“Dad.” A voice broke over the silence, and my eyes went wide. I turned, moving close to the stairs, and my entire body tensed up as I stared at my brother.
He was a little taller than the last time I saw him, with a bit longer hair, but I knew those eyes, and I knew that smile. Helooked at me with joy and threw his arms wide. “Jade, what are you doing here?”
My mouth hung open slightly as I stared at my brother. It had been three years since I had last seen him. He’d changed, yet he still looked exactly the same.
“Kaleb?”
He smiled, pushing the door further open, and my smile fell as I watched Brandon enter behind him.
Chapter 3 - Brandon
I pulled up in front of Dale’s house and glanced at Kaleb. I could see a small spark glow in his eyes as he smiled. But I looked past him, spotting a car in the driveway. A car I knew.
“Is your sister here?” I asked. Surely, his sister had a different car from the one she had in high school. It was on its last leg when she was leaving school. Maybe they just had left it here at her father’s, not sure what to do with it.
“Maybe,” he said, pulling the door open. “Why don’t you come in and say hi?”
“Because…” Before I could even finish, the door next door opened, and my mother stepped outside. Her deep brown hair was pulled back in a side bun, and she smiled eagerly. I had called her last night, telling her I was coming home. I didn’t give many details since I wasn’t entirely sure what to tell her. Kaleb and I left three years ago without a single visit, so we needed a story and a good one.
“Brandon!” my mother screamed, rushing across the yard toward the car.
“Do you kind of regret our folks being neighbors?” Kaleb asked with a smirk.
I punched him before I got out of my car. My mother rounded the vehicle, throwing her arms around me. She smelled like lilac and vanilla, and I couldn’t help but smile, remembering her scent.
“Hi, Mom,” I said softly, hugging her back tightly.
“Oh my god! What are you doing here! I mean, I’m so excited that you’re here, but out of the blue like this? Oh my god, I’ve missed you so much.” She leaned back, taking her hands onmy face, and smiled. “You look good. God, you’ve grown. And your hair. Are you doing something different with it?”
“Mom, breathe,” I said with a laugh.
She hugged me again before breaking free. She looked at Kaleb. “And Kaleb, you look wonderful as well. My goodness, you both have grown so much. Muscular.” She squeezed my arms.
“Thanks, Mrs. Paisley.”
My mother waved a hand. “Your father is on an important call, but he should be getting off in just a moment.”
“Well, I’m going to go slip and say hi to my father.”
“Oh, how have you been? Are you living okay? Have you got a girlfriend?” My mother showered me with questions, but I looked at the vehicle in the driveway. I felt a tug toward the house.
“Hey, Mom. I’m going to go say hi to Dale. Do you want to check on Dad?”
My mother nodded. “Of course,” her eyes flicked over toward the car in the driveway, and she froze for a moment. Then she looked at me. “Jade is there.”
So, she was still driving that vehicle. Jesus, how is that even possible?
“Now, Brandon. You best not do anything.”
I made a face. “Mom, nothing is going on between us.”
My mother scowled at me. “I’m not blind and…” She fell silent, looking almost scared for a moment, before she seemed to rethink it. “Just…give me a minute. Let me grab your father, and we can go in together. Just wait.”
My mother turned and walked away in a hurry, and I took the moment to run after Kaleb. He opened the door, and I followed him inside. Dale’s house was exactly as I remembered it. “Dad,” Kaleb yelled as he slipped his shoes off.
I looked up the stairs, and my eyes widened as Jade stopped. Her eyes grew large, and my heart stopped beating. She looked…different.
I suddenly felt an ache deep in my chest. I could see bags under her eyes from exhaustion, and she looked like she was ready to cry behind the shocked expression.
