Mia Hill. College bound with an athletic scholarship. A go-getter with big dreams and a fully thought out plan to make sure they come true.
But with her father's release from prison looming and the inevitable stresses of adulting, everything she wa...
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Bland, empty, desolate? Okay, that last one is probably taking it too far. It's just, this has to be the longest road of nothingness. I'm pretty sure we've been on it for an hour too many and all there is to look at is open dirt, a few scattered hills, and to spice things up a little, cows.
The drive from home to L.A. has never been one of my favorites. I remember our family trip to Disneyland just before Lucas turned 3. We all piled in the car, packed to the ceiling in snacks and games. I remember the trip being long, but it was full of so much anticipation, of family laughs that distracted from the lack of view right outside the window. Mom always had a ridiculous game to play, one that Dad tried so badly to act like he was above when in reality he was just as competitively charged as the rest of us.
It makes me miss home already. Technically, I shouldn't be missing it yet. I spent the rest of summer with my family, soaking in every moment at the beach, the walks to the creek. Heck, I even miss the long lines in the blistering sun at the Boardwalk. And this dry patch through California only makes me realize how much home actually has to offer. From the sandy beach on one end of town to the forested hike on the other, all cased in by a set of mountains that keeps our coast relatively cool.
"Whatcha thinking about?" My mom's voice sails across the space between us.
My eyes travel from yet another sign letting us know how far the next gas pump will be and over to my mom. Her eyes are focused on the road in front of her, but she spares me a brief glance.
"The quiet."
I watch as her eyebrows raise, a curve pulling at the side of her mouth. "Ah, so we're going deep. I think you need Tommy for this one."
I can't help but smile, knowing that he does make the perfect philosophical partner. Thing is, he's in the car behind us, ready to take Mom home when they leave me and my Jeep behind. "It's not as deep as it sounds. I just, I was thinking about when we drove down here as a family. You know, when we went to Disneyland? It was the same drive and yet, it felt so much more..."
"Chaotic?" She jumps in, her smile turning to a small laugh.
"I was going to say exciting."
"You're not excited about college?"
"No, it's not that. I just, I don't know. I guess it's just different knowing I'm not going to be in the car with you guys when you leave."
A gentle quiet falls between us, the acknowledgment that I'm really leaving home hitting us both. It's been there all summer, lingering in the shadows even longer, ever since I accepted the offer to play for UCLA. A dream manifested through pure grit and determination. One I don't plan to take lightly.
"You know," my mom takes a deep breath as my body shifts slightly to face her. She's about to embrace her true mom side and something tells me I'm going to want to hear this. "When you called this summer to tell me about Ben, it was the first time it truly hit me that I won't be there to comfort you when the bad shit comes crashing down or to celebrate when the good comes your way."
