Chapter 24

Hours later I was listening to music as the pilot informed us we were prepping for landing. As we landed, I waited for everyone to leave first and then I got off. I walked out with my luggage and purse with me and went to find a rental car place. I had written my mom the day of reading her letter and so hopefully she knew by now that I was coming. I rented a small black Chevy Malibu and got in after putting up my baggage. I took my phone out and dialed James's number. Being back in Tennessee was weird for me. I would have to drive three hours from Nashville's airport to the farming small town I grew up in.The call went through finally.

"Hey?" I asked.

"Hey! How was your flight? Everything okay so far?" James asked.

"Yeah, so far so good. I am a little worried though. I haven't been back in five years. My minds a little dull on streets and stuff now." I told him getting on the freeway. I turned my phone on speaker and had my phone sit on my lap.

"You'll be fine. Your phones still charge from being off during the flight and you can use GPS if you have to. If not, call me and I'll get on google maps and talk you through it." James laughed which made me feel at ease.

"You should've came with me." I told him. He sighed.

"We didn't even think of that..." James said as if it was obvious. I giggled.

"It's okay. We will survive a few days without each other." I informed James.

"I know. Well, I'll let you go so you can get going. In an hour or two Carlos and Alexa and I are going over to the house and we are gonna paint some more." James said.

"Already? I've been gone a few hours and you're already painting?" I asked surprised. James laughed.

"I get bored without my Netflix buddy." James defended himself. I laughed.

"Alright, I'll text you later with what's going on." I told him.

"Alright. Love you, babe."

"Love you too sweetheart." I told him as we both hung up.

For the rest of the drive I listened to music I hadn't in a long time, country. However it was different when I first was listening to it, it was still good non the less today. I drove down familiar roads and through smaller towns than the one I grew up in. Eventually I made it to my hometown's welcome sign and it felt like I was back in high school. I passed the post office, the small grocery store, Walmart right next door and then was in the neighbor I grew up in. I drove down seeing familiar houses and fences cover in either ivy or weeds. Then there it was, my old house with the same black pick up in front of the house of my dads and then a little red car for my mom, but then a silver car which I assumed was my brothers. I parked on the street in front of the front yard and took a deep breath. I got out, grabbing my purse, and walked slowly down the sidewalk and up the driveway. I got to the door and held my breath. I checked to see if any of my tattoos were showing in case they gave my mother a heart attack and put her in the hospital, too.

I sighed seeing as I couldn't cover some of them when I was in a tshirt, so I'd have to wear longer sleeved shirts and long pants. That wouldn't be a problem considering it was fall in Tennessee. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath wanting to run away, but the door opened already.

"Liz?" My mothers face was placid. I smiled shyly.

"Hi." I said unsure of what to say. Her obviously Botox injected face then crumbled and tried look like she was over joyed to see me.

"I didn't know you were coming." She told me.

"I wrote a letter back to you." I told her as she obviously didn't get it.

"Oh, well maybe the mailman just couldn't beat ya here." She smiled happily with a fake smile.

"I guess so." I said annoyed.

"Come in." She said not really touching me, but acting like she wanted to hug me. My mother was never good at being the supportive or comforting mom.

"Where's John?" I asked her looking around the exact same house I left five years ago.

"Oh, uh, he's up in his room if you would like to go see him." She said playing with her hair as she looked at my own hair. I smiled and nodded. I kept my purse on my shoulder and walked up the creaky stairs. I got upstairs and went to my brothers door. I knocked slowly and took a step back. He opened it and then looked both shocked and disappointed.

"Hey." I said smiling at him. He smiled and hid a laugh.

"Wow, never thought I'd see you again." He said folding his arms across his chest. I sighed.

"John, you know I'm sorry I moved. I know I left you behind." I told him. He scoffed.

"That wasn't the problem! You didn't text, call, email, or write to me while you were being all, whoever in LA." He said slowly. I closed my eyes.

"I know. I'm sorry, but you didn't seem like you wants to hear from me. You had said you hated me before I left for leaving you." I defended myself. He laughed harshly.

"I don't care anymore." He said taking a step back and slamming the door. John was still in high school, so he was going through being not so popular as I very much was at his age. I walked away and could see my old bedrooms door opened at the end of the hall. Nothing was the same. The yellow walls had been painted a sandy brown color and there was work out equipment in there. I scoffed and walked down the stairs.

"Mom, when are visiting hours at the hospital?" I asked as I got down the stairs and into the kitchen where I couldn't believe my eyes. My mom was up on the counter while some strange man kissed and grabbing at her. "Oh my God!" I said shielding my eyes.

"Liz, uh, did you talk to John?" My mom asked as she hoped down off the counter letting her heels clink against the tile. I scoffed as the man didn't even care that his shirt was off and his undid belt was letting his pants fall off.

