The Road Home

A brother and sister are returning home after a long absence.

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It was a beautiful crisp fall morning. The sky was clear and those wonderful golden colors of autumn were everywhere. October has been a really rainy season in Texas so far but looked like it was finally beginning to dry out.

“Are you ready to go yet?” Jack asked, putting his bags and the small pretty pink box in the back seat.

“I told you I was, didn’t I?” Jenni was getting kind of tired of him asking. To his credit, he has been toting her around for the last several months and she knew that it was time for her to stand on her own two feet.

“You are in rare form this fall morning.” He commented more to himself.

“I’m sorry. You know how I get sometimes.”

He looked over at her and smiled. “Yes, I know.”

Jenni had always been feisty. Whenever they were kids he would tease her mercilessly just so he could see her temper flare up when he got the best of her.

“Are you scared?” He asked, pulling out of the driveway and heading north on thirty-five.

“A little.” She admitted.

“You know, you can always come back to visit.” He reminded her.

“I know.” But she really didn’t. She had no idea what kind of reception she was going to receive and coming back to visit may not be feasible. She would just have to wait and see.

It had been several years since she had been home. She’d left in a fit of sadness and anger and had been running on angry fumes ever since. Now she was coming back home to ask for forgiveness and to let it all go. As she knew all too well, life was short. She refused to continue the rest of her journey hurt and angry. She knew that she had no chance of happiness or moving on without forgiveness. Not that she was expecting to get it, but she had at least forgiven herself.

“I’m sure you have nothing to be afraid of.” Jack said interrupting her thoughts.

“How would you know?” She snapped but immediately regretted it. It wasn’t his fault that she was a ball of nerves. He was only trying to help her, as always.

“I’m sorry. I’m sure you’re right.” She turned and smiled at him. He smiled back and turned his attention back to the road.

They rode in silence for a while, each consumed by their own thoughts. Jack wished that the ride could last forever. He looked over at her and was reminded of all the times they spent together, especially when they were young. Jack and Jenni were two peas in a pod and had been inseparable. Jack was older than Jenni by a year and a half and to Jenni, he had been and still was the best big brother a girl could ask for.

“You know, I don’t think I have ever said thank you.” Jenni informed him.

“You don’t have to.”

“I know, but I want to. Thank you for being the best big brother a girl could have. You have always been there for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better brother.” Jenni told him sincerely.

“Thanks.” He grinned at her brightly but suddenly his smile vanished and all the pain in his heart was shining thru the tears in his eyes.

“I just wish…”

“No wishing. Things are the way they are for a reason. It’s okay.” She smiled at him and he reluctantly smiled back.

“Okay.”

The ride returned to the quiet melancholic ambiance from before and it was okay. The quietness was not heavy or suffocating. It was perfect for reflecting, which just so happened to be what Jenni was in the mood for today. Jack sensed her mood and remained silent. He concentrated on the bends in the road and the autumn colored landscape around them. Before long, the Welcome to Oklahoma sign sped passed them and Jenni knew they were getting close.

“Just a little bit longer and then you will be rid of me.” She joked.

“Only for a little while and then I am sure you will come back to visit.”

“Maybe, if I can.” She looked over at him to see the deadpan look he always gave her whenever she disobeyed him.

“Fine. I will try.” She relented, laughing.

“Good. That’s all I can ask for.”

Jack exited off the highway and then took a short ride thru town until the houses were getting to be fewer and farther between. Jenni could see that not much had changed since the last time she had been home. The same old houses with the same old chipping paint job decorated the landscape. You could see the land littered with tractors and barns, gardens and scarecrows. Horses and cows were confined by barbed wire fences in wide open spaces. Jenni wished that life had been as simple for her as this landscape portrayed. But just like she told Jack, no wishing. It is what it is and things are the way they are for a reason.

Jack turned down a single lane dirt road, and the fallen leaves from the trees that lined the road danced in the wind as they drove by. It seemed like it had been forever and a day since she had started this journey but she suddenly felt relieved that it was almost over. She was glad that she had decided to come back.

“You know what I miss most?” She said at a whisper.

“No, what?”

“Mom’s cooking.” She smiled at the memory.

“Yeah, she cooked a lot around this time of year. I miss that too.”

“I wish I had been more help to her near the end, but I am such a disaster in the kitchen. I’ve never been much of a cook.”

Jack laughed boisterously. “Yeah, you definitely are that…but she knew that your heart was in the right place.”

“How long as it been now?” Jenni asked.

“Five years.” He replied.

“It seems so much longer than that.”

