I'm Not Your Mommy

Chapter 1

Calista

I thought I was over it but seeing the almost familiar buildings that I saw that year did something on me and made me remember all the repressed memory I tried so hard to ignore while I was away. Dammit, Cali, you're stronger than this.

Taking a deep breath, I tried calming my loudly beating heart inside that was beating so hard I think it might jump out of my ribcage. It's been five years Cali, you're strong and independent now. You're not the same pitiful girl that you were when you were 20, you're 25 now and have a perfectly

stable job that you built yourself and a stable group of friends who won't abandon you when they're inconvenienced. You'e okay and you're going to be fine.

After taking a couple, or a lot, of calming breaths, I finally felt my heart get back to it's normal pace. Taking my phone out, I didn't even notice that my hand was shaking until now and dialed the first number on the list. It rang for a couple of seconds before the call came through.

"Cali! I was starting to get worried! I thought your flight was supposed to land a few minutes ago? I actually started to think that you didn't get on the flight or something or was it delayed? Hello Cali? Are you there?" the high-pitched and worried voice of my friend filtered through my ear and did a number on my heart as it recognized something familiar and comforting and replacing the ugly feeling from before.

"I'm still here Naomi don't worry. I landed a few minutes ago." the other line wen't silent before I heard something rustling.

"What are you doing?" I asked after a couple of seconds of just rustling of what I assume is fabric.

"Changing duh! I'm picking you up." she said from the other line, out of breath probably from trying to change so fast. I smiled a little at that, the ugly feeling from earlier forgotten as warmth spread through me and making me relaxed.

"Didn't I tell you not to bother? It takes an hour or so from your house to the airport from what I gathered and if you pick me up we're going to waste time and gas. I thought you were an advocate for nature?" I teased and she huffed.

"Okay okay yeah stop being sassy on me geez. I'm just concerned. I know you said you're going to be fine but I can't help but worry Cali. Are you sure you're not too overwhelmed right now or anything?" she asked and I just sighed, fond but exasperated too.

"I'm a big girl now Mimi and yeah I got a little overwhelmed but I'm going to be okay. Can you send me the address of the apartment you bought for me again? I'm too tired to scroll through our conversation." I joked to try and divert her attention a little and it was successful because I heard her mutter something about me being lazy and then I saw the notifications from her pop up on top.

"Did you see it?"

"Yeah thanks. I'll see you like after an hour."

"Yeah yeah. You sure you don't want me to come fetch you? Because if you say one word I'll drive there myself." I laughed a little at that.

"Woah woah, I came here to live Mimi not witness your funeral." I joked and she laughed.

"Stop dissing my driving skills. I'm telling Tyron."

"I'm sure your husband would agree with me Mimi. Anyway, I'll call you when I get close okay? I'll see you soon. Love you." I whispered the last words gently and I can almost feel the smile she has on her face even over the phone. Must be perks of having a long distance friendship.

"Love you too you sap. Be sure to call me when you're near 'kay? And don't hesitate to message me if you ever feel overwhelmed again okay? I'll be here for you."

"Yeah yeah, I know. I'll hang up now okay? Bye."

"Goodbye and see you soonest!" she said and hung up. I stared at my phone for a few seconds, feeling small smile on my face and waited on the line for the taxi. I got into one fairly quick and helped load my luggage into the trunk before showing the taxi driver the address Mimi sent me. He nodded and the car started to drive away.

I looked out the window and watched as the building fade into the background. Some of the buildings were exactly the same as the day I left and there was some that changed completely and some new one's too.

I leaned back in the seat and sighed and the taxi driver looked at me from the mirror, having noticed my reaction.

"Are you new here or a returnee?" he asked and focused on the road, thankfully.

"No, I'm from here. I just left for quiet some time so the new buildings and landscape surprise me a bit." I answered as I look at the passing images from the window.

"Ahh that's completely normal missy. Time has passed and change is inevitable you know? Some things are bound to change during the years that passed. How long have you been gone?"

"Five years."

"Oh that's quiet some time. Well I'm sure you're glad to be back." he smiled at me from the rear-view mirror and I smiled back.