"Yeah, I did. Uh, does dad know you're hooking up with some guy on his counter?" I asked annoyed. This wasn't the first time I found my mother doing this to my father. She smiled and touched the mans bare chest.

"Oh, this isn't just 'some' guy. This is my husband, Mike." My mom said. My mouth fell open.

"Your husband?!" I exclaimed. What the hell have I gotten myself into?

"Yes, sweetie. Your father and I split up two years ago and then I fell in love with Mike, your step father." My mom giggled. The man took a step closer to me and offered me his hand.

"Hello Liz, you are everything your mother and brother have said about you and more." He said nice enough. I looked down as his pants were falling closer to the ground.

"Uhm, I'm good." I said then taking a step around him. "You and dad got a divorce?!" I asked her. She shrugged.

"It happens, sweetie." She said as if it was no big deal.

"Yeah, I know, but you didn't even care to mention that? Or that you got remarried?!" I asked her. She sighed.

"Not like you cared! You had your life in LA, your big glamorous life. You wouldn't have came back for my wedding or to try to get your father and I back together anyway." She said shrugging. That proved to me that she was absolutely nuts. I shook my head and left the house. I walked quickly down the sidewalk and into my rental car. I started it up and decided to check into my hotel and then call James. I assumed I'd make visiting hours at the hospital tomorrow.

"Hey, babe. How's everything?" He asked as I was in the elevator going up to my floor.

"James, my family is fucking bat shit crazy." I said louder than I meant to be as the couple in the elevator turned their heads to look at me. I smiled sweetly.

"Wait, What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well, to quite honest, I come back to my home town thinking I'd be welcomed by my sad mother and brother and then we'd go visit my dad in the hospital, right?" I asked as I got off at my floor.

"Yeah, and that's not what happened..." James predicted. I laughed sarcastically as I walked down the hallway.

"No, I come back to a very angry little brother, who slams his bedroom door in my face, and then I walk in on my mom on the counter getting felt up by my, wait for," I paused for dramatic effect. "STEP FATHER." I exclaimed as people passed by me thinking I was crazy.

"What?! What the hell are you talking about?" James asked just as freaked out.

"What I mean is, my mom and dad got a divorce TWO years ago. Then she got remarried to 'Mike'. I mean, he seems nice, but I refused to shake his hand since his pants were around his ankles and his hand had just had a handful of my mom seconds before." I told James breathlessly opening my door. I walked in and rolled my suitcase to the bed then closing the door. I then walked over and lied on my stomach on the bed.

"Hold on, let's FaceTime." I said as we both hung up and got on FaceTime.

"You have a step dad? Your mom didn't even tell you?" He asked his eyes enraged. I nodded. He scoffed and then made an annoyed face.

"That's so screwed up." James said shaking his head.

"Tell me about it." I said leaning my chin on my hand. He shook his head again.

"But did you see your dad?" James asked. I shook my head.

"No, I didn't. I asked the hotel manager if he knew when the hospitals visiting hours were and I missed it by an hour today." I said. James sighed.

"I'm sorry babe." James said giving a sympathetic look.

"I just wish they were the weird family I left, ya know? I mean, I saw my old room at the end of the hall. It's changed. Everything I once owned is gone and it now holds a treadmill and a weight bench." I said rolling onto my back with James in the air.

"That's absolutely bat shit crazy." James agreed with me. I nodded enthusiastically.

"I know." I told him sighing exhausted.

"So, are you going to stay the full five days?" James asked changing the subject. I shrugged.

"I won't decide till I see my dad. I mean, I can always hang out with him everyday if he's the normal one now. It seems like him and John switched personalities almost." I told James. James nodded.

"Well, I'll check flights to see closest times you can come home just in case." James told me. I smiled sadly.

"Thank you." I smiled. He nodded smiling sympathetically. "So, what you up to?" I asked him. He smirked.

"I'm at your house." He told me. I smiled.

"How's that going?" I asked. He then flipped the camera to show me the office area completely finished.

"Oh my God, it's perfect!" I shrieked sitting up. It had the desks how Alexa and I wanted them with a plant in the corner by the window and our sign hanging up.

"It really did come together nicely. Carlos and Alexa are upstairs right now working on your bathroom." James said switching the camera. I smiled.

"You are the best." I told him with my bottom lip sticking out. "I wish I could be there helping you guys." I said honestly. He shook his head.

"Your dad needs you." James said. I nodded.

"I better go shower, order some room service, get some rest, and then go see my dad in the morning." I said sighing not wanting to be here anymore. I wanted to be with the man on my phone. He smiled.

"Alright, text me if you need me or just want a friend." He said. I nodded sadly. "I love you, baby." He told me sweetly.

"I love you too." I whispered. James then blew me a kiss and then I did the same.

"Stay strong, you know I believe in you." James told me. I nodded feeling better after talking to him.

"Thank you." I smiled. We said goodbye and hung up. I sighed and stood up finding something comfy to wear. The sun was going down and I just wanted to get comfortable.