only child among my parents and stepparents. Stella was their only grandchild, and they loved spoiling her any chance they could. They sent lavish gifts on birthdays and at Christmas, so I knew they’d be blown away seeing her in person for the first time in two years.
“Mommy, where are we?” Stella asked as she walked through the door.
“This is Grandma’s house, baby. We’re going to stay here for the weekend,” I smiled, hoping to get a good response out of her. My mom had two spare rooms, which was the main reason why I chose to come here, although I planned to stop by my dad’s house, as well. He only had a one-bedroom condo with his wife and dogs.
“We better call Grandma, so she doesn’t have a heart attack when she gets home,” I teased, gesturing for Stella to come over to me.
“Hello?” My mother answered, worried. I never called in the afternoon, especially on a Friday, considering I was usually in class.
“Hi, Grandma!” Stella squealed. “I like your house!”
“Hi, Mom!” I chimed in.
“Hi, Mom!” Michael yelled from the hallway.
“Well, hello, dear. Where are you?” she asked confused.
“We decided to take a last-minute road trip. We are at your house. Hope you don’t mind.”
“Oh, my goodness! You are? Really?” She sounded like she almost didn’t believe it.
“Yes, we wanted to come see you and Dad. We used your secret key. Hope that’s okay.”
“Oh, honey, it’s more than okay. I can’t believe you’re here! I’m going to leave the office early. I can’t wait to see my little Stella-bug. I’ll be there in a half-hour!” she said eagerly and hung up. I couldn’t be happier to be home right now. This was a time in my life when I just needed my mom.
My mom arrived home a half-hour later and squeezed us tight for ten minutes. She was crying, and soon enough, so was I. I hadn’t realized how much I missed her after all this time. In fact, I hadn’t realized how much I missed where I grew up. Home Sweet Home.
“I just can’t believe you guys are really here!” my mom gushed, wiping away her tears of joy.
“Well, it’s been long enough. We missed you. And…I need to see Liam’s gravesite.”
“Liam’s gravesite?” she asked, confused.
“Yeah…I think it’s time I tell Stella about her father and show her where he is. And I need to say goodbye. It’s time.”
“Oh, honey.” She brushed her fingers on my wet cheeks. “You know he is always with you and Stella no matter what. But you deserve to be happy. You both do,” she said reassuringly. She hadn’t been there for me when he passed away, but she was doing her best to make up for it now.
“I know, mom. But it’s been difficult
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