Thirteen Summers

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THIRTEEN SUMMERS

They arrived at the St. Claire household several hours later.

Josie wasn't used to such long flights. She fought sleep for as long as she could, but once she got into the car, the young girl was knocked out.

She woke to unfamiliar hands on her back, gently pulling her upright. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, landing on one of her brothers.

Josie didn't know whether it was Cameron or Roman, but at least she remembered their names. That alone felt like a small victory.

"I'm... I'm awake." She mumbled, shrugging out of his hold.

Avoiding his dark eyes, Josie looked down as she stepped out of the car. She wasn't keen on eye contact.

Across from her, she spotted Madison, her sister, watching her closely.

Josie immediately looked away.

The four siblings had arrived in two separate cars, Madison with one brother, Josie with the other.

Men began unloading luggage from the vehicles and carrying it into the house.

Hers and her siblings' belongings but mostly hers.

Ella had packed everything for her. Her entire life had been folded away into bags and suitcases in the span of just a few hours.

Josie's eyes glistened as she took in the sight. It made everything feel painfully permanent.

"Are you alright?"

She looked up at the voice, one of her brothers, though she still couldn't place his name.

He and the other two siblings had already begun heading toward the house before noticing that Josie hadn't followed.

Josie nodded, swallowing hard.

"Dinner should be ready in a few minutes. Roman made sure of it." He informed her.

So this must be Cameron, she thought.

She nodded again, silently.

Hesitantly, she began walking toward the house.

It was large, far larger than the townhouse she had grown up in, and intimidating.

Not just because of its size, but because of the people inside it. The stories held within its walls.

This was already a place where she didn't feel she belonged.

And the moment Josie stepped inside, the truth of it became clear.

As her burgundy pumps touched the polished floor and her eyes drifted over the family photographs lining the wall by the staircase, she knew.

This was a home.

Just not her home.

"Actually... I'm not really that hungry." Josie told him quietly. "I kinda just want to go to bed."

Cameron looked down at his sister. She looked exhausted, in more ways than one.

"I suppose that's alright." He agreed before turning to someone nearby. "Delia, could you show Josephine to her room?"

Josie followed the woman upstairs, keeping her eyes fixed straight ahead, deliberately avoiding the photos on the walls.

Once she was left alone in her room, she fell backward onto the bed.

Josie was exhausted. Completely drained.

She hadn't slept properly in the days following everything that had happened.