Maybe Coming Home Isn't So Easy After All

Chapter 1

Family Reunion

Ellie Nash sat in her seat of the 747 as it flew from Chicago, Illinois, to Canada. After six years of trying to forget the painful memories of home, she was headed back. Her forty-six-year-old mother had passed away. Diagnosed almost four years ago with cirrhosis, Janice had continued to drink right up till the end, as far Ellie knew. All she knew was what her Aunt Maggie; her dad's sister, told her in the letters they had been writing each other since Ellie left for the states. After her dad, Peter, had died when she was 17, aunt Maggie was the only family member who continuously dropped by the house to make sure everything was okay. Maggie would give updates on Janice, in their letters even though Ellie never asked about her. Ellie refused to call Janice 'mom' after she left. It seemed like the worse the cirrhosis got, the more Janice drank and smoked, making it worse. Ellie had grown up a lot since she her dad had died. At seventeen, she had to juggle her school work, co-op, a part-time job during the school year, and a full time job over the summer so they could keep their house after Janice lost her job. They got some money from her dad's life insurance through the military, but it was never enough. Ellie pushed her short, choppy red hair back from her face and tried to push the harrowing memories of Janice from her mind. It was all over now. She was free to live her life in Chicago. She wrote for a magazine geared towards teens, and she was making good money for being just out of college. She had her own apartment where she lived with her black cat, Razor. Ellie had left her cat with Kara, a friend who lived down the hall. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her black zip up hoodie and felt the letter from Aunt Maggie. Ellie was dropped back into reality when the flight attendants began their spiel about proper landing. She clipped her seat belt, and looked out her window as the plane landed on the runway. As the plane pulled up to the terminal, the flight attendants instructed everyone to proceed in an orderly fashion as they left the plane. Ellie grabbed her carry-on bag and followed the punk kid who had been sitting next to her blasting rock music through his headphones the whole flight off the plane. She really didn't mind, it gave her something to focus on instead of thinking about everyone back home. She walked into the terminal, looking for Aunt Maggie. She spotted her standing across the crowd. She still let her black hair lay wavy and unruly down her back. For thirty nine, she didn't look bad.

"Ellie! Ellie! Over here!" she waved at her niece.

"Hey Maggie," Ellie said hugging her aunt.

"Sweetie, it's so good to see you again. You should come visit more," Maggie chided.

"I know. I wish I could see you more often, too," Ellie pulled back from her aunt's embrace. "I need to get my bag," they walked over to baggage pick up, and quickly found Ellie's bulky green bag.

"My car's around here somewhere. It's in 'J' I think," Maggie said as they walked towards the elevator that would take them to the parking garage below them.

"So, how is everybody?" Ellie asked, dragging her bag behind her.

"Fine, fine. Jerry and Ryne are at home waiting. You should see Ryne; he's a sight. When was the last time you saw him?" Maggie asked as they entered the elevator.

"Oh, probably right before I left. He was probably around twelve or thirteen. I don't remember exactly."

"Well, he's just like you were, he's seventeen now almost eighteen, all punked out," She said, punching the blue 'j' button.

Ellie stifled a laugh. She could remember her aunt's reaction to how she dressed at that time. And the time she streaked her hair fire red. "You don't seem pleased by this," Ellie said, still trying not to laugh.

"Not particularly. He's dyed his hair blue for the shock of it!" Maggie threw up her hands as if in defeat as they walked out of the elevator. "Ah, here's my car," Maggie said as they almost walked right past a beat-up yellow Bug.

"You still have this old thing? You've had it since my freshman year at least," Ellie commented as Maggie opened the trunk.

"Yes. I don't se the point in replacing it if it still runs. Gimme your bags," Maggie said, lifting the bags into the trunk and closing it.

"So did he do it himself or did you let him? Dye his hair I mean," Ellie asked, slipping into the passenger seat and putting her seatbelt on.

"No, one of his little friends did it for him. That Jones kid. The one you baby-sit that one summer," she said as she started the car.

Ellie thought a minute. "Oh, Josh?"

"Yeah that's him. Those two will give me a heart attack yet. I swear it," Maggie said, although she very rarely swore.

"So what's goin on around town?" Ellie asked.

"Well... they've built a new school building. Your old one is still standing, but it's boarded up. Not that it keeps any of the kids out some nights. Like your cousin. He just can't keep out of trouble lately."

"Why am I not surprised?" Ellie said, remembering all the pranks he played on her when he was little.

"Have you told Sean that you're back in town?" Maggie asked as they drove down the freeway.

"No," Ellie said quietly. She looked out her window at the guard rail whipping past the car. She hadn't talked to Sean since before she left. After what happened, she'd thought she never wanted to see him again. But not a day went by in the last six years that she hadn't thought of him.

