girl next door ☆ c. sturniolo

0.5 she's all grown up, she don't come home anymore

Sunday afternoon approached way quicker than Addie wanted it too. She was nervous. Mary Lou and Jimmy hadn't crossed paths with Addie much since she's been back, and she was unsure where their relationship stood. Sure, Mary Lou had been kind to her when she did see the woman, but that was before she could have known any fraction of the truth.

Addie was dressed up tonight, wearing a long sleeve black dress, with her doc martin boots. She applied light makeup this time, just some mascara and blush. A small part of her wanted to look like the girl everyone used to know, but she's not sure if she could even recognize her. She wore the only dress she owned, as it used to be a silly tradition Addie, Mary Lou, and her mother had made years ago.

Six years ago...

"I just feel like one of the boys, you know?" Addie complained to Mary Lou one random night, while helping the older woman make dinner. Addie's parents were supposed to arrive any minute, as it was the last Sunday of the month, their monthly dinner party. The two families would gather around the table to share a meal and catch up. It was harder for the adults to find time to get together with work and kids getting in the way.

Mary Lou grinned at the girl, "I know exactly how you feel, sweet pea. How about this? For our dinners, why don't us girls start dressing up? Wear pretty dresses, do our makeup and hair, and pretend we're dining out for the night." She suggested, making Addie's eyes light up with excitement.

Addie squealed happily, "Yes! That would be so cool, and we could take pictures every time so there's no chance of anyone forgetting how pretty we looked." She added on, twirling around the kitchen. Mary Lou let out a chuckle, watching Addie's mother enter the kitchen, holding a bottle of wine.

"Woah, I think we have a twister in here!" Addie's mom laughed, setting down the bottle of wine to help her daughter stop spinning before she could get nauseous. Addie immediately filled her mom in on the idea Mary Lou came up with, stumbling over her words in such a rush to get them out.

"That sounds like a great idea, but it does sound like we might have to go dress shopping soon..." Claire trailed off, winking at Mary Lou as Addie's excitement only got brighter.

Addie's dad let out a huff from the entryway of the kitchen, "Sounds like an expensive idea." Gavin spoke seriously, for all of two seconds, before he let a grin settle on his lips. Admiring his family for the craziness they are.

Nick, Matt, and Chris came stumbling into the kitchen, being able to overhear Addie's excited chattering from the living room.

"What's going on?" Matt asked, as he came to stare into the pot his mother was fussing over.

Addie grinned, "It's a girl thing Matty, you wouldn't understand." She giggled as he began to chase her around the kitchen island, his brothers soon joining in.

Ever since that Sunday, the girls held up to their promise of dressing up for dinner. The boys followed suit most days, once Nick showed up in a suit and tie he somehow managed to steal from his father, making everyone cackle as he sat down at the dinner table.

Addie wondered if they'd remember the idea and also be wearing dresses too, and if the men would wear nicer clothes. A small part of her was worried they'd have no idea what she was even talking about if she brought it up, it had been a couple of years since they did that.

Addie checked the time and realized she needed to go downstairs, or her parents would leave without her. She absolutely did not want to walk in by herself.