You can find the song "House that Built Me" on you tube. Don't watch the live videos if you want the full effect! Se gets emotional every time she does the song live! I tried to post a link-but it wouldn't let me!
Miranda Lambert does some awesome stuff…
Chapter 2 Out here it's like I'm someone else
Gillian wakes up at 6:30. She was hoping she would get a little more sleep. She didn't set her alarm and yet here she is awake at her normal time. She'll have to make a pot of coffee to take with her. She hasn't been sleeping well and knowing her luck she'll be exhausted for the whole trip.
At 8:15 Gillian is ready to go. She carries her two bags to the car and places them in the trunk. She takes a trip through her house, making sure everything is off and the timer is set for the living room light. She finishes her cup of coffee and rinses it out in the sink. She grabs the two thermoses full of sickly sweet coffee and a honeybun she's taking with her. She leaves the house and locks the door behind her. As she turns, she sees Cal walking up her sidewalk. "Cal?" She walks a few steps closer. "What are you doing here? Is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine love." Cal takes her keys out of her hand and turns to walk to her car. It's then that she notices the bag sitting near her trunk.
She walks toward him with a confused look on her face. As she reaches the car, he is placing his bag in her trunk. "Cal, what are you doing?"
"I'm putting my bag in the trunk. Is that okay or would you rather me put it in the back seat?" Cal grins at her as he takes the two thermoses out of her hands and opens her passenger door. He then gets in and makes himself comfortable in her front seat.
Gillian stands there for a second staring in disbelief. 'What is going on?' As she walks around her car to get in on the drivers' side, she sees him reach over with her keys and start the ignition. She opens the door and gets in. "Cal-"
Before she can even get a sentence out Cal interrupts. "I want to go with you Gill. If you really want to go by yourself and you have some very good reason why you don't want company, then I'll respect that and I'll get out of the car right now." He pauses for a second. "And before you say anything, Emily is leaving town after school today to go to her friend Hannah's cabin in the mountains. They'll be back late on Sunday. So you aren't keeping me from her."
Gillian is sitting there staring at him with wide eyes and her mouth hanging open. She takes a deep breath, closes her mouth, and with her eyes moist she says "Thank you" very quietly.
The ride is quiet until they get outside the city. They're heading west on Route 66 and the traffic has thinned out considerably. Cal opens one of the thermoses and takes a sip. "Ugh good God! There's enough sugar in there to put me in a coma!"
Gillian laughs. "Well, I wasn't expecting company and that's how I like it."
He points at the other thermos "I guess that one is loaded down with sugar also?"
"Yep. You should have let me know you were coming and I would have made one for you." She glances over at him for a second then puts her attention back on the road.
"Well, see, I was afraid to give you any warning that I was coming, cause I was afraid you'd tell me not to. You know, because of some foolish belief that you might be burdening me." He looks at her intently as he says that.
Gillian can't help reacting to what he says. It's like he can read her mind.
"Hah! I knew it!" Cal turns slightly in the seat so he looking directly at her. "You, Gillian Foster, are not a burden. To me or anyone else. I want to be here for you. I wish I could get that through your thick skull."
She glances at him again, and hopes he can see the gratitude she feels. "You've been so wonderful Cal, and I just feel like-"
"Stop that all right? You are my best friend and you have pulled my arse together so many times in the last 9 years, being here for you is really the least I can do. I'm helping because I care about you. So, no arguments." Cal turns to look to the front of the car again. "Now, we need to stop and get some real coffee!"
They both laugh. Gillian is grateful he is here. She truly would be lost without him right now.
They reach Blacksburg at 1:00. Gillian pulls off the exit. "I'm starving. Any preference for lunch?"
Cal looks at his choices. "I'm good with whatever you want love."
Gillian goes to the gas station first. "I'll fill up and then we can eat."
Fifteen minutes later they are walking in to the Cracker Barrel. Gillian loves this place. Southern cooking with a fun little store she can shop in while they wait to be seated. Cal feels like a fish out of water. This isn't the kind of place he would have ever chosen but it seems to make Gillian happy, so he'll deal with it.
