I didn't say anything, I didn't even move, I couldn't even feel myself breath. A tall strange man with gray eyes and brown hair stared up at me, looking just as confused as I did. "Who are you?" He finally said, not even blinking. Before I could find my voice, the front door was thrown open. The man looked in fear at the intruder then began to laugh. "Shit David. Do you always make an entrance like that?" David. He's home. And he knows this man. For that moment, I felt death run its fingers across my neck as if to tease me.
I could hear David beginning to laugh uneasily, "I didn't recognize your car in the driveway, panicked. How are you?" The man looked up at me and began laughing a little harder, "I'm fine. I think I scared the shit out of your friend here though." Referring to me. David stood next to his friend, looking at my apologetic. "Sarah, you remember Randy."
Those gray eyes were on me again and I remembered.
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I walked down the stairs into the living room, watching my mother snap what seemed a hundred pictures of David and his date. Tonight was the big night, Prom. David was all dressed up in his tuxedo, standing next to a very pretty girl in a light pink gown and golden hair done up. They both smiled for the camera, but I could tell David was getting annoyed. Just then the door bell rang. "Sarah dear, go get the door." Little ole me did as I was told and opened the door to a very handsome man in a tuxedo with beautiful gray eyes. Randy. He smiled down at me, "Hey Sarah. Where's Davey at?"
"In here!" I watched as Randy and his date walked towards David's voice into the living room. I followed behind. Envious of the girl in the yellow that would be spending the night with Randy. My brother's attractive best friend. I watched them take picture after picture, doing goofy poses together, and some serious too. Then my mom said she wanted a picture of David and Randy together. The two guys put their arms around each other, with big smiles. I was watching Randy as my mom took the picture and soon after it flashed, he looked right at me with those gray eyes, still smiling.
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"Sarah?" I smile and nodded, walking down the steps to my old middle school crush. He had certainly grown up but was still as handsome as I remembered him to be. "Hello Randy, been awhile." He smiled back and then looked as apologetic as David's face. "Sorry, I guess you didn't know. David asked me to watch the house till you two got here. Didn't mean to scare you, even though in all fairness, I think you scared me just as badly." David laughed as the three of us walked towards the kitchen for our pizza dinner, "I don't know whats funnier. Sarah being scary or Randy being scared of a defenseless girl." We all laughed and ate together. The three of us. I was no longer the dorky younger sister, I was their friend.
Apologize for the current inconvenience, first post starts the story. I add a piece of the story each post.
The Gold Room
After carrying our suitcases into the house, David went to get pizza. There was hardly anything in the house worth eating, some out of date even. This left me in the house by myself. As soon as he left, I began walking around, crying softly to myself, finally alone to mourn. They were gone. My mother and father. The two people that cared for me all my life and now they were gone. It just didn't seem real. I was here two weeks ago. They were here. Dad, pouring each of us a glass of wine. Mom, tossing the salad. All of smiles, happy to be in each other's company.
Standing in my old bedroom, it was clear that they never moved a thing. Trophies and ribbons from early years of soccer and science fairs still sat on the shelves. Old pictures of childhood friends remained on my dresser. The old purple rug I insisted on having for my 16th birthday still laid on the old wooden floor. All the same. They use to threaten to turn my room into a guest room and David's into a gym. But it never really happened. They never really did want us to move on and out. We were their precious angels. Apart of me never wanted to move out either. Not like David.
I crossed the hallway to his room. It still smelling like his cheap cologne he wore in high school. His old dresser still sat, the mirror dusty. The closet was practically empty except for a few old sweaters hanging up and boxes on the shelves. His room use to be filled with such life, now it was a bare cell. Continuing down the hall, I opened the last door on the right. My parents room. As soon as you open the door, all you see is bright gold. Sunlight would just dance around the room, bouncing off the sheets to the rug. Everything in there was bright.
