Okay, just take a deep breath, I thought to myself, as I stood on the doorstep of the Carlin household. You can do this. You're a mature, independent adult, and you-
"Were you planning on knocking or were you just gonna stand there all day?" The door swung open, revealing a smirking Glen Carlin standing in the foyer.
"I was trying to figure out the best way to avoid you, but apparently my plan was foiled," I teased back, giving him a quick hug. Even after Spencer and I broke up, I would still have Sunday dinners with the Carlins every so often when she was away. They were the closest thing to a family I'd ever had.
"She's upstairs. Unpacking, I think. Mom's at work but I think my dad's upstairs too, somewhere. I'll catch you later though, I have to meet a client at eleven." Glen was a personal trainer, and a pretty successful one at that.
"Alright, see ya."
He elbowed my side on his way out the door and shut it behind him, leaving me standing awkwardly in the Carlin's family room. With butterflies in my stomach, I ascended the stairs. What sounded like strange African tribal drumming could be heard from the upstairs hallway and I smiled; Spencer had always had the most bizarre taste in music. Sometimes she would be begging me to get her the latest Kelly Clarkson album, and other times I'd come back to our loft to find her dancing around to Stevie Wonder, Tchaikovsky, or one time, a Cuban Bata drumming ensemble. Within moments, I found myself in front of an open door. She was facing the other way, dancing around to the music as she threw a t-shirt from a big duffel bag into her laundry basket. Her wet hair was longer, I noticed, but she seemed the same otherwise, at least from behind.
"Hey," I managed to get out. Spencer's head whipped around instantaneously and I was met with the bluest of eyes twinkling back at me. In a matter of seconds, Spencer had bounded over and, squealing, thrown her arms around me. And I was sure I'd never been hugged so tightly in all my life.
"Spence, I have to head to work but if you need… oh, I'm sorry," Arthur paused as he realized his daughter wasn't alone. We pulled apart at the intrusion.
"Hey Mr. C."
"Good to see you, Ash. Now that Spencer's back, you'll have to start coming over for dinner more often."
"I will," I responded with a grin. "Especially when you're making chili."
"Come this Sunday and you got it. I'm going to the office now but I should be home early, around 4."
"'Kay. Bye, Dad," she said, as he walked off and made his way downstairs. Hugging me again before she released me, she turned to me, smiling. "I have something for you."
"What?"
"Come here." Spencer grabbed my hand and pulled me over to her duffel bag, turning off the music in the process.
"Spence, you didn't have to get me anything. You already sent me so many gifts."
"I was going to send this to you but it was too big," she explained. Out from the duffel came what appeared to be a drum. "It's a traditional drum from this tribe we were living near. It takes them at least an entire five days of work, just to make one. I figured even if you never play it, it could be a decoration or something, too." I took it from her and set it down in front of me, playing a random rhythm for a few moments.
"I love it," I told her with a smile, which was promptly returned. "Thank you. But now I feel bad, I didn't bring any gifts!"
"You brought yourself," she grinned. We both stood up and sat on the edge of her bed. "Oh, and you're also going to take me out to eat."
"Am I?" I teased.
"Yep. Next week, maybe. As soon as I get my life in order. I don't get paid anything else until the doc is finished so I'm officially a starving artist."
"I guess I can pencil you in, then. Just to avoid the starvation part," I teased her. She smiled again, reminding me just how great Spencer smiles were. "What?"
"Nothing. I just missed you a lot and I'm happy to be home."
"Well I'm glad you're back. And I want to see pictures!" I said.
"Oh, trust me, I have, like, 15 disposable cameras I need to get developed. And then there's the little fact that I've been filming things over there for the past 2 years…"
"Good point. When do you start editing and stuff?" I asked.
"I don't know, I have a lot of leeway. I just have to have a finished product by mid-January so I still have a couple months. But I'm sick of talking about what I've been doing. What's new with you?" she asked, poking my shoulder as punctuation.
"Not too much at the moment. Well, that's a lie, I guess. I got this weird call today from Ethan… remember him? The producer?"
"Yeah."
"Sooo apparently, they want me to release my own album."
"Ash! Are you serious? That's huge!"
"Yeah, well, that's why I'm not sure if I want to do it. I mean, it'd be great to sing my own songs and everything, but I like where I am right now, you know?"
"That's true. How long do you have to decide?"
"I have to get back to them by next week."
"Well, I'm sure you'll make the right decision," she assured me. "How's Kyla doing, by the way?"
"Good, good. She's in Australia right now, actually. Visiting her boyfriend's family."
"Oh, wow. She has a new boyfriend?"
"Yeah, Matt. He's a pro surfer, but he's surprisingly not a total idiot," I joked. "They've been together for a little over a year now and he treats her well, so… I can't complain, I guess."
"That's really great. What about Aiden?"
"He's working on Wall Street now so we don't really talk that much. But I think he likes it out there."
"It still weirds me out to think of all of us being this old," she mused, shaking her head.
"Hey, I don't know about you but I am most definitely not old," I teased.
"No, you know what I mean. We're all, like, real grown-ups now. With jobs, responsibilities… pretty soon everyone's gonna be married with kids. I mean, it looks like my dad's aged a decade since I've been gone."
"I don't think Mr. C. would appreciate you talking like that," I joked. "But I know what you mean."
"I'm glad you're the same," she told me. I wasn't quite sure how to react to that. Did she mean I looked the same? Acted the same? I was about to ask what she meant when she yawned, reminding me that she'd just gotten back from Africa and was probably exhausted and overwhelmed beyond belief.
"Hey, I should probably get going. You look like you haven't had a good night's sleep in way too long."
"I'm fine if you want to stay a little while."
"Nah, I really should head out." The flash of disappoint that crossed her face was clear. "I've got a couple deadlines creeping up." Not entirely true, but it certainly made me seem busy and important.
"Oh. Alright, well… I guess I'll see you…?"
"Soon," I told her. "Don't you worry." Disappointment was replaced by a smile.
"Come on, I'll walk you downstairs." We walked in silence. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been under this roof with her. Definitely not since she was in college, at the latest.
"Call me when you're settled and everything," I said. "Or if you need anything." She nodded and wrapped me in another big hug.
"I hope you haven't forgotten all about me while I've been away" she mumbled quietly, face in the crook of my neck.
"That could never, ever happen."
"Promise?"
"I promise."