returning home

[Kaligurl222]

Kali leaned back in her seat on the plane and closed her eyes, she could see the day 5 years prior...the day everything had changed. Kali had been raised by her grandmother when her parents had died in an accident when he was just two. She had been dating Jake her junior and senior year of high school. They had grown up very differently. Jake's family ran their town while her grandmother barely made it. Kali could always tell that his parents didn't like her. They had always wanted him to be with someone from their crowd, not some charity case. Kali truely loved Jake. They had talked of what they would do after graduation and where they would be going. Kali knew she could never afford the prestigous schools Jake could but he promised they would both attend somewhere they could be together. Those plans changed when his mother cornered Kali one night. She informed Kali that her grandmother had fallen behind on her mortgage and the bank would soon be opening the house and they would be demolishing it. That's when she gave Kali the ultimatum, either she leave right then and there and break all ties with her son or her grandmother would soon be homeless. Of course Kali could never let that happen to the woman who raised her. So she went home,packed her bags and left. She never called or wrote to Jake again. She didn't come home for holidays for fear of running into the family.

And that brought her back to reality as the plane landed. She was back. Her grandmother had passed away and she was back to take care of the funeral arrangements and to deal with the house and everything in it. She rented a car and drove the half hour to where she had grown up. When she pulled up to the house she was flooded with momories, good and bad and she had to wipe a tear from her bright green eyes. She pushed her. Long dark brown hair from her face and grabbed her bag, heading up the front steps.....

 

[jonny1878]

Kali had broken Jake's heart. He never got any explanation of why she was leaving other than from his mother. He knew his mother had never liked Kali but when Kali walked out, he had little choice but to believe what his mother said.

"it was always going to happen, that sort of person only cares about themselves, not anyone else jake, she never loved you"

He didn't want to believe it but he had to admit that the way she had left definitely gave this impression. Her grandmother didn't even know about her reasons for leaving which surprised Jake. He kept in touch with her grandmother in case she heard anything but nothing. Jake was saddened when she had died and decided he would definitely pay his respects at the funeral, if only he knew who was arranging it. He decided he would head over to the house to see if anybody was there. He got dressed, pulling on some jeans and a tight tshirt, showing off his toned body quite well. His light brown hair was cut at an average length and shaped slightly, Kali had always teased that he took longer on his hair than she did on hers. He walked over to the house and noticed a rental car parked outside and figured somebody must be there

He walks up the front steps and knocks twice on the door and waits for somebody to answer

 

[Kaligurl222]

kali walked inside and was struck by the time warp she seemed to have stepped into. The house was virtually as she had left it. She walked thru room by room and memories flooded her mind. When she got to the masterbedroom she took a seat on the end of the bed, looking into the large vanity mirror in front of her. She tried to smile, wondering what her grandmother would have thought of what Kali had done with her life since leaving... Kali had worked multiple dead end jobs to by and made due with little. Her grandmother had taught her to bake when she was little and it had stuck with her. Now as an adult she was using the skill as a pastry chef in the city where she lived.

The knock on the door surprised her but it was probably a nosey neighbor who had worried a stranfer had broken in. She stood and wiped her hands on her fitted old jeans, adjudting her fitted shirt as she made it to the door. When she opened the door she was shocked at who was standing on the other side. Although time had passed it was obvious who he was. The hair, and those piercing eyes. She she took a steadying breath before saying anything. "Hello Jake."

 

[jonny1878]

He stood there with his arms crossed, waiting for whoever it was to come to the door. He knew that Kali's parents had died but he didn't know if she had any aunts or whether there would be a friend of her grandmothers here to take care of the funeral.

He heard footsteps coming up to the door and as the door opened he was shocked. Stood there, looking just as she did when she walked away from him except for having grown more beautiful, was Kali

"Kali....ermm Hi, I erm wasn't expecting it to be you" He looked down at his feet, his usual confidence sucked out of him by the return of his only love

 

[Kaligurl222]

kali forced herself to relax, although her heart was racing. "Yeah, well I'm the only one she had left. So here I am." She nervously ran her fingers thru her hair, a habit she had always had. "You look really good Jake." She smiled at him. "Would you like to come in?" She knew she shouldn't invite him in, but it felt so good to see him. Even when she knew he must hate her.

 

[jonny1878]

"yeah, I wasn't sure who would be arranging it, though I didn't expect to see you here"

I notice that you still run your fingers through your hair and can't help but smile that you hadn't lost that habit.

"you look great too Kali, as always, I guess I could come in for a few minutes, there's a few things I wouldn't mind asking you"

 

[Kaligurl222]

Kali stepped to the side allowing him to step inside. They walked to the living room where Kali shifted a big stack of bills to the coffee tab,e so they had a place to sit.

"Look Jake, I need to tell you thank you. I know you looked out for her when I wasn't able to and that means alot to me. You were her family too all these years." She looked at him, but found it hard to make eye contact with him without feeling the burning sensation in her eyes like she was going to cry. She didn't want to cry in front of him, not now. She needed ti be strong.

She was afraid of what he was bound to ask her so she tried to bring up something else, "so how've you been? Gram said you were still local..."

 

[jonny1878]

"she was my family Kali, while we were together, she became my family, when you left, that didn't mean she stopped being family"

I knew you were trying to avoid the questions and I thought I would let you avoid that for now so I answered your question

"yeah I'm local still, I stuck with our plan of going to kings" I say, kings being the college in the town that you and I had planned on going to "what have you been doing since you left?"

 

[Kaligurl222]

thankful that she wasn't face with the tough questions she knew he had she nodded her head in understanding. "Well I'm glad you stayed close. I know it meant alot to her. Me? Umm, I've done alot of things over the years but now I am the pastry chef at a little place near......" she caught herself before telling him where she had ended up. "Near where I live." She shrugged her shoulders. "Gram taught me a valuable skill when she taught me to bake."

