Margot sighed loudly as she sat in the airport, preparing to board her flight home to Virginia Beach. It had been seven months, 11 days, and 16 hours since her mother died, five months since she had been home, and four months since she had talked to anyone in her family for more than 5 minutes at a time. It wasn't that she was avoiding them or didn't want to be there for her siblings or her dad, but talking to them reminded her of her greatest heartbreak. It forced her to face the fact that her mom was gone, and what was left in her place was a shell of a home and a father who had once again chosen the military over their family. Margot was angry. She was angry at the universe for taking her mom, her dad for deploying again when he had every opportunity to walk away, and most of all, herself for not being there for Emma and Mikey.

Despite all of this, she was going home. How could she not? At 4 o'clock the morning before, she answered the phone to a hysterical Emma, crying about how she couldn't take care of everyone and everything. Margot graduated college two weeks ago, had no job, and had no reason to keep running from her family, especially when her little sister needed help. Her heart broke for Emma after watching her tirelessly try to fill her mother's shoes. She was only 17; she was supposed to worry about boys, homework, and college, not what her family would have for dinner and if she would have time to take her little brother to hockey practice after school. Truthfully, she should have gone home sooner. She should have been there for her family sooner. Selfishly, though, she wanted to finish college, and she wasn't ready to return to the home that her mother had filled with an abundance of love and joy. Most of all, though, she didn't want to come face to face with the man that was the only parent she had left. After 23 years of being his daughter, the two didn't know each other very well. He hadn't even tried to call to congratulate her on graduating. The most Margot knew about Jason Hayes was that he was never there.

She had graduated from Florida State University with a BS in Elementary Education. She worked hard in high school and got a full ride, preventing either parent from keeping her in Virginia. Margot had always known that she wanted to be a teacher. She wanted to be there for children who needed love and support that they didn't get at home. She wanted to be a safe space for every child in her classroom. One perk about teaching is that you can do it anywhere, and she quickly received a job offer at an elementary school in VA Beach as a 2nd-grade teacher. This new chapter of her life was quickly approaching; Margot's hands got sweaty, and her chest tightened as she boarded the plane home, knowing that her life would never be the same.

Her eyes fluttered open as the plane began to land. She picked up her phone to text Emma, letting her know she would be there soon. Emma was picking her up in her father's giant truck, which was way too big for a girl her size, similar to the role she was asked to fill in her parent's place. Margot got off the plane and found her siblings sitting in the airport Starbucks.

"Margs!" Emma and Mikey shouted as they stood up to greet their older sister. "I'm so glad that you are home."

Margot smiled at the nickname she hadn't been called in a while and kissed them both on the cheek. "Don't worry; you'll be sick of me soon!" she said with a grin taking her coffee from Emma.

They picked up her checked bag and walked to Jason's truck. Margot giggled as Emma quickly handed her the keys.

"I'm so glad you are here to take over driving Mikey all over VA Beach. The oldest sibling always takes over chauffeur duties! Sorry, I don't make the rules," Emma said looking up at her older sister from the passenger seat.

Margot laughed as she started the truck. "I'm more than happy to do that for you, Em, but I'm gonna have to get something smaller to drive around."

Margot didn't have a lot of belongings to bring back home, mostly just clothes and a few sentimental items. She didn't do a lot of driving in Florida but had been saving up for a car. Well, a Jeep, to be specific. A red jeep was her dream car, and she had finally saved up enough to be comfortable splurging. They pulled into the driveway and made their way inside. Margot sucked in a sharp breath; everything was how she had left it five months ago. It might as well be an Alana Hayes shrine. Margot brought her suitcases into her childhood bedroom and sat on the bed. She looked at her dresser and picked up a picture frame holding her favorite picture of her and her mom. They had just gotten snowcones and were sticking their blue-stained tongues out at the camera.

"Mama, I don't know if I can do all this without you," she said quietly, wiping a tear from her face.

She looked in the mirror as she stood up, got herself together, and walked downstairs to start dinner. This would be harder than she thought, but at least the three Hayes siblings were in it together.

"Emma, Mikey! Dinner is ready!" Margot called out from the bottom of the stairs before returning to plate the spaghetti and garlic bread she had made for dinner.

They all mainly ate in silence, with the occasional question for Margot from Emma about graduation and her new job. Their light conversation was eventually interrupted as Emma's phone rang. She looked down at it and nervously looked back up at her older sister.

"It's Dad," Emma said nervously. "Do you want to talk to him, or should I go upstairs?"

"No, I'll talk to him," Margot smiled at her older sister. She was here to help her sister, not start World War III with her dad, who she had not told she was coming home.

"Hey, Dad!" Emma said excitedly after answering the video call. "I was just about to call you! Guess who is home!"

Margot smiled as she took the phone from her sister, "Suprise! It's me, your favorite oldest daughter!"

Jason's face lit up momentarily before returning to a look of confusion before asking, "What are you doing home, Margs?"

Margot sarcastically thought, "Just parenting your children for you! No big deal!" instead, she explained that she had graduated, got a job and VA Beach, and would be around to help Emma, Mikey, and Jason when he got back.

"Margs, that's great. I'm so happy you will be home to help. You could have told me, though. Emma and Mikey have been managing just fine, and my deployment is wrapping up at the end of the month."

Five familiar faces flooded the screen as Margot was about to lay into Jason. This argument would have to wait until the two were face to face.

"Is that who I think it is? The beautiful and intelligent college graduate Margot Marie Hayes?" A thick Texas draw spit out with a smile.

"Yep Sunny! That would be me. Home for good!"

"We're glad to see your face, Margs, and so excited to see you in a few weeks."

Margot smiled as the phone call wrapped up. She had missed those guys more than she thought. She also couldn't help but notice how Clay's face lit up when he saw her, and little did she know, he was thinking about her even from oceans away.