Badges and Bikes

Chapter 6

Over the next hour, dad got everyone to leave. Mom was the  one who wanted to stay the most. She didn't want me to  stay by myself.

But she left when I promised to call if I needed anything.

I sit down with my photo albums from our childhood. It was always the three of us! Or a combination of two of us. I was always with one or both of them. Always! Now I'm alone. Completely and totally alone. David is gone forever. Drake and his family live six hours away.

Of course I have my family. But it isn't the same. Even Jax can't give my heart what David and Drake did. And he's the sibling that I'm closest to.

It was just after two thirty when my phone rang. "Hey, dad. Why aren't you asleep?" I answer his call.

He chuckled. "I notice that you aren't asleep either."

"I'm not sleepy, dad. I've been looking at pictures from our childhood. So what are you doing up?" I ask in return.

"Your mom and I were talking. But I am just calling to let you know that Jax is headed your way. He called me and said that he was going to you. He said that you need him more than we do."

"That is Jax for you. I'm ok with it, though. He can crash in the guest room."

"Alright, sweetheart. Tomorrow, we can put your bedroom back upstairs. If you want."

"I think that may help me sleep better. So yes, I want."

"Ok, baby. We will be there about eight o'clock."

"Ok, daddy. I'll see you then. I love you."

"I love you too, baby. Try to get some sleep, sweetheart."

"I will. Don't worry so much, dad. Go to sleep."

"Ok, sweetheart. Mom says to get some sleep also." He chuckles, then hangs up.

I crack a smile. Leave it to dad to hang up just to have the last word.

After another fifteen minutes, Jax rings the doorbell before entering with his key.

"Hey, little sister! Are you ok?" He asked with a hug.

"I'm ok, little brother. You didn't have to drive in tonight. But I'm glad you did."

He sits beside me and looks at the albums spread out on the table in front of us. "I did need to drive tonight. How else am I supposed to be here for you?"

He picks up one of the books and starts flipping through it. "Wow! I remember this trip! It was David's first vacation with us." He pointed to the Disney, family trip pictures.

David had talked his dad into going with us. David's mom decided that she would go too. Mainly because David's dad, Gerrard, had said that if he bought tickets for her, she better show up. Or be divorced the next week.

When Drake found out that David was going, he talked his mom and dad into letting him go with David.

I took one of the photos from the album. It was of the three of us standing in front of Mickey and Minnie mouse. We all had our arms around each other. "I loved that trip! We had so much fun." I took another picture out. This one was of David and Gerrard, on the rapids. "This was the last vacation before Gerrard's cancer came back. David and I talked about it a few times. He had great memories of his dad."

"I remember Gerrard. He was always smiling. David took after him for that."

"Which is a good thing. I would not have made him my friend if he was like Regina." I chuckled.

"Yes you would have. You would have made him change to fit your requirements." Jax laughed.

"You are probably right." I chuckle again.