Sooo… Caleb is back! - thank god, I miss his presence terribly - and he has bought some new toys back to Rosewood with him.
" New Car…New Computer… $400 worth of sweater " Scruffy Caleb or cleaned up Caleb I like him either way.
Anyways story proposal…. This is set some where between 305 & 308.
What exactly did Caleb think about on the way back to Rosewood? Hanna. Staying in Rosewood. Lucas. School…
Throwing the last of his clothes into his new black sports bag Caleb looked at the view from his window, from high in the hills he saw nothing but the ocean in the distance.
Captivating and beautiful as it was that sinking feeling was back. Caleb was due to return to Rosewood.
If not for Hanna at least to turn in his assignments that he'd finished over a week ago.
Arriving in Montecito three weeks ago Caleb buried emotions into his school work, at least for the first week. Having his own bathroom came as an advantage saving him from having to leave his room & have an awkward encounter in the hall with either of his parents.
He hadn't expected to be this torn up over a girl, even though his feelings for Hanna were stronger then anything he'd ever felt before. Just like Hanna he too had lost his appetite, he couldn't sleep at night, and cared even less about his appearance.
He couldn't bare tell them that on the same day he received a call about his mother being in a car accident he ended his relationship with Hanna, the one girl he'd only ever loved completely. He was an emotional wreck but he wasn't comfortable enough to share his feelings with any of them just yet.
As far as they knew he was back to over see his mother's recovery & brought all his school work with him as to not fall behind in his grades.
He'd read all five of the books he was given by his teachers, all his essays were written and sorted for each class as were his drawings if anything Caleb was the model of a perfect student.
He rarely skipped school anymore & always turned in his homework & assignments in on time. No longer was he a nuisance or a typical bad boy. He was beginning to straighten out his life now he knew who his family were and he had a future worth looking forward to.
Not too bad for a kid who over a year ago had nothing to show for his life except the bags on his back & a crumpled up birthday card stuffed into a torn envelope that had seen better days.
Being tossed from foster home to foster home & living on the generosity of others, Caleb still felt like a fish out of water staying in this massive mansion with his new family.
It was a long time coming to finally reunite with his mother but never in a million years did he ever think he would become this fortunate.
Living in a house that was much too big, dining in fancy restaurants where the prices were far too high for his liking, and socializing with people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth was all too much for Caleb at times, but if putting up with such things meant he had a chance to experience what a real family was like then he would swallow his pride & make the most of it whilst he was in Montecito, god knows how long or short the stays would be.
His new family had come to cherish the moments he was back home, but his mother missed him the most. She wanted his life from here on in to be as privileged & as normal as she could possibly imagine, but it wasn't easy since Caleb had grown up such a simple kid with hardly any possessions or any where to call home. His worth was that of a five dollar birthday card, a small screw driver set & a bunch of throw away phones. Not exactly anything special.
With every visit back home she tried her best to make it up to Caleb whether it be spending quality time together at the beach or walking around the neighborhood at twilight, buying him new clothes, computers, a new phone, or money to freely go & do as he wishes with the other teenagers from the neighborhood, she so desperately wanted to make amends for all the years she missed.
His first day at school, achievements in school academics or sporting activities, his first day of high school, his first date, his sixteenth birthday, the day he received his license, and lets not forget just being there as a mother, guiding him the right direction & showing him positive encouragement in life.
All the things she can never re-do is what is driving her to be the best mother she can be now she has her baby back in her life.
" Caleb...Are you ready? " his mother Claudia lightly tapped the back of her knuckles against his door.
He pulled the door open & adjusted the strap from his bag over his shoulder.
" As ready as I'll ever be " he said smiling at his mother.
She smiled back at her son, moving aside so he could walk down the hall to the top of the stairs where he could see his little brothers waiting in their pyjamas down below.
" Oh come on Dad, how much longer do we have to wait? I'm starving! " James sulked.
