The days leading up to the road trip felt slow and tense. Zariah and Sage tried to ignore the upcoming changes, hanging out as usual, but the looming reality of the new arrivals stayed at the back of their minds. Both of them still hadn’t fully processed the idea of their families growing overnight, especially with strangers.
Late one evening, they found themselves in Zariah’s room, curled up on the floor with blankets and pillows, falling asleep to the sound of a movie playing in the background. The movie had long since ended, but neither of them had the energy to turn it off.
The next thing Zariah knew, she was being gently shaken awake.
“Zariah. Sage. Wake up,” came Marcus’ familiar voice, a touch of excitement in his tone.
She rubbed her eyes, sitting up groggily as the early morning light streamed through the curtains. Sage was still asleep, her arm draped lazily over her face.
“What time is it?” Zariah mumbled, still half asleep.
“Doesn’t matter,” Marcus replied, already heading toward the door. “Come on, girls. Downstairs. Now.”
Zariah shook Sage awake, and both of them quickly threw on their hoodies before stumbling downstairs, still trying to shake the sleep from their eyes. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the scene before them took a second to process.
Aaron walked in, carrying a car seat with a tiny baby inside. Zariah’s eyes widened, confusion written all over her face. She hadn’t been expecting a baby at all.
“Who’s that?” Zariah asked, glancing between her parents.
“This,” Teresa smiled, stepping closer to the baby, “is your new baby sister, Sariyah.”
Zariah blinked, completely stunned. A baby?
As Zariah processed this, two teens walked through the front door. They both looked around nervously, their faces guarded. Teresa stepped forward, ushering them inside.
“And these two,” Marcus added, “are Dess and Jessika.”
Zariah and Sage exchanged glances, both unsure of what to say.
“Hey,” Zariah muttered awkwardly, not sure how to greet them. “I’m Zariah.”
Sage stood silently beside her, offering a slight wave as well.
The teens, Dess and Jessika, nodded in return, their expressions unreadable. There was an air of discomfort in the room, the kind that came with unfamiliarity and uncertainty. Everyone was trying to figure out how to navigate this sudden and overwhelming situation.
Teresa turned toward Zariah and Sage, her tone softening. “I know this is all a lot, but Dess and Jessika are part of the family now, just like Sariyah.”
Zariah stared at the baby in the car seat, her mind racing. She had expected changes, but not this—definitely not a baby and two teens she knew nothing about. She could feel her summer slipping away even more.
Marcus clapped his hands together, breaking the silence. “Alright, everyone, let’s get settled. There’s a lot to adjust to, but we’ll figure this out.”
Zariah and Sage stayed quiet, both of them feeling like they were at the start of something they hadn’t asked for. All they could do now was watch as the next chapter of their lives unfolded, one they had no control over.
The New Additions:
Dess & Jess
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