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"Sarah, pst!" David crept into my room, whispering to me. "Sarah, wake up." I rolled over attempting to see my brother with the sunlight blinding me. He sat on the bed next to me. We were quite young then. I was still four, he was eleven. He took my hand and began pulling me out of bed. He put a finger over his lips to keep me from saying anything. Joy began to fill my body as I followed him down the stairs into the kitchen. Today was Mother's Day. Dad was at work on the stove, making eggs. David lifted me up so I could put bread in the toaster, then handed me a glass to fill with water. The three of us, hard at work, prepared the best breakfast for mom ever. Dad handed David the tray of food, warning him to walk slowly, he then picked up me in his arms and we followed David up the stairs down the hall.
I buried my head in my dad's neck to keep from giggling as we crept closer. My father opened the door and there was my mom, still asleep under her golden sheets. Dad sat me down on the bed where he slept and David walked around her side of the bed, still carrying the tray. Dad winked at me then began softly whispering, "Darling... Darling, the kids have something for you." My mom's eyes began to open slowly, but happily. She sat up and looked back and forth between David and I. "You made me breakfast? In bed!" I laughed and threw my hands in the air, "Happy Mother's Day, Mommy!" She grabbed me and tickled me, smothering me in little kisses. All four of us sat there, cartoons playing on the television, enjoying breakfast in bed, together.
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I'm not quite sure how long I stood there, watching their room. But it was only the sound of the front door opening and shutting that took my attention away. David's back. I slowly closed the door and began walking back down the hallway, my mind still on my parent's golden room. As I began walking down the stairs, I looked up to someone standing at the bottom. Someone staring at me. Someone that was not David.
Standing in my old bedroom, it was clear that they never moved a thing. Trophies and ribbons from early years of soccer and science fairs still sat on the shelves. Old pictures of childhood friends remained on my dresser. The old purple rug I insisted on having for my 16th birthday still laid on the old wooden floor. All the same. They use to threaten to turn my room into a guest room and David's into a gym. But it never really happened. They never really did want us to move on and out. We were their precious angels. Apart of me never wanted to move out either. Not like David.
I crossed the hallway to his room. It still smelling like his cheap cologne he wore in high school. His old dresser still sat, the mirror dusty. The closet was practically empty except for a few old sweaters hanging up and boxes on the shelves. His room use to be filled with such life, now it was a bare cell. Continuing down the hall, I opened the last door on the right. My parents room. As soon as you open the door, all you see is bright gold. Sunlight would just dance around the room, bouncing off the sheets to the rug. Everything in there was bright.
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"Sarah, pst!" David crept into my room, whispering to me. "Sarah, wake up." I rolled over attempting to see my brother with the sunlight blinding me. He sat on the bed next to me. We were quite young then. I was still four, he was eleven. He took my hand and began pulling me out of bed. He put a finger over his lips to keep me from saying anything. Joy began to fill my body as I followed him down the stairs into the kitchen. Today was Mother's Day. Dad was at work on the stove, making eggs. David lifted me up so I could put bread in the toaster, then handed me a glass to fill with water. The three of us, hard at work, prepared the best breakfast for mom ever. Dad handed David the tray of food, warning him to walk slowly, he then picked up me in his arms and we followed David up the stairs down the hall.
I buried my head in my dad's neck to keep from giggling as we crept closer. My father opened the door and there was my mom, still asleep under her golden sheets. Dad sat me down on the bed where he slept and David walked around her side of the bed, still carrying the tray. Dad winked at me then began softly whispering, "Darling... Darling, the kids have something for you." My mom's eyes began to open slowly, but happily. She sat up and looked back and forth between David and I. "You made me breakfast? In bed!" I laughed and threw my hands in the air, "Happy Mother's Day, Mommy!" She grabbed me and tickled me, smothering me in little kisses. All four of us sat there, cartoons playing on the television, enjoying breakfast in bed, together.
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I'm not quite sure how long I stood there, watching their room. But it was only the sound of the front door opening and shutting that took my attention away. David's back. I slowly closed the door and began walking back down the hallway, my mind still on my parent's golden room. As I began walking down the stairs, I looked up to someone standing at the bottom. Someone staring at me. Someone that was not David.