“Yeah, but sometimes it seems like only yesterday. Oh, I forgot to tell you that Dad said that he invited a few people over. I hope you don’t mind.” Jack said apologetically.

“No. I don’t mind. It is his house after all. ” She said absently.

When they turned into the long driveway to the house, Jenni’s anxiety kicked into high gear.

“This doesn’t look like he invited a few people Jack. This looks like the entire town is here.”

Oh, why couldn’t her father just leave well enough alone? She was seriously not in the mood for a lot of company. She wanted this to be a private affair.

“Well, you don’t have to talk to them so count yourself blessed. I on the other hand, have to smile, shake hands and pretend that I remember who they are. Let’s hope this doesn’t last long.”

Jack got out of the car and opened the passenger door in the back to retrieve his bags and the pretty pink box.

“Are you coming?” He asked, looking over his shoulder before heading toward the house.

“I want to stay out here for a little while longer. I will be there in a minute.”

“Sure. Take your time.”

He turned and walked toward the house. He hated to leave her. He knew how nervous she was and after today, she would not have her big brother around to protect her anymore.

She looked just past the line of trees to the horizon and saw that the morning’s harsh light was drifting into the softer glow of the afternoon and Jenni decided to take a walk before going into the house.

Jack walked into the house and headed directly upstairs to his bedroom. The entire first floor was full of people speaking in hushed tones, eating and drinking in their Sunday best. He wished that he had more time for a shower but oh well, there was nothing he could do about it now.

A knock sounded at the door and Jack turned to see his father standing there.

“I finally made it home Dad.” He said as he hung up his clothes.

“I see that. How was the drive?”

“It was pretty quiet. Traffic wasn’t too bad at all.”

“Good. Thank you for bringing her home son.”

“Of course Dad.”

“I know it’s been tough on you these last few months, especially finding her the way you did and with mom being gone.”

“Yeah, three months is a long time. I just wasn’t ready before. I just wish I could’ve done more.”

“I know son, but you did the best that you could do. No one can ask for more than that, not even Jenni.”

“Do you forgive her Dad?”

“There was never anything to forgive. We all deal with death differently and I know that your mother’s death was hard on Jenni, as it was on all of us. But I think she took it especially hard and she did not know how to deal with it other than to run away. I just wish she had come home sooner so that we could have talked about it.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Well, we will be starting at four-thirty. You have plenty of time to rest before we start if you want to take a nap. I know you have got to be tired.”

“Okay. Thanks Dad, I just might do that.”

“I hope you stay awhile Jack. It gets a little too quiet around here sometimes.”

“Sure Dad.”

His father picked up the pink box on his way out and closed the door. Jack leaned back and fell across the bed. He was exhausted, but he had no choice. He had to participate, that was the least he could do. He just needed to rest his eyes for just a minute.

“Jack. It’s time to get up. Everyone is already outside. You don’t want to be late.” Jenni said softly.

Jack woke to a still and quiet house. He quickly checked the time. It was twenty-five after four. They were to start at four thirty. He freshened up quickly and made his way outside. He sat down beside his Dad and pretended to listen to Reverend Neely but he couldn’t concentrate. He just wanted to go back upstairs and sleep until he couldn’t sleep anymore. But Jenni was waving him over to their favorite oak tree that was behind the family cemetery. It still had the tire swing attached to it.

“Do you remember this swing?” She asked excitedly.

“Of course I remember this swing. We spent a lot of time out here. I broke two bones falling out of this tree.”

“We did indeed. I love this tree.” She circled the tree, admiring its' majestic branches and the colors of its’ fallen leaves on the ground.

“So do I.” He said, sitting on the tire swing.

“Jack?” She asked softly.

“Yes?” He said looking up at her.

“It’s time for me to go now.” She said, looking toward the tree line.

“How do you know?” He asked.

“I see mom and she is telling me it’s time.”

“Okay. Remember you said that you would come back and visit.” He reminded her.

“I will try.” She replied with a small smile.

“Tell Mom I said hello.” He said.

“She knows. Tell Dad I love him.” She said.

“He knows.” He started walking toward the clearing behind her as she was already heading that way.

“Oh and Jack?” She said turning around.

“Yes?”

“I love you. Thank you for bringing me back home.” She said. She smiled and then she turned toward the tree line and walked into the thickening woods.

Jack sank down to the ground, tears running down his face.

“Jenni! Wait! I’m not ready for you to go yet.”

The only response to his echoing words were the rustling sounds of the colorful leaves dancing in the wind.

Word Count: 2000