I'll be there in an hour.

After sending the message to mom, I take my suitcase and the purse. My suitcase is not that heavy as I haven't taken all my stuffs. Though I'm going there, but I plan to spend some time here as well every day.

Standing at the door, I look at every single corner one last time. Each and every thing of this house is the witness of our love. The walls are holding the memories of our stupid fights and also love making after those fights.

I smile as a layer of tear cover my eyes.

"I hope I've made the right decision Lucas." I sigh getting silence as an answer.

I'm still not used to this. Lucas has always been by my side, clearing out all my confusion.

buzz... buzz...

My phone vibrates in my palm. The screen displays the number of the cab driver. I cut the phone and hold the bolt of the open door.

"I'll come back Lucas. I love you." With a faint smile and a sigh, I lock the door.

The cab driver comes down and picks up my suitcase to keep it in the trunk.

"Leave it. I'll keep it beside me." I say as I match his ID card with the one showing on my screen.

"Okay ma'am." Placing the suitcase on the seat, I enter inside the car while the driver takes his driving seat.

"You know the route right?" I ask to confirm.

"Yes ma'am." He says while igniting the car's engine.

I lean against the seat as I look at the home once more. Now, it's not home anymore. It's just a concrete, well-decked house with lots of memories. Slowly, the car starts moving and the house leaves away behind. I bring my head out and try to watch the house until my vision doesn't support my wish any longer. All now I can see is the path which Lucas and I have travelled many times.

"Would you like some music ma'am?" The driver asks with a small smile on his young face.

"No. It's okay." I reply with a smile.

He nods and concentrates on the road. My eyes wander around the evening road. Since it's weekend, people are out having fun. Groups of young teenagers are hanging out in the cafés while adults are heading to the bars. Cool breeze is touching my face while a very familiar fragrance hit my nostrils.

"Stop." Out of my own knowledge, I ask the driver to stop the car.

"What happened ma'am? Is there any problem? Do you need anything?" His brown eyebrows frown with the sudden halt.

"No. No. I... Actually, I was asking if you have some water in your car?" I ask but to my surprise, I can't get the smell anymore.

"Oh. Yeah. Absolutely ma'am. Here it is." He hands me over a copper bottle of water.

"Thank you." I say while taking the bottle.

"You're welcome ma'am." He smile and starts the car again.

As I drink the water, I get the fragrance again. It's as if my nose is playing tricks with me. The fragrance is very familiar to me. It reminds me of Lucas. He loves this perfume. It has a sweet, intoxicating yet an earthy touch. But I don't stop the car again as I know the reality very well.

"Lucas." I whisper under my breath and close my eyes.

***

Screech!

I jolt open my eyes hearing the loud screech of the car. I look outside and the first thing I can see beside the rusted iron gate is the names carved on the wooden plate on a white coloured wall.

The Taylor Villa

Jack Taylor
Hannah Taylor
Evelyn Taylor

"We've reached ma'am." The driver says while doing something in his phone.

I push open the car's door and bring out my suitcase and purse.

"Thank you Aiden. It was a nice drive." I say with a small smile while closing the door.

"You're welcome ma'am. If you can, please kindly leave the feedback." The young driver says as I see a tint of blush on his cheeks.

"Sure!" I say with a big smile and turn around.

The car whooshes away from behind while I give the feedback standing in front of the gate.

Locking the phone, I look at the old house standing in front of me. Signs of old age is clearly visible in the surrounding. The once shining white colour of the house, now has a layer of black engulfing the lustre. I sigh and look at the gardens. They are still in their place with a wide road in between. The only difference is that some plants are dry, dusts of fallen leaves are covering some ares of the garden, unkempt grasses are standing on two sides of the road. Some of the street lamps are muttering and some are illuminating a mild yellow colour in front of the bright light of the setting sun. I look up and see few birds flying towards an old tree standing all alone under the blend of scarlet and golden colour of the sky. I touch the gate in front of me. My palm gets covered with some rust and dust as I push the gate open with a creak sound.

Time passes so fast. Till last year, this place was booming with people's voice, always decked up, not a single ounce of dust and now, it feels like this place has become an eighty year old person from an eighteen year old teenager within a year.

I walk on the road with my luggage as all those old memories start flashing. This is the road which remembers me leaving the house with tears and this is the same road which is now etching a new memory of me, returning with tears.

The only difference, that time the tears were of hurt, anger, helplessness and this time, no idea. A mixture of happiness and sadness, I guess.

I reach the dusty wooden door and see a shining handle. I press the bell and wait. But the waiting seems to be eternal. I know it's hardly 30seconds since I rang the bell, but still I'm getting impatient. My heart is racing. I quickly wipe away my tears with my sweaty palms and lock some of the strands of hair behind my ears.

I hear some footsteps behind the door as if the person is running. A few seconds silence and then a click. The door gets opened and in front stands, my Pa.

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