"Kinda. This is where I grew up after all." I smiled in nostalgia but feeling a bit melancholic about it too, after all this place also brought me some of the worst years of my life.

"That's nice then. Welcome back." he said and fully focused on the road again leaving me with my thoughts and our conversation.

In a way he was right. Change was inevitable and people have to adapt to the flow of time too. There's no use chaining yourself to the past when you can move forward. Yes this place is the very place where I spent the best times of my life but also the worst but it is not the same, not anymore. It might be have the same name but it has significantly change and in a way I was the same so there's no point dwelling on the past when I came here to start a new.

I sighed before opening my phone and seeing Naomi send me some pictures of her holding their car key with a caption "I'm ready anytime. Just say the word." which made me divert my thoughts a bit as I laugh at her antics. I replied to her and took my earphones out and put my happy playlist on and chatted with Naomi for the rest of the ride, completely ignoring the thoughts I had earlier.

~~~

I didn't know that I dozed off a little before I felt my phone vibrate on my lap. I looked at it and saw that it was from Naomi. I looked outside the window and saw even more familiar buildings so I opened my phone to call Naomi. She picked up instantly.

"Hey Mimi."

"Hello! Are you okay? I got a little worried when you suddenly stopped replying but I guess you fell asleep. Are you close?"

"I think. Wait let me ask." I covered the microphone and asked the taxi driver.

"Are we close?"

"Yes missy. A couple more turns." he smiled on the mirror and I nodded before going back to Naomi.

"Yeah I think. How about you?"

"I had to go drop by at work for something sweets. Also, Tyron's parents wants to see for lunch suddenly so I'm sorry, I have to move ours to dinner." she said, dejected but I just laughed.

"That's quiet alright Mimi. I need to sleep anyway. You've set the place up already right?" I asked as the apartment building that Naomi sent me beforehand came into view.

"Duh of course. I even sent you a picture of the furniture done. Have you arrived?" she asked as the taxi came to a halt on the main entrance.

"Yeah hold on okay?" I paused our call for a moment before handing the payment to the taxi driver and giving him a big tip for being so nice and well for the wise words. He almost didn't accept it but I insisted and he nodded before helping me unload my luggage from the trunk. When everything was set down, I was about to go back to my call but the driver looked at me one last time.

"I hope you happiness for your return back in here. Good luck!" he said and I smiled at him a little before thanking him and sending him off with a little wave.

"Okay I'm back sorry for taking long. I had a lovely chat with the driver." I said as the bellhop came in and helped me with my luggage. The apartment that Naomi got me was located in a quiet expensive area after all so it's expected to have some previledges like the bellhop for example.

"Already making friends? That's an improvement." she chuckled and I did the same while bounding the elevator up to my apartment.

"What can I say? I'm quiet charming as they say." I joked and she fake gagged which made me tsk and laugh. We continued to talk and in no time we reached my floor. I thanked the bellhop and asked Naomi the password, mentally noting to change it later.

I got inside and saw that it looked exactly as what Naomi sent me with and when I walked further in and into the living room, I saw some of the boxes that I sent over piled on the corner.

"Are you inside?"

"Yeah. I'm hanging up Mi. The jet lag is getting to me, I really need to sleep. Thanks for fixing the place by the way." I said and flopped my bag on the couch and sank on it.

"Of course anytime and please move to the bed. I heard you plop on the couch just now." she scolded and I just chuckled, tired.

"Yeah yeah I will. See later for dinner Mi. Bye." I said and barely heard her reply, fatigue catching up on me. I heard the beeping sound of the call ending and didn't bother picking up my phone that slipped off from my hands and stood up to head to my new bedroom. Seeing the bed, I immediately flopped into it and looked at the ceiling for a bit.

This is it, after five years I'm back and back for good hopefully. I rolled over to fully place my body on the bed before feeling the lull of fatigue cradling me, making me slip off. But before my eyes could finally close and succumb to the jet lag, I felt a small smile on my lips.

I'm back after five years and this time I'm going to be starting a brand new life in a not so brand new place but that's fine because I'm going to be okay and nothing can faze me anymore. Little do I know though, I would soon meet the reason why the new life I'm trying to build for myself is going to change again for the better or for the worse that I don't know but that's for later, for now I sleep.