Home Sweet Home (For Jinchu)

[LillySnow]

As she drove on the dirt road, Cherry had been assaulted by memories.
She had traveled that same road years before, to escape from there, by hitchhiking.
She had left it all behind for success.
And yet, now that she had reached it, she felt that something was missing.

That was why she had decided, a month earlier, it was time to try to reconnect with her family. She had sent them a letter warning themshe was going to spend the holidays in the city.
She wasn't sure how they would welcome her, if they would invite her to stay, so for safety she had the money ready to stay in a small B&B.

Cherry realized had arrived. In front of her stood the old rural house with a small vegetable garden and a few farm animals.
Stopped the car, took the bag and put it over her shoulder, getting out.

When she ran away, was a seventeen-year-old with pigtails and baggy dresses.
The one who got out of the car was a tall, slender 23-year-old woman.
Skinny jeans hugged her long legs and firm butt. She was wearing a light blouse, the first buttons of which were slender, under which a black lace bra was visible that supported her full and firm breasts.

Her blonde hair was left loose in soft waves that reached mid-back and she sported pink shoking streaks between them.

With a little dread Cherry, she walked down the driveway.
She was no longer Cherry Pie, the pop star at the time. She felt much more like the little girl who had run away now, as she rang the doorbell.

[Jinchu]

Owen Stone and his wife Martha were very emotional and restless for the previous few days. their daughter was coming home! Martha had never changed her room in almost six years taht passed since Cherry run away, but now she cleaned it anew, so it looked almost like th girl had never left.



Her running away beacme a big shock for both of her parents. They always took good care of her, they belived. They were worried sick for weeks; later Cherry started towrite or call from time to time, letting them now she was, at least, alive, but never would she tell her wereabouts or any details. Only much later her aprents started to get more news about her, as Cherry Pie's rising star got more and more sensational. Nowdays mom and dad only needed to turn on MTV or open celebrity gossip site to hear about their daughter. Too bad much too often what they were hearing was not in her favor by their rural, old-fashioned standarts. Owen and Martha were sincerely proud for their daughter, but the themes of her songs, the wording, the clothing and the scandals which always follow big pop diva, all of that upset them a lot.


So they were waiting for her return with anticipation, happy to fianlly see their darling girl again in person, but also with a lot of frustration. With a number of long evening talks Owen and Martha agreed, that Cherry getting back home does not excuse her ill behaviour, and their parental duty is to correct it while they have a chance.


As soon as they heard the sound of the aproaching car all the family hurried to the door, so it was opened almost immediatey after the doorbell rang.


Owen Stone was a big man in his early 50's. His stature made it clear that most of his life consisted of hard work on the farm. His brown hair had strikes of silver in them, and he wore big walrus-style mustache. His flanel shirt, old, warn-out jeans and haevy leather botts and belt to match finished the look of a stereotypical country bumpkin.


Martha Owen was a bit overweight, though still looking rather good, if not in a fashionable sence. But her fat went in teh curves mostly, as she had almost as strong muscles as her hubby. Her fair hair were collected in a bun. She wore a simple yellow dress with flower pattern, old sneakers to be quick with daily chores and an apron above it all as Martha rarely left eth kitchen for long.


Nick was Cherry's younger brother. Now he was almost 15 (well, 14 and 7 months old) and felt very responsible, helping dad with the car and other mechanisms and still doing well at school. He was quite tall for his age, well builtm, though a little slim, with slightly messy brown hair and smug, but likeable face, wearig almost exectly the same outfit as his dad, just of adifferent size. The only bif difference was he had an old Marvel-themed t-short under hsi unbottoned shirt and sneakers instaed of boots.


Annie was abrely 10 and didn't much remember of the times Cherry was living with them. But she knew her pop career teh best of all the family members. She liked to brag to her pers that Cherry Pie was actually her sister, but also enjoyed sharing not very diva-like stories her mom and dad used to tell about her. Annie was a slim girl with auburn hair reaching to teh middle of her back, wearing a t-shirt with bright "GIRL BOSS" slogan, jeans shorts and sandals.


Anbd now all four of these people looked at Cherry as she stood at their door...

[LillySnow]

Cherry looked at the people in front of her.
For a moment it was like never having left.
She was pretty sure her mother was wearing that same dress the last time she'd seen her. And his father, he had a few extra strands of gray in his hair but he hadn't changed.
The only ones who really grew up were her brother and sister.

Emotion gripped her throat to the point that for a long moment she could do nothing but stand, clutching the shoulder strap of her bag, her eyes suddenly shining.
God, how much she missed them!