"Oh, honey. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories," Maggie reached out to touch Ellie's arm. "Sweetie, give it time. You can't change the past, but you can change your future," she looked at her quickly.

"I know," Ellie took a ragged breath, and wiped away a tear. "So," she said, changing the subject. "Where am I staying?"

"Well, you're always welcome with us, you know that. But if you want you can stay at your old house. Your room is pretty much how you left it. Which means that we'll have to clean it out before you go, the house is gonna have to be sold since there's nobody left to take care of it," Maggie said softly.

"Okay," The house held many memories, both good and bad.

"So, how long are you planning on staying?" Maggie asked as they drove into Degrassi.

"Until next Tuesday. My plane leaves at eight in the morning, so about two weeks," Ellie looked out her window at the boarded up school building. "Why'd they close the school?" she asked, turning to look at Maggie.

"As far as I know, it was getting too small and the building codes changed, so they just built a new one. I'm surprised they haven't torn it down. I guess they're trying to find something to do with it. But I really don't know," Maggie said as she pulled into her driveway. "Here they come," she said sarcastically as Jerry nearly ran from the house. Ellie could just see Ryne's shadow standing back, just inside the doorway.

"Now, Maggie, what have I told you about bringing home stray kids..." Jerry teased.

"Hi Jerry," Ellie said as her burly uncle gave her a bear hug.

"Hey there, Fireball. What took so long?" he asked, smiling. He had started calling her fireball when she dyed her hair fire red, and it stuck.

"Look who's talking," Ellie joked, referring to Jerry's shocking red hair and beard, brighter than her own now. note- Jerry isn't blood related to Ellie, he just has red hair too- end note

"Yeah, yeah. I know. You go on inside, I'll get your bags," he said, and kissed her cheek. "We've missed you."

Ellie smiled and walked up the front steps. She pushed the door open and walked in. "Ryne?" she called out. "I say you already, come on out!" she looked behind the door. Nothing.

Ryne jumped out from the closet as Ellie walked by. "Rraarrg!" he yelled as he tackled her.

Ellie yelped as he wrapped his arms around her and they fell to the ground. "God, Ryne. Look at you," She tugged at his shaggy blue hair as they sat up. "All Smurf-ed out. You're such a freak," She punched him lightly on the arm.

"Yeah, remember what you looked like before you left? I don't think you have much room to talk, El," Ryne said, facing Ellie.

"What's up with this?" she asked, pointing to his lip ring. "You're turning into hoodlum, you rebel."

"I know. I'm such a bad kid. So, how've ya been?" Ryne asked, leaning back against the couch.

"Not bad. I'm living in Chicago still. So far, I'm pretty good," Ellie said, crossing her legs Indian style.

"Fair enough. Hey are ya hungry? There's got to be something here edible," Ryne and Ellie laughed. "You know my mom, she cooks if she even thinks someone's coming over. Mostly sweets, though. I think there's some cold pizza in the fridge too."

"Sounds good to me," Ellie said as they made their way to the kitchen. Ellie saw cookies and more cookies and some fudge on the counter when se walked in. "Whoa, I think your mom is making up for lost time here," Ellie commented as she pulled a cookie from the plate.

"Yeah. Your leaving really bothered her. I remember it," Ryne said, pulling a red and white cardboard box from the fridge and setting it on the counter. "She was so happy when you said you were coming up for a while," he said, flipping the box open. "It's pepperoni."

"Cool." Ellie grabbed a piece and started eating. "I'm sorry about all that. I didn't think I'd be hurting anyone. I just had to go. I'm sorry."

Ryne didn't answer her. He just looked at her, like he wasn't sure who he was looking at. "Ellie, do you realize it took someone's death to get you to come home? Your mother's death. Is that what family is to you? Everyone's on their own? C'mon Ellie. Why didn't you come back before? Every time we asked you, you came up with some reason why not."

"Ryne, it's not that easy. You were what, ten when I left?" Ellie put her pizza slice down.

"Thirteen. I had just turned thirteen."

"Okay, thirteen. Do you know why I left? Do you even know?"

"I know you were having problems with your mom-."

"She wasn't my mom. Janice was not my mom," she interrupted.

"Ellie, what ever you consider her as, why did she have to die for you to come back?" he asked.

Ellie walked over to the dining room window and looked out.

"El, it wasn't just my mom who missed you. Or my dad. I missed you. I missed being able to follow you around. And I was convinced you'd come home any day for three years."

"I'm sorry. I really am. It's just. There was so much everyone wanted from me, and I wanted out. I had to. So I did," Ellie turned to face Ryne.

"God, Ellie, I missed you," he said, hugging her tight. "You were like my sister. You are my sister."

Ellie hugged Ryne back, tears slipping down her cheeks.