No Matter Where I Go, There You Are
Upon her first arrival at the Menithes Owen had shown her to a guest room, which she was ecstatic over. To most a warm place to stay at night was a given, but this could not be said about Dru. Since she could remember she was used to sleeping where her head may lay and to be thankful when she woke the next morning. The only places she could somewhat call her past homes consisted of abandoned buildings with her parents and younger brother. When she had set out on her own it would vary from bars to bus stops. Alley corners to the ever clich' abandoned train car and everything in between. A really good night to her was making friends with a local and them being kind enough to offer her a couch to stay for a night or two. This would explain why she felt as if the clouds had parted that evening to deliver her a gift for her travels in the form of this modest room with a small three drawer dresser and her own bed.
It had now been weeks since she first stepped foot on the Menithes. Since she first met Owen. Even in that short period of time they had formed a very close and loving bond. Each looked out for the other, whole heartedly wishing nothing more for them than safety and happiness. Both seemed to find an odd sense of peace in the other they didn't expect for years, yet here they were.
Dru was lounging on the couch in the sitting room of the Menithes. Owen had gone into town to pick up a few items and she took this time to quietly unwind. As much as she liked to stay active she was also aware that a bit of peaceful relaxation was good for the mind, body, and soul. The pet rabbit Owen kept was out of his cage and sitting cozily in her lap as she repeatedly ran her hand over his fur. He was one of her favorite parts of the ship, a close second behind Owen, and she was happy spending hours on end petting him and jabbering away at the little animal as if he could understand her every word. Dru would regale the creature with tales of her past, thoughts on the present and wishes for the future, always pausing now and again in case he wanted to give his own two cents.
She slowly got to her feet, carefully bringing the rabbit with her and returning him to his cage. A few final scratches were given behind his ears to hold him over before she gently closed the wire door. After making sure the rabbit was all right she turned and wandered out of the room and across the hall to the bedroom Owen and her were now sharing.
Dru lowered herself to the ground onto her stomach and reached under the bed searching for a moment. Finally, She pulled out a large hard shell suitcase and sat up with a grunt, placing it on the mattress. It was a dirty olive green and covered in various stickers and marker graffiti. She kneeled before the case, hands placed on top of it and running over the designs before stopping at the latches to unlock them with two quiet clicks.
Held within was a collage of Dru's entire life. Every possession she had managed to accumulate one way or another over time was inside this thrift store suitcase. There were pieces of gaudy plastic jewelry. Bottles of hair product, dye, toiletries, and make-up in a plastic bag. A few stray items of clothing and her silver ballet flats. Her necessities. She reached down past these items and carefully removed a small wooden box with a hinged lid. It was rough to the touch and unfinished, but she the way she handled it made it seem like it was an irreplaceable antique from long ago. She shifted now to sit on the floor with her legs crossed, the box placed in her lap then slowly opened. It was brimming with crumpled pieces of paper that had been written on, dirty Polaroid pictures, and other old looking trinkets.
Her fingers sifted carefully through the contents pushing items aside so she could reach the bottom. Her pointer finger then hooked a silver chain and lifted it gently, bringing a tarnished silver oval locket on the end of it to her eye level. She stared at it for a long while before her free hand lifted to open the locket revealing it's contents, or lack there of. Inside there was no picture or anything that could be seen, but she seemed to quickly well up nonetheless. Her bottom lip suddenly trembled as she stared at the small empty locket. She had never looked so fragile. Ready to shatter at the slightest movement as silent tears fought furiously to be released. She finally closed the locket and placed it back in the box taking a moment to regain her composure. The back of her hands rubbing below her eyes to remove any excess eye make-up that may have ran.
She stared down at the box now, almost as if she were determined to conquer the contents. She was back to herself. Tough little Dru. She reached inside the box once again, removing a Polaroid this time, which had no doubt seen better days. It was stained with a creased corner, but she cradled it tenderly. It was one of her prized possessions.
In the picture there were four people. An older man with lightly tanned skin and strong features that shined even through his large dark beard. Beside him stood a woman with her arm hooked in his. She had dirty blonde hair and a wide inviting smile. She looked as if she would happily make friends with anyone that crossed her path. Sitting on the ground in front of the pair were two children in their very early teens. One was a boy with dark hair like the gentleman, but it was kept long. Beside him sat a tiny girl who he had his arm wrapped around tightly, looking as if he was trying to protect her from the world. She had the same kind smile as woman and brilliant blue eyes. Various ribbons and thin strips of fabric were tied into her own blonde hair. Each was wearing multiple layers of dirty clothing. Their surroundings appeared to be a basement with a slate colored floor and matching walls. Piled behind them were a few suitcases and blankets. Despite their desolate surroundings together they seemed to be bursting with a tragic happiness.
Dru closed the lid on the wooden box, though the picture was kept in hand. She placed the box back into the suitcase which she once again latched locked then slid into it's home underneath the bed. She rose to her feet and wandered back across the hall to the sitting room. Steady foot falls taking her to the wall, looking up at the various sized frames that contained lovely pictures, but none with actual friendly faces in them. She figured that should change and hoped that Owen would not mind too much. Blue eyes, her Mother's eyes, drifted from each picture to the next before stopping on one in particular. It was perfect. She reached up and tucked the family photo into the corner of the frame, which contained a picture of a sprawling farmhouse. A sunset in the background containing every color you could imagine. She tilted her head side to side, appraising the new location of the Polaroid before a soft smile crackled along her lips. She took a deep inhale then released it, her words carried on the gentle breath.
"Home, Sweet, Home."