" Just be patient James...he'll be here in a minute " William replied trying to buy a few more minutes until Caleb arrived downstairs.
" Can I go jump on his bed & wake him up? " Clay asked cheekily.
The boys jumped at the loud voice coming down the stairs toward them.
" No you cant because I am already awake, plus I'd hear you before you even get a chance to turn the knob on the door " Caleb said outsmarting the two mischievous boys making their mother laugh as she came down the stairs behind her eldest.
" Now boys play nice " she said.
Caleb hugged his mother at the door and kissed her cheek.
" Bye Mom, I'll ring you when I land in Philadelphia ok? " Caleb began walking out the door when Claudia looked at William and smirked. Caleb walked out the front door expecting to find a cab waiting to take him to the airport but when he saw no one he turned back around & looked at his mother. He was confused & dropped his jaw when he saw her dangling a set of keys in front of him.
" Mom what... What's going on? " Caleb asked.
" William & I agreed that you should have a car to drive around in Rosewood and since I haven't driven much since the accident we thought you could take my car ".
" Mom no. This is too much. I cant take this. Its...yours and-"
" And now its yours to drive ".
Caleb was speechless, it really was too much. He never asked for anything like this nor did he expect it even though he knew his family was wealthy.
" Mom..." Caleb pleaded with her. This gesture really was too much for him to grasp. " You don't have to do this ".
William stepped forward placing his hand on Caleb's shoulder squeezing his shoulder lightly.
" Yes we do. We want to do this for you, its our gift. I may not be your actual father but I accept you as my own Caleb & we know we can never make up for the things that have happened to you or for taking so long to find you but we can start fresh…a clean slate…so please accept this car Caleb " William pleaded with him.
" Lend me the car " Caleb turned looking at the pair of them emphasizing on the first word.
" If that's the way you accept it then ok fine we lend you this car to return back to Rosewood with " Claudia said.
Caleb began to smile. He was returning home to Rosewood in a Mercedes. A car everyone would think he boosted knowing where he comes from & the bad boy cliché he'd been sporting since his arrival in Rosewood.
Caleb placed his bag down and stepped toward his mother hugging her tightly.
" Thank you…so much " he whispered into her ear.
He let go of her and hugged James too showing his appreciation for such a gesture.
" I hope we get a Mercedes for our first car " said James.
Caleb, his mother & William all laughed at the young boy's comment.
" Well you better clean your room more often & start making an effort at Tennis camp then James " Claudia joked.
Caleb picked up his bag and walked over to the garage where he seen the door open and his mother's silver Mercedes parked in its usual spot.
He looked back at his parents making sure this wasn't a dream when Claudia threw him the keys.
" Drive carefully now Caleb, I want you to check in with us whenever you stop for the night & please let us know when you get back to Rosewood " she went on & on with worry.
" I will Mom, don't worry I'll be fine " Caleb unlocked the car and placed his bag on the back seat making sure to be careful of his new computer his mother bought him just two weeks ago.
Claudia wrapped her arm around James body pulling him back from harms way as Caleb started the car and began backing out of the garage. Caleb stopped when he saw Clay and lowered the window.
" See you next time Clay…" Looking to his right he pointed at James. " You too James be nice to Clay and to Mom " he said.
" Just go already! " James said playfully waving Caleb out of the garage.
Caleb slowly began turning down the paved driveway toward the large white metal gates slowly opening in front of him, he hung his arm out the window & waved goodbye to his mother & step father behind him.
" Bye " He said pulling out into the street as he began his long journey back to Rosewood.
" Bye honey " his mother whispered to herself.
The boys rushed inside for breakfast followed by their parents. William wrapped his arm around his wife's waist kissing her temple as they walked inside.
" He'll be fine... He's a good kid Claudia " he tried reassuring her.
" I know... He's just... He's still my... I miss him when he goes back there. I wish he were here permanently then we wouldn't have to keep saying goodbye " she smiled faintly.
" All in good time sweetheart. All in good time ".