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If I could go back, I’d do things differently. I would’ve listened to my parents, gone to college, and made a life for myself instead of following along behind him like a lovesick puppy. But things happen for a reason, right? It’s time to start over and even though I know this is going to be the hardest chapter of my life, I know it’ll be worth it all in the end. I have to believe that. Otherwise, I don’t know if I’ll survive.
I turn up the music to drown out my thoughts and before I know it, I’m pulling into the driveway of my childhood home. It’s a nice house, much nicer than Ryan and I could afford. We lived in an old trailer out in the middle of nowhere. At least here, I’ll be surrounded by family and friends. I’ll have a support system. I won’t make the same mistakes twice.
Grabbing my purse, I step out of the car and head for the front door. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked in and run out of this door, but this time feels different. It’s no longer my place to just let myself in, so I raise my fist and tap it against the glass of the door. I hear the footsteps on the other side, and my heart starts to race.
The door opens and my mother stands on the other side, a smile slowly spreading across her face. “Riley, I’m so glad you’re home.” She pulls me against her for a warm hug. And that’s when I break down. It’s been five years since I’ve seen my mother’s face, felt her against me, and breathed her in. There’s warmth and comfort and love. Why did I ever run away from this?
“I missed you, Mom.” The words are barely above a whisper, but somehow, she hears them.
“I’ve missed you, too. Come on. Come inside.” She pulls away but keeps her arm around me, guiding me into the house.
She takes me into the kitchen. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please.” I remove my purse from my shoulder, dropping it onto the floor as I pull out a chair and sit at the table.
“Your dad is off helping Thomas change the brakes on that old rusty work truck of his.” Thomas is Evie’s dad. “Have you talked to Evie yet?”
I nod. “We’re planning on dinner tonight if that’s okay. I mean, if you haven’t made any plans for us.”
She brings over two cups of coffee and sits next to me. “I was going to make a big dinner, but your father insisted I wait to run it by you first. We know it must be hard coming back home after all this time, and we want you to know that we don’t plan on treating you like a child. You have a say in what goes on in your life.”
I offer a tightlipped smile. That’s nice to know. I was worried I would be given a curfew. “Thank you. That means a lot to me. I really do appreciate you taking me in.”
She places her hand on mine. “What happened, Riley?”
The tears sting my eyes, doubling my vision. “Everything that you said. We were young. We grew apart. He changed into someone I no longer knew. And then he found someone else.”
“He cheated on you?”
I nod and wipe the tears from my eyes. I’m done crying over a life that never should have happened in the first place.
She takes a deep breath before sipping her coffee. “Was he planning on leaving you?”
I shrug. “Doesn’t matter. He broke my heart and my trust. I wouldn’t take him back now for anything in the world, Mama.”
“Good.” She nods. “So, what’s the plan?”
I let out a sigh. “Start over. Evie is going to try talking Travis into giving me a job at the bar. I’ll work, save, get my own place.”
“That’s a good start. Travis is a good man. I’m sure he’ll give you a job.”
I can’t help but giggle. “He hates me,” I remind her.
She laughs. “A lot has changed in the five years you’ve been gone, Riley. If you’re starting over, you should leave the past in the past.”
“Yeah well, we’ll see if Travis is willing to do that when it comes to me.”
She smiles and gives me a knowing look. “Come on. Let’s get you settled.” She stands, leaving the kitchen and heading down the hallway toward the bedrooms. I take one more calming breath before getting up and following after her, ready to walk back into my past.
She turns on the light and walks into the room. I make a left turn and step into my childhood bedroom, looking around and taking it all in. Nothing has changed. Not the fluffy pink carpet, the white walls, or the lace curtains. Even my framed photos are still lining the shelves.
“We left it just as you had. When you called the other day and said you were coming home, we changed out the twin-size bed for this queen. We thought it would be more comfortable.” She turns to face me, leaning against the dresser.
I look over at her. She’s wearing a soft smile, her eyes warm and full of happiness. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.
“Thank you.”
She walks over to me with her arms out. She pulls me in for a hug, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I made a mistake all those years ago, but this… this isn’t a mistake. This is setting things right. I’m right where I’m supposed to be, with my life finally getting back on track. I have faith that everything is going to work out, and that today is the first day of the rest of my life.
