Flicker of Inspiration #45: Short and Sweet

Sweet smells wafted out of the kitchen window, mixing with the sounds of birds chirping and the leaves blowing in the breeze. She was back home for the first time in years, but it didn't feel real until she smelled the bread baking. Sitting at the picnic table behind the house, letting everything sink in - she was instantly transported 20 years in time. She was 7, running through the yard, back and forth as the sun shone down, illuminating her golden blonde hair, the same sweet smells of yeast and flour filling the air.

The same sun was shining now, the long golden locks replaced by short brunette, and the yard, which seemed miles long years ago, was suffocatingly small.

She left two days after her 18th birthday, staying only long enough to sleep off her hangover before packing her car till near explosion and driving west, with no real destination in mind. She did the same thing every few months, only ever staying long enough for a broken heart - either hers, or some one elses.

Get a job, fall in love, leave - wash, rinse, repeat.

With a sigh, she heaved herself off of the bench and made her way back inside. There were boxes to unpack, rooms to clean, but it took all of her energy to just open the screen door.

Her whole adult life she had never been anywhere longer than six months. Her heart was broken in a different way this time - instead of forcing her out, it brought her back. The door creaked open, and the smells got stronger. Her heart was heavy as she realized, this visit, if you could even call it that, wouldn't be nearly as short.

This post is inspired by a prompt at The Lightning and the Lightning Bug- Flicker of Inspiration #45: Short and Sweet. Start your piece with either the word "short" or the word "sweet" and ending it with the word you didn't start with.