The Bridge And Beyond

Chapter 4

When we got back to my house, the expression on her face was priceless as I opened the gates to the massive birds. Pure excitement. She ran past the gate, happy and squealing. "You have emus!" She kept repeating in shock and awe as she approached the first with great caution. "Do they bite?" She whipped her head around. "Nope, go ahead and pet her" she lightly laid her hand on it's feathers on it's back, then quickly retracted them, and releasing another squeal. "Oh my god! Thats so cool" she ventured to pet him again. This time a little more comfortably. I could help laugh at how excited she was over something I was so used to. She turned around to look at me and I watched as the zany little baby bird, who was almost up to my thigh, creep up behind her, and get really close, then peck at her button on the butt of her jeans, making her jump. "Woah! Not that, thats my moneymaker" once he got familiar with her, he started pecking at anything shiny or distended that she wore. Rings, bracelets, buttons, belts, you name it, Andy probably pecked at it on Tara. She just laughed it off, probably still in shock at the emus. "Wanna go get something to drink?" It was a scorching day outside. "Sure, Im thirsty as hell" we went to my porch and walked through the threshold. "Grandma, Im home, brought a friend, gonna get some water" "okay sweetie" she replied from her red velvet recliner, still watching toddlers and tiaras. We made our way to the kitchen, and I grabbed two water bottles from the fridge, handing her one. "Thanks man" we went back outside and sat on the porch, looking at the view of the other houses on the street. She told me about her family and life. "You have a sister?" "Yeah, Talia" "Wait, what's your last name?" "Glen" "I work with your sister" "really? You work at Crab Joes?" Crab joes was a local seafood restaurant that I also work at, and my mother also owns. I was only allowed to bus tables and hostess on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. "Yeah, Im the owners daughter" I saw an awkward smile wipe across her face. "What?" I asked, laughing at the face she was making. "Talia told me that the owners son is super hot and that I should tap that" I busted at the seems laughing. "You two would be a cute couple" I said looking over her again. "I've never seen him" "his half mexican" she looked at me weird. "But you're as white as white gets" "he's my half brother" "oh" she looked at her phone. "I gotta go bro, gotta go get dinner with my mom" "okay, wanna ride?" "Nah, I'll just walk" "okay" she got out of the padded chair and started off down the road. "Text me later" she called. "Cool" I yelled back, walking inside. I went into my bedroom and just laid on my bed. Thinking.