Author's Note: *Yawns* Hey guys! So, I'm stuck here with the flu at 12:00 am. It's not very fun. But I have a story for you! Lately, I've been listening to a song called, "The House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert. I have fallen in love with it.
Everyone around me is talking about moving, my friend, my aunt and uncle, everyone! And I thought, 'Well, as much as I'd like a change, this is where I grew up. This is where I first started writing, and where I first began to figure out who I am.' It's a special place, and this song spoke to me.
And then I started thinking, 'Wow! I wonder how Lucas felt when he moved from Texas to New York! It must've been hard. I bet he misses it.' So here, is Lucas returning to Texas, many years later, with Riley by his side.
I proudly present to you, The House That Built Me.
Hugs! Bethany
Lucas's POV
"Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts. We are beginning our descent," the flight attendant announces over the intercom.
I can hardly wait to land. Today, I get to go back to Texas. But I'm not alone, Riley is with me.
Riley's head leans against my shoulder. She's asleep. I smile down at her.
The ring on her left hand catches my eye. I smile wider.
Two years ago, we graduated college and I proposed. I honestly wasn't sure she'd say yes, but... She did, and six months ago, we got married.
I couldn't be happier.
Today, I will get to show her where I grew up. I'll get to show her my old house, my old town. I'm excited to share this part of me with her.
After a few minutes, the plane lands.
"Riley," I say softly, shaking her shoulder, attempting to wake her up.
Her eyes flutter open.
"Huh...?" She mutters, drowsy and confused.
I grin.
"Come on! Get up! We're here! We're in Texas! We're HOME!" I say, excitedly.
She giggles, and stretches. Her eyes are now wide awake.
"Okay, I'm awake," she says.
We grab our carry-ons and exit the plane.
After wandering the airport, we finally find my Uncle Buster, who is waiting for us.
"Uncle Buster! How ya been?" I ask, hugging him.
"Been real good, Sonny! Real good!" He exclaims, hugging me back. We pull away.
"Ah, and this must be the new Mrs. Friar!" He says, looking at Riley.
She smiles and nods.
"Yes I am. I'm Riley," Riley says. She holds out her hand to handshake.
"There's no need for formalities! We're family now!" Buster says, ignoring her hand, giving her a bear hug.
She laughs and hugs back.
They pull apart.
"Lucas has told me so much about you, Buster! I'm excited to meet you," Riley says.
"That's very kind of you to say. I'm mighty pleased that Lucas has you for family. I know he's been missing some of his family here. You'll meet them later, but don't you worry, Darlin'. They'll love you," He says.
Gosh, it's crazy how easily she fits into my family. It's like she was always there, like she is supposed to be there.
"So, Uncle Buster, would you mind dropping us off at the car rental? I wanna show Riley around," I say, grinning.
"Course! Come on," He says, motioning for us to follow him.
"I like him. He's nice," Riley whispers to me.
I chuckle.
"Well, I'm glad. Now come on!" I whisper back.
She grins at me and we jog after my Uncle Buster.
Riley's POV
We hop into Buster's beat up white pickup truck. Well, I think it's supposed to be white... but because of the dust and dirt, it's more like brown... Anyway, he drives us to the nearest car rental, and drops us off.
"Thanks so much, Buster!" I say.
"No problem! See y'all later!" He replies and drives off.
Lucas is grinning like a mad-man. He's so happy to be in his home town.
I laugh a little.
He turns to look at me.
"What?" He asks, his usually light accent is now heavier.
"Do you normally go light on your accent?" I ask, surprised.
"Uh... Maybe?" He says, reddening.
I laugh.
"Well you shouldn't. I think it's cute," I say, kissing his cheek. I have to stand on my tip-toes to do so.
He smiles at me.
I've known Lucas for almost ten years, and still, his smile gives me butterflies in my stomach.
"Let's go get a car," I say.
We rent a small red car, and pile in.
"So, where are we off to?" I ask.
"I wanna show you where I lived for half of my life," Lucas replies.
"Will we see any of your twenty four horses?" I ask, jokingly, remembering the conversation from seventh grade.
He laughs.
"Nah, probably not," He says.
We drive and drive, all over town, visiting different places.
We see Lucas's old middle school, the park where he once broke his arm playing on the swings, even the cemetery, where I get to "meet" his grandparents.
Finally, we pull up to a long, winding dirt road. I see a mail box with a red flag, and I realize, it isn't a road, it's a driveway.
"Where are we?" I ask, after the car is parked. We are parked next to an old white house with a red roof. There is a brown wooden fence surrounding it. There is a gray car already parked in front of the garage.
Lucas smiles a sad, wistful sort of smile.
"This, Riley, is where I lived growing up," he answers.
He knocks on the door. A middle-aged woman answers.
"Hello," She greets.
"Hello, Ma'am. I know you don't know me, but... uh... this is where I used to live," He begins. Lucas gestures to the ground, where on the porch steps are a little pair of painted handprints. Next to them, it reads, 'Lucas Friar, age 6'
"Those handprints are mine," He says. "This is my wife, Riley, and I wanted to show her where I used to live. Do you mind if we walk around the property?"
