Her Name Was Summer

Fool's Holiday

Summer's POV

After a five and a half hour flight with a screaming baby and a 30 minute cab ride from the airport, I arrived at the steps of my old home. I haven't been home in over a year, and haven't been here for the holidays for a few years. I didn't even call Beck about coming, maybe I'd feel less anxious at this moment if I had. There is a little shame in not making time for family.

I rang the doorbell and waited patiently for an answer. The crisp November breeze was causing me to shake in my boots. No one came to the door, which is weird because both cars are in the driveway. I took out my phone and FaceTimed Beck.

"Hey sweetheart, happy thanksgiving." She said. She was clearly outside with the sun beating down on her face, and wearing a sun hat.

"Hey, I came home for Thanksgiving, where are you all?" I asked and her eyes widened.

"Oh Summer, I wish you had called. We actually decided to go to Cancun this year." She said and I sighed to myself.

"I'm sorry I didn't call, I'll just catch the next flight back to California."

"Don't be ridiculous, the spare key is under the mat. You came home this year for a reason. We'll be back Monday evening if you're still there."

I nodded, "Alright, I will see you when you get back. Enjoy Cancun."

"Love you kid." She said and ended the call.

I brushed the snow off the doormat with my sleeve before pulling the mat up and grabbing the key. My hands were trembling in the cold but I managed to unlock and get myself and my suitcase through the door. As I walked through the halls, I started to remember all the laughter shared in these walls, and began to tear up a bit.

I'm mad at myself for not being around more, and becoming consumed by everything else. I haven't been a great niece, and I think I've failed at being a sister. When Elijah was a baby I was with him everyday. At that time my mom still had custody despite her addictions. I couldn't be away from him until Beck got custody because every moment he was alone with my mom, was a moment I couldn't breathe. My mother was never in the house when I fell asleep at night. She never got me toys or read me fairytales. She never got me to school on time because she was out partying all night. She never showed up to any of my performances, graduation, or even a damn parent teacher conference. She would have her friends over and lock me away in my room so she could party. I was lucky if there was ever food in the house. I was lucky to have the teachers that I did, and even luckier to have Elena. Her mom would drive me to school, pack me lunches, make me dinners, after the fifth grade I practically moved into their guest bedroom. It wasn't until my mom got pregnant with Elijah that she wanted me back in her life. We got into a fight, things got physical and that's how I ended up at Beck's house that very first summer. It seemed like she was finally cleaning up her act until I got a phone call from CPS on my nineteenth birthday, asking me if I could take my baby brother because my mother had been arrested for reckless endangerment and possession of an illegal substance. Beck got everything sorted out and adopted Elijah.

Maybe I'm jealous of my brother for being able to get have the childhood that I didn't get to have, maybe that's why I've been avoiding coming home.

I went into the kitchen and looked through the fridge for something to drink. It was basically empty, which makes sense because they're on vacation, but there was a bottle of red wine. It'd been a long day already, so decided to pour myself a glass. I ordered Chinese food for delivery and eagerly sat by the window waiting for it to arrive. A car finally pulled up but it was Alex that got out of the car. What is he doing here?