Eventually Cherry cleared her throat and smiled. A nervous and uncertain smile.
"Hey. Am I home ...?" SHe said, and it sounded just like a question. She had no idea if they would welcome her there again.

[Jinchu]

"Finally" Owen nodded, trying not to show too much emotions.



"Welcome home, draling" Martha gapsed and swiftly hugged the young woman. Her husband joined her in a second, holding both in teh embrace of his big strong arms.


The sibilings were less hasty, as they saw their sister more like a new face which was not easy to recognize, but in a few seconds they joined teh family and hugged Cherry from diffrent sides. "welcome back, sis" Nick chuckled.


They held together for quite some time, as both Martha bad Owen kinda feard she'll disapper again the moment they let her go...

[LillySnow]

Finding herself in that embrace, Cherry was moved, a few tears slid down her cheeks.
"I'm so happy to see you ...", murmured, letting herself be buried by that embrace from which she didn't want to get out.
"God, how grown you are," told to her brother and sister who had only seen children.

Cherry spent a few minutes in that great manifestation of awe before dared to say: "So ... can I unload the bag from the car and stay? Shouldn't I look for a hotel?" Asked the girl hesitantly.

[Jinchu]

"Stop saying nonsence." Owen frowned a bit. "Of course you're staying. Let me carry your stuff upstairs." With taht he just took her car keys and walked out just to return with Cherry's bags.


"It's all teh same, just like you remember" marth softly ensured her meanwhile. "Of course the bed sheets are fresh and clean, but the same as you've loved in your high school. It's like you've never left there"


They led their wayveyard daughter back to her room...


[I don't want to describe it, you can point out any details fitting for cherry's young age, if you want]

[LillySnow]

(Of course, thanks!)

Cherry sighed, she had lifted a great weight from her heart.
She followed her parents into what was her room. Her mother had told the truth, The room was as she had left it.
With those faded pink walls, sheets and pillows in different tones, but all pink. It had always been her favorite color and still was.
The girl entered the room, touching the wrought iron headboard of the bed with her fingers. On that bed she'd lay down to daydream about the city, cutting out pop band images and pasting them in her secret diary.
Then turned to look at the walnut desk, where she sat to write her songs ...
Of course there were not only memories of ferns, how many times had she had to bend over that desk or had she grabbed the wrought iron bars while being severely punished ..?

Cherry shook her head to push those thoughts away. She no longer had to think about it now that she was a grown woman. Turned to hER parents and smiled.
"Thanks again I ...", sighed trying not to be moved again. "I warn my manager that I have arrived and that I am staying for the foreseen time ... and then if I can I would go to take a shower, I took a twelve hour car trip."

[Jinchu]

"Of course, darling. You can change into your pyjamas afterwards, if you want, it's clean and set under your pillow as awlays." Martha suggested with a warm smile. She clearly was overhelmed with happyness seeing her daughter back home and wished to offer her any additional comfort she could give.


Owen looked a bit more serious, though he winked a lot, probably fighting the heartfelt tears. "Then you feel more fresh, please, come downstairs to the living room. I belive we all have a lot to discuss." That was actually teh phrase he had used a lot in Cherry's younger age, implying "you've been bad and the punishment is due", but Owen didn't look angry and it's beeen years since he used that phrase like that...

[LillySnow]

For a moment Cherry's heart leapt at those words.
She clearly had a flashback to when, a few years ago, that sentence was the prelude to her squirming on someone's lap. Or worse.

The young woman, however, forced herself to calm down. She was no longer a child and those words were surely just the prelude to a chat between adults.
"Sure, it seems right," she replied. They had a lot to talk about and she acknowledged that she had to apologize.
Then Cherry looked at her mother. "I have my pajamas, I'm afraid my old clothes might fit tight ... but if you like I'll try it," she added, not wanting to belittle her offer.
She took her cell phone, sent a quick message to the Manager telling him she would be staying for two weeks, to take a vacation too, then put the cell phone on the bed next to the bag, took her beauty case and went to the bathroom to freshen up.

[Jinchu]

Owen and Martha meanwhile went back to the living room. They had discussed it dozen of times alaredy, but now they repaeted that talk in a low voice. They were both happy to see Cherry back, and the temptation to forgive and forget was intense... But it would be ahorribe example for Nick and Annie. And it wouldn't be good for Cherry either. Spare the rod, spoil the child. owen reminded both to his wife nad himself. So they sat on the sofa, waitng for their daughter to come down.