Don't Worry About Me • Guy Germaine

chapter twenty nine - welcome home

lyndon williams

monday, july 9th

I wasn't planning on saying goodbye to Sierra after what I heard, was she really jealous of me? And dating my brother just because she missed me. I had better things to focus on than a fake friend. I was going to see my boyfriend and my new best friends. But I still didn't have my necklace. I had his ring but my necklace was nowhere to be found. Last night I looked everywhere, but everything had already been cleaned.

It was 8 am and I had just shut the door to the house. I put my house key under an obviously fake rock next to our spare key. There had been a lot of times Dylan forgot his key after baseball. He was in the car already while I walked down the cement driveway.

Out of nowhere, my neighbour, Sheila Mertle, ran out of her house. Sheila was an older black woman who had taught me about segregation. She used to live in California and she loved baseball and softball. Her husband used to be a professional baseball player alongside Babe Ruth and Lou Gerig. You could say that Dylan looked up to him a lot before he died.

"Wait baby! I have a going away gift for you and your brother!" She said waddling down her driveway. I ran to her so she wouldn't have to walk with her cane.

"You didn't have to get us anything." I tried saying to her.

She patted my shoulder while taking a red scarf out of her side pocket, "Oh I know, but my husband wanted me to give you these when you guys went to college. But I don't know if I'll be around for that, so here."

My heart almost broke hearing that sentence. I unwrapped the scarf slowly to make sure I didn't damage anything. Once I got to the gift I almost started crying. It was two small baseballs, with little messages on them. I didn't read Dylan's because I wanted it to be special to him. But I couldn't stop reading mine.

Lyndon Jude,
Watching you grow up has been amazing. From when you first hit a softball to now. I remember you catching a ball for the first time with your best friend. Just remember that the two of us are always here with you for anything you need. We love you always.

Mr. and Mrs. Mertle

I looked up from the ball and wrapped my arms around her, "Thank you for everything." I whispered. I then walked to the car and got it. Dylan drove off as we waved at her. I didn't stop looking at her until we turned the corner. "This is for you, from both of them." I told him.

He looked at the ball and I watched his eyes gloss up, "They have to be the sweetest people in the world." he almost broke.

-

We pulled up to the house. I studied the outside of it. It looked like the picture. There were fancy stairs connecting the sidewalk to the small walkway to the front door. The house was a mix of a cottage and small mansion type home.

I threw the black hood of Guy's hoodie over the braids in my hair. I grabbed my sunglasses, special box, and my phone. I quickly opened the door and ran up the yard. Adam's house was next door and I didn't want him to see me.

After entering the house everything felt right. The walls were somehow the perfect colour, the floor was the right temperature underneath my bare feet, and even the smell had a sense of home. I found the open stairs that led to the basement. I walked down the thirteen steps and dragged my hand along the railing. Turning the corner my eyes widened as I looked at the amazing basement. A project hung from the ceiling over seven red movie chairs.I ran back up the stairs to tell Dylan. He wasn't in the living room, or the front room. So I ran up the stairs trying to see where he was. I looked into every room and bathroom. Which were ridiculously amazing.