The Road to Home

You were once a piece of me
That has left entirely
Hopefully I can learn to be
Once more a part of you completely

Adam stared down at his journal analyzing the poem he had just written. It wasn't about just one person. The reality was that he felt lost without all of them playing a major part in his life. This world made no sense without them in it and he would rather hurt with them around then be empty without them. The problem was that he had no idea how to make things right again. This was a web entangled on so many levels.

He stared across the room at Evan's empty bed. Although technically Evan was the older one, it was often Adam who had assumed the big brother role. He worried where his brother was and if he was coming home at all. It had been more than a week since schools let out for break. Had things really gotten to that point? Maybe Adam should plan an impromptu trip down to the city to confront Evan and finish the conversation they had started months before. He looked back down at the mostly empty page of his journal hoping answers would appear for him.

It was as if she had materialized out of nowhere. Suddenly Calla was standing by the foot of Adam's bed. On instinct he jumped up, pulled her into him, and whispered apologies into her hair. She was his calm. He was a fool to have pushed her away all this time. Maybe the two of them could figure out a way to make their family whole again.

Calla pointed to a severely wilted flower on Adam's nightstand, "Is that?"

He nodded, "The flower you healed the day I first saw you. That night I picked it and have kept it in my journal ever since."

"How did I never know about it?"

"It was something I wanted to keep for myself. Recently I think we have all learned that despite our best intentions secrets can be a very dangerous thing."

Calla took the flower into her hand, shut her eyes, and began chanting quietly to herself. It was as if Adam was time traveling back to that day all those years ago. Once again right before his eyes he saw the wilted flower come into full bloom. When Calla opened her eyes she handed the flower to Adam. "It has healed and so will your heart."


*****

Sarah was sitting on the floor by the fire drinking a warm cup of tea when someone abruptly entered the house. There was the familiarity of his scent as well as the softness of his foot steps as they approached her. She didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. "Calla is upstairs with Adam. I'm trying really hard to not be so square about it all."

Allan sat down next to her, took away her tea, and wrapped his hands around hers. Those gentle eyes got her every time. No matter what had happened he was home to her and always would be. When you've known someone for a lifetime there is a way to have an entire conversation without saying a single word. The two of them just sat there smiling like the giddy teenagers they once were, then as if it was the most natural thing in world they leaned in and kissed. It wasn't the deep passionate kiss of their youth, but it was still just as special.

Allan ran his thumb along the outline of his face, "I let you walk away from me once before. I'll be damned if I'm going to let it happen again."

"What took you so long?"

Then they became very aware of a presence looming over them. Allan cleared his throat awkwardly, "Evan. Hello."

"I think the parent is supposed to walk in on their kid fooling around, not the other way around. Then again everything seems to be backwards around here anyways. I need to talk to Adam, is he here?"

Sarah stood up, "Where have you been all week? I called the school and they said you weren't there. I was worried."

He let out a sigh, "I had to take care of something for a friend. I'll explain everything, I promise. Is Adam here?"

"He's upstairs with Calla", Allan replied.

Evan smiled "Even better." Before either of them could respond he took off up the stairs towards his room.


*****
Adam and Calla were sitting on Adam's bed laughing and talking when Evan burst into the room. They both looked at him with wide eyed expressions. Evan walked right over to where they were sitting, pulled a chair from the nearby desk, and sat directly in front of them. He looked each of them squarely in the face, "I want to try something, but I need you both to be open to it. I was originally going to only do this with Adam, but I think Calla could benefit too."

Calla shook her head, "I don't know Evan."

Evan nodded, "I understand your hesitation. I have broken a trust, but I strongly believe this will be the way to fix it. It's called transference and if you let me I want to try to show you my dreams."

"Eighteen years worth of dreams? We could be here a while", Adam responded.

Evan reached out a hand to each of them, "No, this will be more of the highlight reel. Please give me a chance."

Calla grabbed his left hand while Adam grabbed his right one. Then came the disclaimer, "Brace yourselves, this is about to get real intense."