“Erica says she’s wearing purple because she doesn’t care either way.”
Ah, there’s the teenage attitude I remember from my youth.
“Are you ready for the tour, Archer?” Jim asks, depositing the empty beer bottles in the recycling bin.
“Absolutely, sir.” I say as I put my disposable plate in the can. I follow Jim around the house he so carefully built for his family. It’s a gorgeous building, with tall ceilings and lots of windows. Sleek hardwood is laid throughout the first floor. Comfortable looking furniture is spread around in strategic areas where you can still enjoy the views from the windows, but you won’t be blinded by the sunlight streaming in. Joyce has decorated it with pops of color throughout the house giving it a warm, welcoming vibe.
He shows me the kitchen, the dining room and breakfast nook. I can just picture young Ellie eating her cereal in the nook with a book in front of her. Off the kitchen is the laundry room and bathroom. We navigate throughout the house as he tells me fun facts about each room. The living room where Ellie and Stella were caught trying to sneak out when they were in high school. The basement where he caught Easton trying to sneak a racoon in. The house holds many Taylor memories, and he enjoys recounting them for me.
Finally, we arrive upstairs where the bedrooms are, Ellie and her mom are already in Ellie’s room. Jim ushers me in and I take in the glory that is young Ellie’s bedroom. It is bright bubblegum pink, with the hot pink shag carpet in the middle of the gorgeous hardwood floor, an orange and pink polka dot bedspread covers the queen bed, teen magazine models cover the wall along with photos from high school and college. I caught a glimpse of the Halloween photo on a corkboardalong with other photos, a few of them include her friend Vi. She has her high school and college cross country and track medals decorating every shelf and surface that isn’t covered by knick-knacks. A collection of novels takes up the bulk of her shelves. Twilight seems to have earned a special place. It’s standing in front of other books, cover facing out.
“This is…” I don’t even bother trying to hide my grin.
“Do not finish that sentence Archer Earnest Bell.” Ellie warns.
Grinning, I continue to soak up young adult/teenage Elle and her design choices.
“I’m going to go wrangle the girls and get them in from outside.” Jim states, excusing himself.
“Now that he’s gone,” Joyce starts, “we are not under any false impression that you two do not sleep together. So, we have you in here for the weekend. Cece and Bella have the other two rooms for the night anyway.” She starts to walk out of the room but pauses at the threshold. “Please do try to keep quiet; the walls are rather thin.” She shoots us a saucy wink, and I look over and see Ellie with her face buried in her hands.
“Why can’t she be normal?” She laments. I can’t help it, a chuckle escapes. “It’s not funny!” She scolds.
“It’s a little funny.” I comment. I’m sure whatever she’s feeling right now, I will experience tenfold when she visits with my parents at the Grizzlies game.
“What’s with the boxes?” I nod at the stack of boxes in the corner.
“Mom wants me to take what I want so she can redecorate my room. She’s already done Estelle’s and Easton’s since they are married. I guess since I’m a spinster, she wanted to make sure I had my room should I have decided to come back.”
“That’s kind of sweet. I guess.” I wander around the room, touching and picking up various items. Imagining what she was like when she was little. “You’re taking Twilight, right?” I joke.
“Of course I am! It’s signed.”
“No, it’s not.” I look at her shocked.
“It is. Mom took me and Stella to a signing when it first came out.”
“That’s wow... That’s dedication.”
“Somewhere out there, there’s a little boy or girl, who feels the same way about an Archer Bell jersey so…”
I didn’t think of that. Huh. Who knew.
Chapter 33
Elle
What my mother and brother failed to mention is that the party is being held at my parents’ house. I should have expected it honestly. Nikki and Easton live in a charming ranch but they don’t have much yard space. Which apparently is needed since their gender reveal involves a game of wiffle ball where the last pitch goes to Easton regardless and the ball explodes and confetti rains down revealing what gender the baby will be. Which also explains why we had to wear either pink or blue. That’s apparently how the teams will be divided. They even have a contingency plan in place for if the teams aren’t evenly split. Erica and her friends apparently made 5 pink and blue tie-dye shirts for this event.
I don’t think we will need the tie-dye shirts since apparently; they invited like fifty people. I have no idea the size of the guest list but it’s big enough that my mom hired a catering company and a tent. Dad and Archer are out with the tent guys helping them set it up, while I’m inside with the girls setting up the inside.
Because apparently, yes, we are that family that goes all out for gender reveals. I shouldn’t be surprised. Easton was always extra. In high school he was captain of our school’s varsity baseball team, and during his time as captain he organized various outings as team bonding,including but not limited to: goat yoga, speed golfing, friendship bracelet making, TPing all varsity girls’ houses when they made it to the playoffs then helping them clean up, selling lemonade just for shits and giggles as a team then they donated all that money to a toy drive.
Which is how we are here. Blowing up balloons for the balloon arch that will be used for photographs.
“Ellie and Erica will you two pick up the cookies for me? There should be about 5 dozen at Valentino’s, they also made a baseball themed cake. It’s already paid for, but I think it’s too big of an order for one of you to go by yourself.”
Cece and Bella are already out getting ice and more soft drinks with the cash mom gave them. Mom, I think, likes to adopt all of our friends as her own. Her or dad handing over money to our friends and having them run errands like the rest of their biological kids is no surprise. Mom has also trusted Vi or Sadie with her credit card on several occasions. That’s just the way she is.