The Drive
Neither of us said much after our greeting. We stuffed my suitcase in the trunk and drove off towards our old home. The last time I saw my parents was two weeks ago. I had come home for the weekend to spend some time with them both. For David, this will be his first time home in three years. Its amazing how he even remembers his way. His composure never saddened, nor really showed any emotion. Just a blank stare out to the road. I didn't know what to say, so I didn't. Neither did he. Not for another hour until we pulled off the highway to a little town known as home.
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There is but one way in and out of our hometown. The entrance is pillared with large concrete cylinders. When we were much younger, David and I would race our bikes down the main road to those pillars everyday. First one to touch the cold stone was the winner. It was almost always David, except on my birthday. He always let me win on my birthday. I use to claim to make the same gesture on his birthday, but we both knew inside that it was because I couldn't keep up, but he played along. He was a good brother. Afterwards we would ride back home, usually with scrapped hands from the concrete or cut knees from sliding in too fast. Mom would always have two glasses of lemonade ready for us. We would sit together on the back porch and drink our lemonade, everyday. I even remember the time I broke my arm and wasn't allowed to ride my bike. David would sit with me outside and we'd drink lemonade together. And as my bike laid against the fence, so did his. He was a good brother.
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As we drove between those concrete pillars, I could almost remember how the cold stone felt on the palm of my hand. Silly what memories a giant mound of rock can make. Continuing down the main road, it almost didn't feel like home, not like two weeks ago. It all felt like a memory. We pulled into our the driveway and up the pathway. Only two weeks ago, I could see my mother. Anxiously looking out of the front window, waiting for dad and I to pull in. She had the door wide open before the car was even turned off. But now, I had to open the front door to an empty house. David followed slowly behind me, "Aunt Susan informed me that she would dealing with the lawyers for the main part. Her and Uncle Bill have plans for the house and all."
"Yeah, I heard they already have a few potential buyers."
"Guess we'll be doing most of the packing then." We moved around the living room into the kitchen then dining room. It felt weird walking around, as if I was intruding on their home, as if I had broken in while they were away and they would be home any second to catch us. But they wouldn't be. They're gone. "How long were you planning on staying?" He stiffened a little, "Work gave me two weeks off, kind of forced it upon me. More like grounded me two weeks. As if now really is the best time." He chuckled under his breath and continued back into the living room. I followed, wishing to hear more, but was left hanging with silence as he looked over the pictures on the wall.
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"Say cheese!" My mom and dad stood behind the tripod and camera with big, goofy smiles. It was almost impossible not to smile back at them. Every year, without fail, we would have a photo shoot in the living room to show how old we were getting. David stood behind them, laughing along, dreading his turn. He was eighteen and as promised, this was his last year of the photo shoot. Me, I still had six more years and plenty more photos to go. Our parents loved to take pictures. School, zoo, dances, talent shows, dates. They loved it. David was not as into it as we were, but he always played along.
After they snapped a couple pictures of me in my new blue summer dress, they had David come sit next to me. He wore his favorite blue t shirt that almost matched the color of my dress. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling in close to him and we both put on the biggest smiles we had for our parents, like we did every year.
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These were the smiles we now stared at.
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There is but one way in and out of our hometown. The entrance is pillared with large concrete cylinders. When we were much younger, David and I would race our bikes down the main road to those pillars everyday. First one to touch the cold stone was the winner. It was almost always David, except on my birthday. He always let me win on my birthday. I use to claim to make the same gesture on his birthday, but we both knew inside that it was because I couldn't keep up, but he played along. He was a good brother. Afterwards we would ride back home, usually with scrapped hands from the concrete or cut knees from sliding in too fast. Mom would always have two glasses of lemonade ready for us. We would sit together on the back porch and drink our lemonade, everyday. I even remember the time I broke my arm and wasn't allowed to ride my bike. David would sit with me outside and we'd drink lemonade together. And as my bike laid against the fence, so did his. He was a good brother.
