A Family Affair (Hunter Street)

Chapter Nineteen -- A Missing Piece

"HEY, GUYS, I think I'm going to take a walk," Tess said to Jennie, Anika, and Evie, who were all sitting at the kitchen table. All three of them had their heads bowed together as they all looked at Anika's phone, presumably watching Jennie's most recent vlog. "It's so nice outside, and I don't want to spend another minute trying to figure out that poem."

"Have fun!" Evie said, waving to Tess with a wide smile on her face.

"I'll join you on that walk," Anika said, bouncing over to Tess. "Is that okay with you?"

"Sure."

"Evie and I will hold the fort down, I guess," Jennie said and laughed. She high-fived Evie. "And maybe we'll try to figure out that poem, too, so you won't lose your mind."

"Thank you," Tess said, laughing, too. Under her cheery exterior, Tess was struggling to come to terms with the fact that she couldn't figure out the freaking poem. Instead of showing them the intense feelings burning underneath her skin, she grinned. "Have fun as well!"

Anika grabbed Tess's arm, pulling her toward the door. Tess made a high-pitched noise as her arm was nearly yanked out of its socket. Before she was tugged out of the door, she managed to grab her jacket that was hanging from the hooks near the door. Anika was already pulling her outside, so she shut the door behind her, taking back her arm. 

"Wow, you're strong," Tess said, rubbing her arm where Anika's fingers had held on. She glared at her younger sister, trying to put on her jacket in peace. "What's gotten into you lately?"

"Well, besides the fact that I kind of blew up at everyone," Anika said, shrugging her shoulders, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah, I am." Anika took one long glance at Tess as they strolled down the street along the canal side. The sunlight glinted across the blue water. "But are you?"

"I can't figure out that poem," Tess said, shaking her head. She knew she couldn't keep her secrets around Anika because her sister always seemed to see right through her.

"Is that all?"

"Well, I'm a little scared that Max is going to move away and that our whole family is going to break up, but otherwise, that's it."

Anika started laughing, much to Tess's surprise. She glanced over at her sister and saw the sun shining down upon her straight brown hair. Tess hadn't seen that much happiness on her sister's face since before she went to Africa, but she didn't know why she was laughing at her expense right now.

"You need to stop worrying, Tess," Anika said, bumping into her shoulder. "Our family is just fine. We all still love each other, and we all still choose each other. That's what matters the most."

Tess couldn't help but agree with Anika. She was actually making sense, which was something that had never really happened before. Smiling at her younger sister, Tess wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to her. Anika slipped her arm around Tess's waist. 

"See?" Anika said to Tess. "You were all the way in Africa, and now you're home with us. What are you going to do now?"

Tess's happy attitude slipped away very quickly. That was the question that had been haunting her ever since she got back to Amsterdam. She quickly took her arm away from Anika with a small sigh but continued walking with her in silence. She hated that question right now. Erik and Kate had been asking her that question since she got back, and she really didn't have an answer for them just yet. All she wanted to do was spend time with her family and just relax.

"Max told me you hurt his feelings the other day," Anika said suddenly.

Tess glanced over at Anika with a frown on her face. She had no idea what Anika was talking about at all. A weird feeling settled in her chest as she asked, "What do you mean?"