The Good Hair Family Sitcom

Short Episode 1: Moving In

TJ's POV

The stairs creak as I climb the final steps of the eighth staircase of the apartment complex. Dirt has matted the carpet down flat as though it's trying to become floor but fails to shine the way laminate would. I hear the grunts of my husband from behind me and turn to see him still six steps down, struggling to lug himself and the boxed kettle in his arms along.

"Need help?" I ask. 

"No. I got it. Thanks."

His words don't match the reality as he continues upward, each footstep lifting like caught in marshland. I only let him get two more stairs before I let out a chuckle and go down to take the kettle from him and bring it the rest of the way up. 

"Thank you," he says in a heavy breath.

He pulls himself up next to me on the landing, his forehead gleaming faintly with sweat. 

"How can the elevator be broken?" he complains. "That's not very wheelchair accessible."

I shrug. "At least we know Jayda's gonna be getting her exercise in."

Jayda and Andreas moved in this morning. The decision was only made last week, but somehow they found a place they could afford in that time. When they told me and Cyrus the rent, we were both surprised by how cheap it was, but seeing the broken elevator so far, I'm starting to understand it. Cyrus and I look around at the chipped paint on the doorways and water-stained ceiling as we walk down the hall. 

"I can't believe she's moving out," Cyrus says. "Just yesterday she was shocked to learn that vacuum cleaners have to be emptied."

I let out a laugh. "Yeah, she's gonna have fun learning she has to empty her toaster tray too."

We stop at the door numbered 805, and press the button for the doorbell, which has been worn from perfect white to translucent cream from years of use. We wait a few seconds for a response, but nothing happens. 

"They home?" I question. 

"Jayda said they'd be," Cyrus replies, "but she's not the most reliable."

I try ringing again, and this time I'm startled but how fast the door whips open, but only halfway. Jayda's head peaks out, putting on a wide grin when she sees us. 

"Oh, dads, hey!" She spots the box in my hands next. "Oh, a kettle! We need that. Thank you."

She takes the box from me, hopping a little to get it snug in one arm, the base resting on her hip.

"Is Andreas home?" Cyrus wonders. 

Jayda glances back as she answers, "Uh, yeah. Anyway—" She grabs the door with her free hand and starts to close it, but I talk again, making her pause.

"We also came to see if you wanted any help moving in?"

"Aw, thank you so much!" she chirps in a rush. "We are good."

"Is everything okay?" Cyrus asks.

She smiles big again. "Perfect. Love you both! Bye!"

A breeze hits us as our daughter whips the door shut, leaving us standing in the hall. Cyrus and I share a glance, thrown off by the abruptness of the visit. 

"We'll come back later," I decide.

Jayda's POV 

 I lean back on the door, using my weight to ensure it's sealed, and turn the lock without even looking. Andreas, who's half-lying on the couch in his jeans and cotton tee, brings his eyes to the box in my arm. 

"What you got there?" he asks. 

"A kettle."

"Oh, sweet."

I carry it over to the kitchen while I respond, ""Yeah," then drop it on the counter with a clunk. 

Hands now free, I scurry back over to him, his grin rising the closer I get. Once there, I climb back onto the sofa, reclaiming my place in his lap and continue the kiss that my dads interrupted. My fiancé's fingers glisten through the strands of hair, passed my ear and downward, until his hand reaches the small of my back where it settles and locks me in. Making out on our own couch, in our own apartment, without anyone to walk in and ruin it—this is my favorite part of moving out so far. 

Except the sudden electric pop sound that scares me and makes me whisper, yanking my attention up at the lightbulb that just burnt out. I catch the breath I lost—only half of which is from the startle. After staring at the faulty lighting fixture, I look at Andreas again. 

After a moment to take in the situation, he eventually says, "It's mood lighting," and gets right back to kissing me.

A/N: Hey, yall. I know it's been like a long time since I actually concluded this story, but I recently was rereading it, and I wanted to add a little more, so I have five more short episodes like this one planned that all take place after the 4 seasons. I also have created some little illustrations for different scenes in the book. Comment if there are any scenes you'd like illustrated. I'm not great at art, so they're pretty simple drawings, but I'm having fun doing them. Anyway, hope yall find some excitement seeing a bit more of my characters' lives following the series. Oh, I also added a song for Braydeion (I think that's what yall called it?) to Endings and Beginnings part 2, because I felt they needed a song. Thank you all! Bye!