 

[jonny1878]

"that sounds great, I'm sure she would be proud" I smile at you nervously, knowing that now is the time I'm going to have to ask the question you don't want to answer

"So why did you leave Kali? I loved you, I still kinda do, how could you just ditch me?" I ask. I wasn't sure whether to mention that I still loved you but it just came out

 

[Kaligurl222]

kali took a deep breath trying to find words. "I've always loved you Jake. There was never a time I didn't think of you or about how so many things would have been different. But, it was so long ago, my reasons don't matter. Just know that i did what I needed to do." She looked at him and could tell her answer wasn't satisfactory. "I was left with little choice, what was I supposed to do, let her be homeless?" She looked around at her childhood home

 

[jonny1878]

"what do you mean let her be homeless? what has you leaving got to do with your gram keeping the house?" I ask with a confused look on my face.

I look into your eyes and see sadness "Come on Kali, what's the story?" I shuffle closer to you, my hand on your leg, stroking softly, trying to put a comforting smile on my face

 

[Kaligurl222]

feeling the hand on her leg she smiles an looks over at him. After all the time had gone by and he was still trying to comfort her. She took a steadying breath and tried to put the words together. "Gram had fallen behind on the morgage...and your family owned the house....my options were to leave and she could stay where she was or they were going to demolish our house. I had no choice Jake."

 

[jonny1878]

"Why would they do that?" I asked with a shocked tone, choking on my words a bit "I know you and mum didn't get on great but surely she wouldn't do that"

Even as I say the words, I know that she would. Ever since you had left, mum had been trying to fix me up with girls and I had refused mostly. I'd been on a few dates but none felt right to me

I go silent for a minute or so before finally speaking again

"Kali, I'm...I'm so sorry" I take your hand in mine and hold it tight

 

[Kaligurl222]

" why are you sorry Jake? You had no idea about anything, and it was supposed to stay that way." I give it a minute to sink in. "You really thought I would just up and leave without saying anything to anyone?" By the look on his fa e she could tell that was what he had thought. "Jake, I never meant for any of this to ever be brought up. It happened. Its done with. " she squeezed his hand and smiled but he could still see the hurt in her eyes. "I've missed you."

 

[jonny1878]

"I'm just sorry for what my mum did, I assume it was her" I look deep into your eyes as I speak, still holding your hand

"I didn't want to think that but it was the only story I was given, your gram didn't even know where you went" I notice a tear forming and stop myself crying "I've missed you too Kali"

I stare into your eyes and I'm not sure what it is about the moment but I can't help myself. I lean in and briefly press my lips against yours, kissing you only for a second

"I just had to see if it was still the same" I say, explaining my actions "it was" I say with a smile

 

[Kaligurl222]

Kali smiled, he was still that same guy she had left years before. She smiled at him, "it killed me to lose the only two people I have ever loved." When he leaned in she was caught off guard but she found herself kissing him back ever so softly, it was over before she knew it and she smiled at him, knowing he was right when he said it was still the same. She looked around the house, "Jake I don't know what I am going to do. All of this.....I mean, there was never anyone else. It was always just us. And now that she's gone, I just don't know...." she wiped fresh tears from her eyes.

 

[jonny1878]

I gently wipe a tear from your cheek before pulling you in for a hug, wanting to make you feel safe

"I will help you sorting anything you need to Kali" I say, kissing the top of your head softly "and maybe now, its just us?" I ask, not really meaning it to be a question but unable to help it, wanting to make sure that you definitely want what I think you want

 

[Kaligurl222]

Kali leaned against his shoulder. "Jake, how did I ever go so long without you in my life?" She smiled at him, "I have no intention of ever letting that happen again." She held his hand as she took a few calming breaths. "This place hasn't changed at all. I can still remember us curled up on this same couch watching movies and.....well, other things." She laughed.

 

[jonny1878]

"well you don't have to any more, oh by the way I got a few surprises for you too if you want to hear about it"

I smile at you as I hold you close to me as I look around the place

"yeah we watched a lot of movies, but what other stuff did we got up to around here?" I ask with a laugh, knowing perfectly well what we did

 

[Kaligurl222]

kali decided it would be wise not to remind Jake of the numerous sexual endevors that had taken place under that roof. "Surprises? What surprises? I'm sure you have alot to film me in on..."

 

[jonny1878]

"well the first surprise I've part mentioned was, I still love you" I smile and I think i see a smile back from you.

"but the main surprise is, this place is yours, if you want it"

 

[Kaligurl222]

kali couldn't hide her surprise. "You really do still love me after all this time? After I left with no explanation or anything?" She shook her head and smiled at him, "what was the second part you said, my heart was pounding too loudly from the first part." She smiled as she held his hand. When he repeated that the house was here's her jaw dropped. "But....how? The money I sent each month never was enough to make the house truely gram's."

 

[jonny1878]

"of course I still love you, I tried not to because I thought you had left me but I couldn't not love you" I look into your eyes as I stroke your hand with my thumb "and now that I know that you had to leave, I definitely still do"

I lean in to hug you close to me before pulling back

"yeah the money you sent didn't cover it, but when your Gram died, the house passed back into my parents hands, and they gave it to me so I could move out" I look at you as you start to smile "and if you want it, the place is yours, I know you have a lot of good memories here"

 

[Kaligurl222]

Kali breathed a sigh of relief when he said of course he still loved her. When he explained the house situation Kali smiled, "so you were going to move in here?" She laughed softly at the thought. "Funny how that's all we wanted before, you to be able to escape here...and now this is where you are going to be living..." she smiled at him, "we both have some great memories here. And if you are interested I might be willing to negotiate a living arrangement with you..." she bumped him playfully.