"Yes, that would be fine. I was just finishing loading up some boxes. Feel free to come on inside, the house isn't technically for sale 'till next week, but since you're here, feel free to look around," She answers.
"Sale?" He repeats.
"Yeah, the house is for sale. It doesn't have any offers yet, but I'm sure it will soon. Just please lock up when you are done. The key is under the welcome mat."
He nods.
"Thank you so much, Ma'am," I say.
She smiles at us.
"My pleasure."
She grabs her few boxes and puts them in her car. The woman then gets in her car and drives away, a trail of dust following her.
After she's gone, Lucas grabs my hand and takes me upstairs.
He leads me to a little bedroom near the back of the house.
It has pale blue walls with glow in the dark stars stuck to the ceiling.
"This was my room," Lucas says. His green eyes have a far away look, as though he is re-living old memories.
"This is where I did my homework," He says, pointing to a corner. "And that's where I learned to play guitar."
I smile, imagining little Lucas, sitting in the corner at a desk, doing his homework, or sitting on his bed, strumming his guitar.
He pulls me down the hall, to a big room with yellow walls and a mural of a running herd of horses covering the walls.
"This was the play room. My brothers and sister and I used to build blanket forts and play hide n' seek. We invented lots of games, too," Lucas says, smiling softly at the memory.
I imagine him and some other children playing.
"The mural is beautiful," I say.
Lucas nods.
"I always thought so."
He then tugs me downstairs, to the doorframe of the kitchen.
"This is where my Momma marked our heights," He says, gesturing to the little marks on the white frame.
"This one is me, at age nine," Lucas says, pointing to a faded pencil marking. If you look closely, you could see the letter 'L'
Lucas and I then walk out the door and out into the yard. He points out to the back field, beyond the fence.
"That's where I first learned to ride a horse," He says. He then points to the left, to a different part of the field.
"and that's where I helped Sophia with her foal."
We walk over to the apple tree in the front yard, which has ripe fruit ready to be picked hanging from it's branches. He plucks two apples from a low hanging limb and hands me one. I smile gratefully and take a bite. We finish our apples and continue our walk around the house.
Next, he walks, almost reverently to a large oak tree in the corner of the backyard.
He kneels down, underneath the tree.
"This is where my favorite dog, Dash, is buried," He says.
"Dash?" I ask.
"Yeah," He chuckles. "So on the day we got him as a pup, we had some chickens loose in the yard..."
Lucas tells me the story of how he and his family named his dog.
He then stands and shows me the word 'Family' etched into the trunk of the tree.
"This is our family tree, so to speak," He says, laughing.
There is a rope swing tied to a high up branch. I sit down on it and swing gently. Lucas comes up behind me and pushes me, so I go higher.
"WHOOO HOOOOOO!" I holler.
We are so far out, no one will hear us and be disturbed. It's just us, me and Lucas.
I'm amazed at how every inch of this place has a memory, how everything here means so much to Lucas.
That's when I realize something. I realize why he looks almost sad, but happy at the same time. He's happy to be here one last time, but... this amazing place, the place he used to call home, is soon going to be someone else's. And these memories probably wouldn't mean much to them. Certainly not as much as they mean to Lucas.
After taking turns on the swing, we sit at Dash's resting place, watching the sun set behind the trees, making them look black. It looks so beautiful.
I can imagine kids of OURS playing here one day. The idea makes me happy.
"Hey Lucas?" I say.
"Yeah, Riles?" He replies, sounding distant still, off in his memories.
"Why don't we move here?" I ask.
Lucas looks at me, eyes wide.
"H-Here?" He repeats, as if making sure he heard right.
I nod.
"I want to make some memories of our own here. I don't want you to lose this place," I say.
"You really wanna live here? Like, in this specific house?" Lucas asks, astounded.
I nod, laughing.
"But, I thought you wanted to live in New York?"
"I'll live anywhere, as long as you're there with me," I tell him. And it's true. "I don't care if we live in the North Pole, in an igloo, as long as we're together, that's all that matters to me. And besides, I've lived there my whole life. I'm ready for a change, and this place is special to you, therefore, it's special to me. So why not here?"
He smiles.
"Are you sure?" Lucas asks one more time, trying to hide a great big smile.
"Positive."
He stands and picks me up in a hug. He spins me around.
"I'll put an offer in tomorrow!" He exclaims happily.
He puts me down and kisses me. I kiss back.
Soon, it's dark, and we have to head back inside.
We sit, leaning against the walls in his old bedroom, my head on his shoulder, his arms around me and his head leaning on mine.
"I love you, Riley," He says.
"I love you too, Lucas," I tell him.
Lucas's POV
And that is how we fall asleep. Leaning against the walls of the house that built me.
The End.
Author's Note: If you have heard this song, please tell me, how did I do? I hope I did it justice. :) Well, I'm tired. I'm gonna try and go to sleep. Please, give me something pleasant to wake up to and review! It would mean a lot! Thanks so much for the support! I don't know where I would be without you. Love you all.
Hug from a distance,
Beth T. :)
