Home Sweet Home

Anna-Lena Plett

by Anna-Lena Plett

Story

Entering the house Eliana got a whiff of what Milo had been doing in the kitchen while he was waiting for her. The smell of hot chocolate seemed to lure her into the kitchen. Taking off her shoes she made her way there, Milo following close behind. As she got there, she realised that Milo must have already started renovating the house when he lived here with his grandmother because the old gas stove his grandmother always used to make them hot chocolate on had been replaced by a modern induction one. The lamp that always used to flicker had also been replaced by one that spread a warm light throughout the room.

“I can see you already started the renovation without me. Good thing then that I’m finally here to help out”, Eliana said walking towards one of the old wooden counters where the hot chocolate was waiting in two cups. She picked up both cups, handed one to Milo and then took a sip of her own. “Thanks for this, I really needed to get out of the city and moving in with you was the best choice I could have made. So again, thank you for offering.” She took another sip of her drink when Milo said: “Of course, I wouldn’t want anyone else living here with me. Not after all the time we spend here during the summer holidays and not after you helped me when my gran died. You were there for me, if not physically at least emotionally, our late-night calls helped me grieve more easily than if I had been alone.” “You say that as if you wouldn’t have done the same for me, obviously I was there for you and I will continue to be. You are my best friend. Now come here and give me another hug, all this talk made me emotional.” They but their cups on the counter, and he did as he was told and enclosed her in another embrace, an embrace that could have lasted forever.

After seconds that felt like an eternity, they left the comfort of each other’s arms. “Let’s go to your new room, you can choose which one you want, but I have one in mind that I want to show you first,” Milo suggested. Eliana followed him through the hallway and up the stairs where she spotted old photos that had been there since the first time she had been here. Some were of Milo’s grandparent’s and parent’s weddings, others of little Milo smiling as his mom pushed him on a swing that hung from a tree in the backyard. She smiled to herself as she saw one of Milo and herself hanging upside down from a thick tree branch.

“Here we are,” Milo’s words brought her back to reality, and she realised that they had reached the last door in the upstairs hallway. Tentatively Eliana pushed down the door handle and opened the door. Looking inside she saw a room that even though it needed work showed much potential, the large window looked out over the backyard and even some of the old furniture pieces looked like they only needed a new coat of paint. “I love it!” she exclaimed, “I can’t wait to freshen it up and move in.” Taking a step inside she took another look around and realised that the room Milo had suggested to her was the same one she had usually stayed in when visiting his grandma. The flowery wallpaper hadn’t been touched yet and still looked like it did years ago, only more faded. As did everything else in the room, just like she remembered just more faded and aged. Ready for them to renovate and add their own touch.

© Anna-Lena Plett 2023-07-11

Genres
Novels & Stories