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“I’m getting ready to take a break from it all now,” I said. “I have a flight back to Big Bear tonight. Not too excited about it, honestly.”
“Oh man, that’s a big deal for you. After that autobiography of yours, we all thought you’d never go back home.”
I didn’t think I'd ever go back either. That was what I told myself, at least. I felt that after my success, Big Bear wasn’t a place for me anymore. It was a place where I lost a lot of time, had terrible memories, a place where my mom lost herself trying to fit in with everyone else. The place that took my brother away from the family.
My one drink with Todd turned into three drinks and a ton of laughter. We talked about life, family, relationships; everything under the sun. He was a great conversationalist and knew how to make a girl smile. Yet and still, the spark that was there for him wasn’t there for me.
After leaving the bar, I stopped at my hotel room to grab my things for the airport. I had a bittersweet feeling as I prepared to leave New York. Although I had settled down in Los Angeles, New York was a favorite of mine. I got my first book deal there. The food was amazing, and I loved the weather. A lot of people I knew hated the snow and cold, but I loved it. All except the traffic.
Due to the many cars on the busy NY streets, I got to the airport just as my flight was boarding. Had it not been for my long legs and ability to stretch them in stride, I probably wouldn’t have made the flight at all.
“Mia Norway,” the ticket agent wide eyed as she read the name on my ticket. “I know you! You're the lady who wrote Where I Belong.”
“I am,” I nodded. “Have you read it?”
“Have I?” she rolled her neck. “About three times, and each time I do it’s like I catch something I didn’t catch the first time I read it.”
More praise to carry with me back home. I had a long flight ahead of me and a long list of compliments to think on to hold me over. Flying first class helped out a lot. I could have been like everyone else I knew and flown private, but I enjoyed the humbling reminder that I was still Mia Norway.
“Goodnight, ladies and gents, please fasten your seatbelts and prepare for an enjoyable flight to Big Bear Lake, California. I’m your flight attendant, Gabriella Braxton and I'll do my best to ensure you all have an easy flight. Please be kind and thoughtful of the people around you, the bathroom is at the rear of the plane, and feel free to order from our menu if you’d like. We're set to take off shortly and thank you for flying Delta.”
I fastened my seatbelt and stuffed my air pods into my ears and prepared for takeoff. I had a good audiobook on my playlist that was nine hours long and a ton of miscellaneous thoughts running through my mind about Big Bear. It had been seven years since I left and if things didn’t go as planned, I said I would stay gone for good.
Seven hours later, my plane landed, and my feet touched the pavement in Big Bear. I hiked over to the rental car entrance, picked up a car for the time I would be there, and headed on my way. No one knew I was home. Not my mom, not Nick, and especially not Brayden. He was the last person I wanted to know anything about me.
As I passed through the mountains of the place I once called home, I remembered how beautiful it was. Tall trees, green grass, gorgeous views of the mountains and lakes. It was nice; peaceful in ways I didn’t realize when I was younger.
The house I bought my mom with my first large sum check sat nestled between two homes that looked exactly like in a deed restricted community. It was a beautiful home the day of the purchase. Sadly enough, it looked rundown and older than the rest when I returned. The lawn was unkempt. The windows were stained, there was trash on the ground instead of the garbage can, and a huge dent in the garage door.
“This place looks a mess,” I sighed.
Nick must have heard my car pull into the driveway because he came outside before I had a chance to get out. I figured he was expecting someone. When he saw it was me, he fought hard to keep a smile off his face but lost due to the smile that came across mine.
“What’s up baby bro?”
I approached him with my arms spread for a hug even though he always hated hugs.
“What’s up?” he asked. “I didn’t know you were coming to town.”
“It was a last minute thing,” I said. “Look at you, looking all grown up. Eighteen now, huh? You know that doesn't make you a grown man yet though.”
Nick laughed and brushed me off like he always did. He was eleven years old the last time I saw him in person and although I felt guilty for leaving him behind, it was something I had to do for the greater good.
“What’s up with the house?” I asked as we headed inside. “How come it looks like no one cares to take care of it?”
“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “Moms never around, maybe that’s why.”
I had hoped that my mom would have gotten her head on straight while I was away. If not for herself, for Nick at least. He deserved a better parent than Trent and I had growing up. If it weren’t for Trent, there was no telling what my life would have become.
“I guess I'll be staying at a hotel while I'm here then,” I sighed.
“What, our home ain’t good enough for you now that you’re this big shot writer?” Nick asked.
His question went over my head the minute I saw the inside of the house. It was more of a wreck than the outside. There were old food bins and empty soda bottles all over the living room. The air was stuffy, and the curtains were drawn so the place was almost pitch black.
“Nick, you’re old enough now to know how to clean,” I said. How come you don’t at least pick up the trash?”
“I’m nobody’s clean up boy,” he scoffed. “I’ve cleaned this place up a thousand times and mom always messes it up with her company. I'm not cleaning it again.”
