Far And Away.

The sun was coming in softly through her light yellow curtains and Flora smiled as she sat in her picture window, her ancient laptop on her lap. It had been her mother's and took twenty minutes to boot up, but it was something and Flora wasn't about to just throw something out when she had no other option. The machine whined and Flora closed her eyes, hoping that it wouldn't shut off on her. She had an important document open and if her computer crashed now then she would lose everything.

Her essay to Berkley was what was opened on her computer and Flora bit down on her lower lip as she looked over everything she had just written. The plan had been for Flora to stay in Ohio, attend OSU and then move out to the east and work on her writing career. But then one thing happened-Andy. Andy and the guys of BVB had a very strict plan and that plan was Hollywood. Literally on the day of graduation, Andy and the guys were going to pack up and hit the road.

Flora and Andy had talked, at length, about their future and it had been decided that Flora would try and head out to California as well. Berkley isn't exactly close to Hollywood, but it wasn't over a days drive away either. Flora knew that she needed to nail this essay and she also needed to keep up her GPA if she had any hope of getting a full ride. Flora sighed, running her hands through her long bangs as she glanced out the window.

Her father's car was parked outside of their condo building for the third day in a row and Flora felt her stomach turn. Her life had been so perfect-Andy was in it, they were both getting to the places they wanted in life and she and her mother had developed a hard shell to protect one another. Then it all gets thrown out the window when her father has a turn of feelings and shows up. That first night he had come back, Flora had to completely push Andy out of the house, telling him to come by the following day.

After that all hell had broken loose-she had screamed, cried and even pushed her father until finally Flora found herself breaking down in her mother's arms. Her father apologized for disappearing on them, claiming that it was because he wasn't ready to be a father and that being alone for so long had finally made him understand what he had been missing out on. Flora didn't believe him and she told him so, with so much venom in her tone that she saw the tears come to his eyes.

He understood where she was coming from and knew that she was hurt, but that wasn't going to stop him from trying to reconnect with her. At that point Flora slammed her bedroom door shut in his face and made a habit of getting ready early in the morning to avoid the awkward breakfast table conversations. Her mother had wholeheartedly forgiven him and Flora, who loved her mother dearly, thought she was a moron and told her so.

Now Flora was sitting in her room, holed up with a half finished essay and cringing every time she heard her mother's laughter come from the living room. Her father had left the house early this morning before Flora had gotten up, but she had seen him return to their condo with a large box. It was probably some of his things that he said he was having shipped out from Missouri and it was that statement that told Flora he was here to stay.

Fuck him.


"Flora?" A voice sounded out, making Flora jump and then sigh as she realized that it wasn't Andy who was currently knocking on her bedroom door.

"Just a sec!" She called out, closing her laptop and then pulling her hair back behind her shoulders. One finger curled around the very bottom of her hair, a nervous habit that she'd had all her life.

"Doing top secret work in here?" Her father asked just as she opened the door and came face to face with the man who had left her all those years ago. Flora stood in the doorway, staring him down as she refused to move aside and let him pass her by.

"Just writing my Berkley essay. What's in the box?" She asked, nodding her head towards the large box in her father's hands. It didn't look heavy and her father seemed to be holding it very carefully and close to his chest.

"Berkley huh? I thought OSU was always the plan?" He asked as he moved forward and Flora had no choice but to move aside and let him in. Flora watched as her father walked towards her bed, placing the box carefully on top as he moved aside her laptop with his free hand.

"It's still the plan, but Berkley is just another option." She said as she slowly approached the side of the bed and looked down. Flora's eyes grew wide as she glanced at the box, which was now facing up and she could see the picture that was on the front, along with the name.

A brand new MAC laptop-her brand new MAC laptop.

"Your mom told me you'd been using her old one and I know writers need the best equipment." Her father explained. Flora said nothing as she just placed her fingers against the rough cardboard box and tried to keep her tears at bay.


This was all so confusing-she hated this man and couldn't stand him being around. But her mom was happy and he really had been trying to show the both of them that he had changed. Flora turned slowly, her hair falling in her face as she faced her father and took in a deep breath. He didn't have to do this, but he had and somehow she knew that her father would always care about her and he probably had never stopped.


"Dad-I..." She stopped as her father embraced her, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly. Flora let her tears fall freely and with them some of her hatred seemed to disappear.

"Look kid-I know I messed up, but I'm here now and I want to be here for as long as you'll have me. I love you Flora..." The silence was thick and Flora's deep breath before speaking was the only thing filling the space.

"I know dad...I know..."

Notes