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As we drove between those concrete pillars, I could almost remember how the cold stone felt on the palm of my hand. Silly what memories a giant mound of rock can make. Continuing down the main road, it almost didn't feel like home, not like two weeks ago. It all felt like a memory. We pulled into our the driveway and up the pathway. Only two weeks ago, I could see my mother. Anxiously looking out of the front window, waiting for dad and I to pull in. She had the door wide open before the car was even turned off. But now, I had to open the front door to an empty house. David followed slowly behind me, "Aunt Susan informed me that she would dealing with the lawyers for the main part. Her and Uncle Bill have plans for the house and all."
"Yeah, I heard they already have a few potential buyers."
"Guess we'll be doing most of the packing then." We moved around the living room into the kitchen then dining room. It felt weird walking around, as if I was intruding on their home, as if I had broken in while they were away and they would be home any second to catch us. But they wouldn't be. They're gone. "How long were you planning on staying?" He stiffened a little, "Work gave me two weeks off, kind of forced it upon me. More like grounded me two weeks. As if now really is the best time." He chuckled under his breath and continued back into the living room. I followed, wishing to hear more, but was left hanging with silence as he looked over the pictures on the wall.
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"Say cheese!" My mom and dad stood behind the tripod and camera with big, goofy smiles. It was almost impossible not to smile back at them. Every year, without fail, we would have a photo shoot in the living room to show how old we were getting. David stood behind them, laughing along, dreading his turn. He was eighteen and as promised, this was his last year of the photo shoot. Me, I still had six more years and plenty more photos to go. Our parents loved to take pictures. School, zoo, dances, talent shows, dates. They loved it. David was not as into it as we were, but he always played along.
After they snapped a couple pictures of me in my new blue summer dress, they had David come sit next to me. He wore his favorite blue t shirt that almost matched the color of my dress. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling in close to him and we both put on the biggest smiles we had for our parents, like we did every year.
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These were the smiles we now stared at.
Seeing Him
It all started with a man. Louis. David Louis. And who is this man you may ask? Why is he so important? Well, for one thing, he was my brother. My older brother. My only brother. And secondly, he had a secret that changed everything for me. He has been away on "business" as he puts it for three years. The last time I saw him was the night of my graduation. He had promised to come see me, but then left soon after. Over those three years, we barely talked. Some phone conversations here and there to check up on us and we would ask about him. He never told us much, but we learned to not ask many questions. It had been months since we spoke until the day our parents died. They were coming home from a special evening and a car, driving way too fast for a residential area, hit the side of their car, killing them both instantly. I was away at school when it all happened. I called my brother that night, told him what happened. He said very little, as if he already knew something was wrong. He informed me he would come get me from school for the service. After three years, I would finally see my brother again. David Charles Louis.
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"Hey Sarah, you okay?" Henry the Stink poked my arm, staring at me like I was purple or something. I shrugged and continued staring towards the board. I inhaled as much air as I could, carefully not to breath in Henry's B.O. I'm sure it wasn't his fault he smelled so bad, just fact of the matter is, he stank. He leaned in closer, whispering, "You don't look well at all. Need something?" I took my eyes off Doctor Green to face a pudgy, sweating face with mud brown eyes glancing from me to underneath the table. In his hands was a small bag of pills. "Not interested." He pestered on, "I'll sell them for you cheap." Getting a little agitated, I slid my chair to the left, farther from him. "Come on, they'll make you feel better." I gave him a hard look, "Beat it." He nodded and focused back up to Doctor Green. As did I. As much as I love learning about the human body, and I did, it's fascinating, my mind was elsewhere. I was more interested in the meeting I would be having this afternoon.
Seeing my brother after three years. I was feeling excited, yet anxious, maybe even afraid for some reason. And angry. Three years without seeing your brother. Not for your birthday, holidays, nothing. I could hardly even remember what he looked like. Last time I saw him, he was wearing a light blue button down and khakis. He put a flower in my hands and congratulated my for graduating high school. High school, a whole different world from where I am now. I pictured him driving up in some hot rod car with a nice suit on and sunglasses. I always pictured my brother like that, rich, successful. With all the work he apparently is doing, he must be rich. That and the fact he always sends me fifties for my birthday, with no return address I might add. Little connections, that's how he likes it.
