Plain Jane

Meeting part 1:

A/N: Picture of Jude^

I walked up to the faded yellow house on my right. The house was often looked over with the cherry wood accents and a wrap around porch with white swings and rocking chairs, on the outside it could be looked as awkward because of its shape and color. But the inside was where all the money was. The mix matched stone pathway was rickiety, but I knew which ones to jump over from the simple fact that this was my second home. Not really, but the Hughes' yellow home (the third on the right if I came from Pickett street) was where I would spend every day after school and mostly every weekend. Mileigh Joe and Carleigh Jean Hughes were my best friends for as long as the amount of time that we have be accessed. 10 years if we are being technical.  Their mom was a laid back woman, with auburn hair and smile that was always welcoming. When Lorraine was home she was this rare type of person that can only be described as a hippy with a hint of business with the morals of a saint. She was the smartest, kindest woman you'd ever meet, although Carleigh and Mileigh were often the first to forget this. I'd once asked Lorraine why the yellow, why not something more normal. I was 7 and had insisted to be called Veronica Jane so i could be like Mileigh Joe and Carleigh Jean. She leaned down and whispered "Why make things ordinary when you have the power to make it extraordinary?" I went home after many hours with Mileigh Joe and Carleigh Jean trying to find an extraordinary name. We came up with things like Cinderella, Belle, Finonna, and Hermione but that day when I got home I Insisted to be called Vern . Telling my mother that Veronica and Jane were just too ordinary for me. She let me choose what others called me, but she and my family called me Jane. That was the day I fell in love with this extraordinary yellow house and the people inside.

When we were 8 Lorraine and Phel got married. Phel Hughes was an impeccable man and loved Mileigh Joe and Carleigh Jean like they were his own. I only know that Lorraine's first husband and the twin's birth father died shortly after Lorraine was impregnated, none of them tell me how and I don't ask. She didn't know about the girls' until three weeks after his funeral.
Phel's ex-wife had cheated on him with another man, got pregnant by said other man and then ran away with him leaving Phel only a signed divorce paper and her wedding rings. Phel was told that he was unable to have kids of his own, and was devastated by the fact that that was what pushed his ex wife away. Then when we were 10 Lorraine got pregnant with Jude David Hughes and the rest is in history. Jude had been Phel's miracle baby, although Lorraine says it was all her because she can bear any fruit, barren or not. 

I walked up the door and opened it like the many of times before. I swiftly removed my coat and boots and padded into the kitchen on the right. The low lights were on and I could hear the soft chatter from the dining room. I took that as a business dinner for Phel's firm and headed up the front stairway over to the twins' rooms. I walked down to Mieligh Joe's knowing with the shared bathroom Carleigh would join quickly. But to my surprise at the end of the hall they both and Jude sat on the top step in the back stairway.

"What's going on?" I whispered as I neared them.

Jude turned and looked at me with a grimace that was not becoming to his handsome 7 year old face. His emerald eyes and messy brown hair made him look like his father but his soft face was definitely Lorraine's.

"Verny, Phel's ex wife stopped by today." Mileigh replied.

"What?" I whisper yelled. I rushed over and placed Jude in my lap so I had room by the girls. Carleigh Jean was squished in between me and Mileigh Joe.

"Yeah, she just popped in and was like 'Phel baby I made a mistake.' and then Mom came swooping in with her spatula in hand and freaking welcomed the lady for dinner." Mileigh Joe explained. Even with her voice in a whisper you could hear the worry in her voice.

"Joe, it's probably nothing." I assured her.

"She had a boy with her." Carleigh Jean interrupted.

"Carleigh I told you there is no way, Dad said he couldn't have kids remember." Mileigh Joe squeaked.

"Yeah well where do you suppose Jude came from?" Carleigh sassed over to Mileigh then looked to me "And anyway he looked in his late teens, mom and Phel did get married 8 years after his divorce. Which means he would be 1 year older than us. It fits."

"No it doesn't." Mileigh argued back.

"Mileigh, you are only mad because you think he is hot and you don't want to be related to him."

"Technically, we aren't related." I shuddered at the thought of an what another one of Phel's kids would be like. I mean don't get me wrong Phel was a nice looking dude and an awesome person, but Jude was practically a 10/10 across the boards on being cute, sweet, honorable, and basically the most perfect human being around. You can't really have two out of two outcome on that.

"Eww, seriously Joe?! That's 'technically' your step brother if he is Phel's." I joined in.

"So does that mean I have a brother?" Jude whispered. All three of our eyes went wide,we had completely forgotten who was in the room with us.

"Maybe Jude, Maybe." Was all Carleigh could say.

We sat for 20 more minutes, but couldn't make out but a few words here and there.

"Kids can you come down here?" Lorraine called from the bottom. We all looked at each other then

they all got up and hesitantly walked down the stairs. I sat there tapping my socked foot on the wood stairs, pulling nervously at my cream sweater for a few minutes then heard a familiar sigh echo up the walls to my ear, and knew what about to happen.

"Vern, that meant you too." I could feel the blush rising to my cheeks as I walked down the stairs. When I made it to the bottom I was met with the familiar subtle purple room with the cherry wood chandelier that matched perfectly with the cherry wood table and chairs. The cream carpet still as clean as when the put it in here 6 years ago. And everyone sitting in their proper place setting except mine was occupied by a black haired lady that looked like she hadn't slept in three days. Other that the lack of sleep her pale blue eyes seemed dull and her skin lacked color was what made me wonder what made her so sad. She slouched in her chair as she nervously looked into the next room which was the hallways to the living room.

"Verny," Lorraine scolded "How many times have I told you that you are like my second child. And you are to be treated as such."

"About 300 times, Lorraine." I sighed.

She merely nodded which rang warning bells in my head. Lorraine never left that conversation go. I'm serious when I say we have this argument every time I am at there house, but her lack of words let me know something serious was wrong.

"Vern," Phel interrupted, "this is Melody Jacobs. My ex-wife."

"Hello, Mrs. Jacobs." I said politely

"Hello, Vern?" She said my name more like a question.

"Short for Veronica." I explained.

"Oh." was all she said.

Everyone got quiet as footsteps started to come from down the hall. I knew this was who everyone was stressing over. The infamous boy who could be Phel's. I looked at Mileigh Joe and Carleigh and their gazes were both locked on the door, telling me that they were just as curious about this boy as me. As the footsteps got closer my heart started pounding.

As soon as he rounded the corner our eyes locked immediately and my stomach dropped as I was met with familiar emerald orbs now formed into a look of sincere shock.

"Oh my bloody god." Was the first thing the egotistical, life saving, jerk said.

"You have got to be kidding me." I groaned.