Chapter 2 New Beginnings
Two Weeks Later…
“Reign, come on, baby. We have to get going. Nana and PopPop are waiting for us,” I said.
Reign looked at me with sad eyes. She had been dragging her feet since the night before.
After we said our goodbyes to Kay and Mel, my baby was a mess.
I could hardly sleep because I kept questioning my decision.
When I told Reign we were moving, she took it pretty well, but because the move was upon us, she cried anytime I mentioned leaving.
“Bye, room. Bye, bed. Bye, Mommy’s room. Bye, kitchen,” Reign said as she went through every inch of our home. She dragged her favorite bunny from room to room, but I didn’t want to rush her. When she reached me in the living room, I reached out my hand once again.
“Are you ready, Nugget?” I asked.
Reign wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded her head, finally taking my hand and holding her bunny even tighter.
We walked out and closed the door behind us.
My pace was quicker than usual. I feared that if either of us looked behind us, we wouldn’t go.
The time had arrived, and it was harder than I’d imagined. Reign wasn’t the only one in tears.
Before Reign turned to look at me, I wiped my face.
I walked her to the back of the car and opened the door.
The gesture reminded me of the last time Jude opened the door for me.
Taking a deep breath, I put her seat belt over her booster seat.
Before I closed the door, I kissed her cheek.
I made my way to the driver’s seat and adjusted my mirrors.
After setting up the navigation, I pulled out of the spot.
Reign and I were officially on the road for our three-hour journey. When I checked the rear-view mirror, I caught a glimpse of Reign. She held her bunny close to her chest. It wouldn’t be long before she was asleep. Something about the motion of a car always knocked her out.
My conversation with Nana replayed in my mind.
When I shared the news of our move and questioned myself as a parent, Nana wasn’t hearing it.
In true Nana fashion, she gave me loving words.
She assured me repeatedly that Reign would be fine, that she was just a kid.
I understood all of that, but I felt guilty about uprooting her.
All night, I kept telling myself that was what was best for us, and as I drove, I silently prayed the change would be beneficial for us.
During the ride, I took in the scenery as we drove closer to the country.
The further along we went, the more trees I noticed.
It had been years since I’d visited Locust Valley.
The trees were an indicator of just how close I was to home.
A smile crept upon my face as happy memories of my time in Locust Valley came to mind.
A little under three hours later, we pulled into town. The green and gold signs were just as I remembered, and I made note of newer stores in town.
“Mommy, are we there yet?” Reign asked groggily.
“In about twenty minutes, we’ll be there,” I said.
“Aww, man. I went to sleep, and we’re still not there?” she mumbled.
“Just hold on a little longer for me, Nugget,” I said.
As we continued into town, we passed the school she would attend.
“Look over there. That’s your new school,” I said. From the rearview mirror, I could see her turning her head. A faint smile spread across her lips. “Pretty cool, right? Your dad and I went to this school, too. It’s where we first met,” I explained.
“And now I get to go there too!” she said excitedly.
I smiled at the memory of the younger versions of myself and Jude.
In all the planning we did for Reign’s arrival, the possibility never crossed our minds.
Never in a million years did I think I would return to Locust Valley.
We drove a little longer before we reached the long road that led to my family’s ranch.
The newly paved road seemed wider than I remembered. Our land spanned over fifty acres.
After a couple of minutes, the house my grandparents built for Jude and me came into view.
It was closer to the road than the main house.
My eyes watered at yet another thing we planned that never came to fruition.
I shook off the feeling of sadness that came over me.
As we approached the main house, I parked the car, but before getting out, I took a deep breath.
I needed to get my feelings in check. If I cried at everything that reminded me of Jude, I wouldn’t be able to function.
“Can I get out, Mommy?” Reign asked.
“Yes, go ahead. Unsnap your seatbelt,” I said.
Just as she unsnapped her seatbelt, I heard my grandmother’s voice.
“My babies are finally here!” she squealed. She ran over to Reign’s side of the car and opened the door. “Baby, it’s so good to see you in person. Nana is tired of those silly video calls. Give me a hug, big girl,” she said.
Reign wrapped her little arms around Nana as best she could while Nana planted kisses all over her face.
Nana used to do the same thing to me at that age.
Their interaction made my heart smile. That was the reason for my move.
Nana wasn’t the only one who had grown tired of the video chats.
Once Nana had loved on Reign enough, she stood up and walked over to me.
“You have no idea how long I’ve prayed for this day. It feels so good to have you both here,” she whispered in my ear as we embraced. Nana held me tightly as we rocked back and forth.
“Honey, let the girl breathe. They just got here,” PopPop said as he came out of the house.
“You hush, old man. I will love on my girls for as long as I want,” she chastised him.
PopPop sucked his teeth as he made his way toward us. When he reached us, Nana finally let me go. With the brightest smile on his face, he reached down to give me a hug.
“Welcome home, baby girl,” he said.
I was at a loss for words as I soaked up all the love from my favorite people. My heart felt so full being here in their presence.
“I really missed you guys,” I said.
“Well, now that you’re here, why don’t we get you ladies settled?” Nana offered.
Nana took Reign’s hand as they walked toward the house.
“I’ll grab your things from the car, Harley,” PopPop offered.
I stepped onto the wraparound porch and noticed the rocking chairs. According to Nana, the chairs were as old as the house. We would sit out on the porch for hours, just chit-chatting. It would take getting used to, but it was home.
Later that evening, we sat around the dining room table for dinner.
I tried to help Nana cook, but she shooed me out of the kitchen.
Nana and PopPop took their seats at opposite ends of the table, and Reign and I sat across from each other.
Nana made my favorite: honey chicken, green beans, cornbread, and a pineapple upside-down cake.
“Nana, you really didn’t have to go through any trouble cooking for us,” I said.
“Now, when has cooking ever given me any trouble? It’s your first day back home. Of course, I would make your favorites,” she said.
“Let’s say grace so we can dig into this meal. It smells so good my mouth is watering,” PopPop said.
I bowed my head, expecting one of them to lead us in prayer. When I looked up, they were both looking at me.
“Go ahead, baby girl, before the food gets cold,” PopPop said.
I took a deep breath and said, “Lord, thank you for bringing us all together today. Thank you for covering Reign and I through our travels today. We thank you for this new beginning. I pray you continue to keep us, protect us, and order our steps. Lord, thank you for this delicious meal and the hands who prepared it. Amen.”
“Amen,” Nana, PopPop, and Reign all said in unison.
We each filled our plates with a bit of everything. I fixed Reign’s plate and cut her food. Reign picked up the piece of chicken on her plate. As soon as it hit her lips, all we heard was, “Ummm hmmm. This is yummy.”
We all laughed at her reaction. Nana’s food always hit the spot. We ate in silence for a little while before Nana broke the ice.
“I hope you and Reign will be okay in our house, Harley. Whenever you’re ready, we can furnish your house,” she said.
I pushed the food around on my plate. The thought of Reign and me living in the house without Jude caused my stomach to flip.
“The rooms are fine. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to move into that house,” I mumbled.
My grandparents shared a solemn look. “There’s no rush. We love having you in the house with us. If you need your privacy or change your mind, let us know,” PopPop offered.
After dinner, I cleared the table and washed the dishes.
I couldn’t get the house out of my mind.
The last time I was there, they had just finished building it.
My grandparents gifted the house to Jude and me as a wedding present.
They said it would be more of an incentive to make sure we visited.
Now that we were here, the sensible thing to do would be to live there.
I just wasn’t ready, but I hoped, one day, I would be.