I always wondered when he would come back, never imagined it would be under these circumstances that he would. But what I was really wondering was what happens after the funeral service. Will he just leave again? Will he stay for a few days? A week? Will he talk to people, old friends, family? Will he want to spend time with me? David was always a mystery to me, he was a mystery to everyone.
"Okay, that's all for today. See you all Monday."
After class, I headed back to my apartment and began to pack for what would feel like a very long week, having no idea what was to come.
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I will never forget that moment when I saw David for the first time again. I was standing on the sidewalk, outside my apartment, suitcase next to me, sunglasses on, watching cars pass. Finally, one car pulled up along the curb in front of me. A black sports car with tinted windows and loud music, for some reason, I always pictured red. A tall man with dark brown hair and a black suit stepped out of the driver's side, looking over at me. Of course he was wearing sunglasses. "Excuse me, I am looking for my little sister, Sarah Louis. You wouldn't happen to see her running around anywhere, would you?" He smiled as he walked towards, arms awaiting to be embraced. In that instant, all the feelings of anger and fear were gone. I felt no hatred at all. Seeing him again, was like a dream. Here was my brother. I accepted his greeting warmly, feeling his arms wrap around me tightly. "Hello David."
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"Hey Sarah, you okay?" Henry the Stink poked my arm, staring at me like I was purple or something. I shrugged and continued staring towards the board. I inhaled as much air as I could, carefully not to breath in Henry's B.O. I'm sure it wasn't his fault he smelled so bad, just fact of the matter is, he stank. He leaned in closer, whispering, "You don't look well at all. Need something?" I took my eyes off Doctor Green to face a pudgy, sweating face with mud brown eyes glancing from me to underneath the table. In his hands was a small bag of pills. "Not interested." He pestered on, "I'll sell them for you cheap." Getting a little agitated, I slid my chair to the left, farther from him. "Come on, they'll make you feel better." I gave him a hard look, "Beat it." He nodded and focused back up to Doctor Green. As did I. As much as I love learning about the human body, and I did, it's fascinating, my mind was elsewhere. I was more interested in the meeting I would be having this afternoon.
Seeing my brother after three years. I was feeling excited, yet anxious, maybe even afraid for some reason. And angry. Three years without seeing your brother. Not for your birthday, holidays, nothing. I could hardly even remember what he looked like. Last time I saw him, he was wearing a light blue button down and khakis. He put a flower in my hands and congratulated my for graduating high school. High school, a whole different world from where I am now. I pictured him driving up in some hot rod car with a nice suit on and sunglasses. I always pictured my brother like that, rich, successful. With all the work he apparently is doing, he must be rich. That and the fact he always sends me fifties for my birthday, with no return address I might add. Little connections, that's how he likes it.
I always wondered when he would come back, never imagined it would be under these circumstances that he would. But what I was really wondering was what happens after the funeral service. Will he just leave again? Will he stay for a few days? A week? Will he talk to people, old friends, family? Will he want to spend time with me? David was always a mystery to me, he was a mystery to everyone.
"Okay, that's all for today. See you all Monday."
After class, I headed back to my apartment and began to pack for what would feel like a very long week, having no idea what was to come.
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I will never forget that moment when I saw David for the first time again. I was standing on the sidewalk, outside my apartment, suitcase next to me, sunglasses on, watching cars pass. Finally, one car pulled up along the curb in front of me. A black sports car with tinted windows and loud music, for some reason, I always pictured red. A tall man with dark brown hair and a black suit stepped out of the driver's side, looking over at me. Of course he was wearing sunglasses. "Excuse me, I am looking for my little sister, Sarah Louis. You wouldn't happen to see her running around anywhere, would you?" He smiled as he walked towards, arms awaiting to be embraced. In that instant, all the feelings of anger and fear were gone. I felt no hatred at all. Seeing him again, was like a dream. Here was my brother. I accepted his greeting warmly, feeling his arms wrap around me tightly. "Hello David."
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