Once they are seated and have given the waitress their order, Gillian notices Cal staring at her. "Thank you for not doing this while I was driving."
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean." Cal speaks animatedly. He knows exactly what she means and she's right. He has questions and he didn't want to ask while she was driving.
Gillian squints her eyes at him and purses her lips. "Right."
"Okay, so that was a lie." Cal grins at her when she gives him a wide-eyed 'you think?' look. "I do have questions Gill. But, I won't pry."
Gillian licks her lips. Suddenly her mouth and throat have gone dry. She stares down at her hands. "You can ask Cal. Just don't get upset if I'm not ready to answer."
"That's more than fair." He pauses when he sees the waitress coming with their drinks. After she sets them down and walks away, Cal refocuses on Gillian. "So, why the trip home? Did something happen?"
Gillian makes eye contact with him. "No, not really. I mean nothing at…" She starts to say home, but it doesn't fit. Poplar Grove hasn't been home since she was 16. "No one there knows I'm coming. Actually, I'm not sure anyone there even remembers me."
Cal feels confused. "Okay, so, why the trip then love? What's going on?"
Gillian isn't sure how to explain it. She can barely make sense out of it in her own head. She has no idea how to explain it to him. "I don't know, honestly. I just feel out of sorts right now and I was thinking back to a time when I didn't feel so… broken…"
Cal feels an overwhelming concern for her after hearing this. "Broken?"
Gillian takes a deep breath and looks at the ceiling before letting it out slowly. Maybe she should have thought a little longer before she answered. She even feels confusion at what just came out of her mouth. "Don't look so concerned Cal. I'm fine. Claire's death has just brought up some feelings that I'm having trouble reconciling."
"And going back to Poplar Grove will help that?"
Gillian looks right into his eyes. "I don't know. But I need to give it a shot."
Cal knows Gillian hasn't been sleeping well. He tried to get her to let him drive earlier, but she refused. As they leave the restaurant though, he insists. She reluctantly hands him the keys.
He guides the car back on to the interstate. Less than 10 minutes passes before Gillian is asleep. He lets her sleep. The GPS is set to get him where they're going.
Cal takes the exit off Interstate 77 toward Poplar Grove. He nudges Gillian to wake her. "Gill. Gill wake up. We're here."
She sits up suddenly "What?" It takes her a second to remember where she is. "We're here?" She wipes her eyes and gets herself settled in her seat again. "Oh Cal, why didn't you wake me? I feel bad that you drove all that way."
"It was no longer than what you drove. And obviously you needed the sleep." Cal pulls into a gas station. He figures she needs to drive now. He has no idea where they're staying. He stops the car next to the gas pump and gets out to pump the gas.
Gillian hops out of the passenger seat and comes to the driver's side. "Thank you."
He hands her the keys. "You're very welcome."
Gillian drives them to the Residence Inn. It's the closest hotel to Poplar Grove. It's a suite hotel, which she likes. It means they don't have to eat every meal out. She has reserved one room. When they get to the check in counter, she gives them her name and then says she needs to reserve a second room. Cal hears this and interrupts.
"Wait. It's a suite hotel right?" When Gillian nods, he continues. "So there's a fold out couch right?" This he directs to the desk clerk who confirms it. Cal looks back at Gillian "I can take the couch love. Not a problem."
"Cal, it's okay. I'll pay for your room. It's the least I can do since you were nice enough to sacrifice your weekend for me."
"Not necessary. First, it was no sacrifice. Second, it'll be easier if we just have the one room." Cal thinks for a second "unless that makes you uncomfortable…"
Gillian thinks how it wouldn't be uncomfortable at all normally, but she might want time alone to process this weekend and she doesn't want him to have to deal with that.
Cal sees her face and knows what she's thinking. "Separate bed room, right?" She nods. "You can have your privacy there. I won't smother you."
Gillian smirks at the comment remembering the many times he's used that on her. "Fine. Just the one room please."
TBC
I know these first few chapters have been mostly set up. I promise it gets more interesting!