Ten Years Later…
Present day.
Stepping out of my black Audi outside my childhood home seems surreal. I never thought I’d be back here again, well not for a length of time anyway and who knows how long that will even be. There are way too many memories here to count. First kiss, first girlfriend, first fuck. Shit, I had all my firsts here including my first broken heart.
Looking around me, I see that nothing has changed, it’s still the same small village I couldn’t wait to escape from, with the same nosy neighbours watching everything you do. After being gone for ten years you’d think that something would change but... nope.
“Elliott Chase, is that you?” I spin around at my name being called by Mrs. Turner. She was our next-door neighbour, looks like she’s still living there.
“Mrs. Turner, how the devil are you, still the prettiest woman around I see,” I smirk.
“Elliott, you haven’t changed a bit! Still a charmer.” She answers as she nears me. “I’m sorry about your Mum, dear.” sadness coats her eyes as she looks up at me.
“Thanks.” I frown. “I should have come back a long time ago.”
“It wouldn’t have changed the outcome…”
“I know.”
“Well, if there’s anything you need, you just let me know. Will you be staying?”
“For now, yes.”
“Okay. I better be off.” She waves at me she turns away. She always was one of the good ones, it’s the others that twitch at their curtains waiting for the next bit of gossip - that annoys the shit out of me.
Opening the boot of my car, I grab my bags and my most prized possession - my guitar and walk up to the house.
Everything feels so different here now, the spark and the life that I remember has gone, but the furniture is still the same. The three-piece suite in the living room, television in the corner, a footstool sitting against the wall ready for Mum to put her feet upon after a long day. Photos lining the walls and the same flowery wallpaper on the walls that were there when I left, but she’s not here. It’s empty. She’s gone, I can still hardly believe it. My Mum was always there for me, even when she was disappointed in me - she was still my biggest cheerleader. I’m going to miss her so much.
My bags drop to the floor then I place my guitar on the settee, I only saw her a couple of weeks ago, it all happened so fast. One minute she’s feeling under the weather, the next she’s dying. My hands scrub up and down my face before the emotion breaks through. She asked me to come home, to stay. I said no to her. What a selfish bastard! I refused a dying woman’s wish, but only because I couldn’t handle the ghosts of the past - her, Cassidy Summers. The only woman I’ll ever love.
“Well, well, well. If the rock star hasn’t returned home.” Turning at the voice and smiling at my younger brother as he walks in the room, he stands next to me and slaps me on the back as I admire the old photos she refused to take down. Our dad hasn’t been around since we were kids, so there’s none of him but still, Mum never remarried.
There’s one of me and Dale. There’s one of us with Mum. Those all embarrassing school photos. One of the band. She loved all those boys but hated that they took me away from her. We went our separate ways around three years ago, it was for the best. We had our run, we had a couple of hits but that was it, the big time never really came like we were promised anyway but at the time we felt pretty big. My gaze runs along the wall to the very last picture and my heart sinks.
“The one that got left behind huh?” My head snaps to the side to glare at him. “Truth hurts, yeah?”
“Thanks, but I don’t need this today, Dale.”
“I’m sorry. It’s good to see you. Mum, missed you all the time. She asked for you a lot when she was... dying.” He says in a weak voice. I know her death hit him hard too.
“I’m taking my shit upstairs.”
I leave him alone, the photos, the memories...I can’t handle it and head up to my old room. I can’t cope with the questions right now, the ‘why didn’t you come back,’ it was too hard - no fuck that, it is what it is. I was a coward, end of.
“Elliott, it’s not going to change anything by ignoring it,” he shouts to my back as I walk up the stairs, I don’t answer him just carry on up to my room, shut the door and sink onto my bed.
Stepping into one of your old drinking haunts is weird. With some people it’s like you never left, with others they criticise you because you left to make something of yourself. Those people I don’t give a shit about, it’s not my problem they’ve stayed in the same place all their lives and done nothing, but I’m not so arrogant to think that everyone has different circumstances, so I wouldn’t hold it against them. So why do it to me? My Mum would kick my arse if she thought I was that much of a bastard!
“Oh my God. Wonders will never cease! Elliott Chase. How you doing buddy?” Our hands shake and Carson my childhood best friend pulls me into a man hug.
“I’m good thanks. How are you? Married yet?” I cock an eyebrow.
“Nah, I’m too much of a dog for marriage. So, are you back for good?”
“Depends really. I need a job if I’m gonna stay.”
“Well, if you’re interested we’re after an entertainer.”
“Is this your place then?”
“Yep, all mine.” He grins.
“I’m impressed.” I look around at the familiar settings, “so, when you say entertainer, you really mean a singer?”
“Yeah. Just Fridays and Sundays mainly and maybe the odd Saturday to fill in if we have a cancellation. We usually do Karaoke and DJ on a Saturday night.” Contemplating his offer, he speaks again, “what d'ya say?”
“Really, Karaoke? You're not even going to let me settle back in?”
With a heavy sigh, I look around again, my focus settling on the stage, then back to my friend, “Well I suppose I need some money from somewhere. You’re on. Thanks, mate.”
“Well, if I can’t give my old buddy a job, then who can. Beer?”
“Yeah just the one, though.”
“Come on then it’s still quiet yet, we can sit down, and you can fill me in on what’s been happening.”
Carson pulls us a beer and tells the busty barmaid that he’s taking a break. She winks, flirting with me as I grab my beer from the bar, grinning and shaking my head, I walk away, nothing changes. We sit at the small table in the corner as I look around me. This place hasn’t changed really. The colour of the walls is lighter, and the tables are all wrought iron, probably to stop the drunkard fuckers from picking them up and throwing them around like in the old days. It’s still the old quarry tiled floor though. That’s what I love about home, home being Devon. It’s old and traditional but too sleepy, which was why I got out in the first place. I just wanted more...
I realise Carson has been talking and I haven’t heard a bloody word he’s said. I’ve just nodded and grunted, hopefully in the right places. “So, you’ll perform tonight then?”
“What?” My eyes open wide to the question.
“I asked if you’d perform tonight. I thought you were listening to me.”
“But’ I’ve been driving for hours, I’m beat, man.”
“So, it’s only four now, go home grab a nap and come back. By the time you’re back the cook will be in and you can grab some food here.”
“I haven’t even unpacked, dude.”
“Who unpacks? Fuck that. Just get back here for six thirtyish, with your guitar, I assume you still have it.”
“Me and that guitar haven’t parted ways since I had it at nine-years-old, she's my soulmate - you know that.”
A strange look passes through his eyes, but it's gone as quick as it appeared. “Exactly what I’m saying. Now drink up.”
“Fuck, you don’t change, do you?”
Shaking my head, I pick up my beer anyway, drink the rest and stand from the stool to leave.
“Talking of which, have you seen anyone since you got back?”
“I’ve been back all of two hours, so no. Why?”
“Oh nothing, you know what it’s like around here. People come out of the woodwork to get some gossip.”
“To be honest with you, I’ve only seen Mrs. Turner from next door and Dale of course.”
“Oh ok, I was just wondering.”
Frowning, I give him a chin lift as he pats my back. I get going, saying hello to some old faces on the way out.