Page 69 of Home Is Where You Are

“Thank you both for being here for me. It means more than you could ever possibly know,” I said, feeling ten times lighter than when I entered the room.

“How’s Gentry today?” Aspen asked as we all got up from the bed.

I wanted to go search for him, and Aspen knew me well enough to know I’d want to be there for him.

I went on to tell her how sweet he was this morning, and about our conversation.

“If y’all don’t mind, while you’re getting coffee and waking up fully, I need to go find Gentry. I can’t leave him alone today,” I told them.

“Of course. We understand. Go be there for him. Take as long as you need. We’ll get the boxes out of the truck. Where do you want us to put them?” Dylan asked.

“If you can put them in my room that’d be great. You sure you don’t mind?”

“We don’t mind at all. Go be there for Gentry,” Aspen reassured me as we left the room.

While I was sad that my friends were leaving, I was excited for the journey ahead.

My mom was in the kitchen when I entered, sitting at the bar, a cup of coffee in one hand and a puzzle book in the other. My dad sat right beside her. Both enjoying the quiet Sunday morning. I stopped and admired the two of them. Every couple of minutes, my dad would look over at the puzzle book to find my mom stumbled on a clue, and he’d whisper the answer to her. A lightbulb would go off in her eyes as she jotted the answer into the squares. They’d done this every Sunday my entire childhood. I wanted a love that would stand the test of time.

I cleared my throat to let them know we were entering the room and walked over to the pot of freshly brewed coffee.

“Good morning,” I said with a smile as I pulled four to-go mugs from the cabinet and made Aspen, Dylan, Gentry, and I each a cup.

“Good morning, my beautiful girl,” my dad said as he walked over, kissing me on top of my head as he put his empty coffee mug in the sink. He walked back over and sat down next to my mom.

A smile graced my face as I finished making everyone’s coffee.

“What are you up to today?” my mom asked as she sat down her mug and puzzle book, her focus solely on me.

“Aspen and Dylan are leaving today to drive to Sunset River. They’re going to unpack my boxes from the truck while I try to find Gentry. Have either of you heard from him today?”

“He came in shortly before you came downstairs and said he was taking a walk,” my dad replied.

He would probably be out at the confession tree. I’d start there, and search the entire property if I had to. Nothing was going to stop me from being there for him today. The way I should’ve been there for him all along.

“Thanks, Daddy. I’m going to go find him. Thank you both for unpacking the boxes for me,” I said to Aspen and Dylan. They both nodded in understanding, and I set off with mine and Gentry’s coffees in hand.

Hurriedly, I walked the path to the confession tree, my sole focus on finding Gentry.

Thoughts of who our daughter would be today heavy on my mind.

As the tree came into view, I found Gentry pacing. I stopped and watched him, so much hurt and frustration evident as I watched him pull at his hair and walk back and forth.

I let out a sigh as I started toward him, his back to me as he paced.

When he turned on his heel, he looked from the ground and up in my direction, his steps faltered when he noticed me standing mere feet from him.

I hesitated to walk the rest of the way.

He looked at me, his brows furrowed as though he couldn’t believe I was standing there.

Shaking my head, I slowly walked toward him.

“I’m an idiot,” I said as I handed him his cup of coffee.

“Why do you say that?” he asked as he took the cup from my hand, and looked down at it before he took a sip.

I took the last few steps that separated us, and stood right in front of him, my eyes never leaving his as I confessed.