Photograph

6||Bradford

"Make sure you call me everyday baby"

I nod as Brayden continues to go over her checklist.

"I'm serious"

I nod again before she smacks a pair of black Ray Bans onto my face.

"Eveeeeeeyday" I stress out as she starts smiling then laughing. So overprotective of me. So so overprotective.

"Alright let me have her" Nicola pulls me away to hug Brayden and then we're off to the jet.

The flight was an exhausting nine hours, no sleeping for me as Nicola made sure to talk me to death to keep my mind occupied but she was just annoying the hell out of me. But I appreciate it.

And then the ride to my house wasn't that long but it did not stop from cameras flashing in my face at every step there, even when I dug my hand into bronze flower pot to pull out the spare key.

Gotta change that now.

The house is different, it's an actual house not that ridiculous small house that I grew up in, kinda like a townhouse and fought with Sally over who should actually go in the bathroom first in the morning as there were only two.

A typical russet bricked house, two stories, and enormous white rectangular windows that sure produce a lot of light. And after stepping on the wet stone driveway, I will be taking off my black boots off before I step inside. The grass is healthy and the rose bushes are tended to-a secret talent of Adam's he's too ashamed to admit.

The sun is nonexistent as its ten at night and the moon casts a light on my hand.

I do take off my boots, placing them on the second bricked step where the horrendous pile of shoes are before I open the door and step inside.

I didn't actually tell anyone I was coming and I guess that would explain why no one was here. And I am grateful.

Not admiring any of the extensive decorating my mother has done in here, I march up the wooden stairs to my room, which I've never been in but I can tell is mine because Adam put "Kimberley sucks" on an orange post it.

Walking inside and closing the white door behind me, my mother's fingers have been here too.

I said here take this house I brought you and live in it and make your own. And she did evidently.

The walls are a light gray, a circular mirror hanging over a khaki desk that is the same color as the bed frame which lacks any type of sheets or blankets. So I pull my periwinkle suitcase onto the bed and open it only to take out a pair of kiwi colored socks.

But then I do admire how there's a bronze picture frame on the white night table and I pick it up.

It's a picture of the four of us, Sally holding Adam, he's holding onto me and I'm nearly dropping Amy onto the grass. My mother keeps saying it is the cutest picture in the universe but it's kind of distracting to see yourself almost ending your sister-whom is only one in this photo-life.

"When did you get here?" A Bradford accent is alive and well, radiating from my stepfather Steven. I should be getting used to that, the only accent that I hear all the time is a American Southern, Cuban infused one.

"Not too long ago, it was supposed to be a surprise, so...surprise" My hands jolt into the air as Steven comes to give me a warm hug.