A Collection of Short Stories

Room 332

Room 332 is a very familiar room number to the Andersen family. It was the first home they shared on the 10th floor at the Nineth Street Hotel. Georgia and Robert Andersen had their eldest daughter, Amanda, in that hotel room because the hopital is across town. Their middle child, a daughter, Lauraine, had been proposed to in this hotel room. The youngest daughter, Jenny, had her very first kiss in this hotel room. The only son, Carter, that was Robert's child before his marriage to Georgia, was going to have his wedding in this hotel room. Something has happened to everyone in this family in Room 332, every event in life. Including death. 

Georgia and Robert Andersen both died January 16th, 2006. 

It's been five years since the incident. Carter is now 27, Amanda is 24, Lauraine is 21, and Jenny is 19. This incident hurt their family, but instead of breaking apart, Amanda, Carter, and Carter's girlfriend at the time, now fiance, Jasmine, kept them together. Carter and Jasmine want to have their wedding in this room, just so Carter's mother and step father can be part of the ceremony. Pictures and their ashes wouldn't be enough. This hotel was so important to them, and the employees inside were going to be part of the wedding; they are all family. 

Since there were no other males in the family, Amanda helped Carter prepare for his wedding day. Jenny, Lauraine, and Jasmine's two sisters helped Jasmine. There were three bedrooms in this hotel room, and when the siblings were living here, one room belonged to their parents, one to the girls, and one to Carter. Amanda helped Carter prepare for his wedding in his old bedroom, and nothing had changed for five years. Still posters of girls such as Britney Spears and J-Lo. Still the same checkered comforter that kept Carter and Jasmine warm after a long night of dancing at their senior Prom. Still the same empty desk top, all his papers were tucked neatly inside the drawers. The only thing brightening up this room was the open window, and Amanda's hot pink dress. Amanda was Jasmine's maid of honor, Amanda was the one who set Jasmine and Carter up together. Tying the tie tight, Carter hugged his little sister. They might not be blood related, but Carter and Amanda grew up together, and out of all his sisters, Amanda was who he was closest with. 

"You look beautiful, sis," Carter told his sister.

"Thanks, Carter. You look pretty handsome," Amansa replied.

"I love you, Amanda," Carter said, pulling his sister close to him in a hug. Amanda hugged him back, and they just stayed together in a warm embrace in silence. 

"I still miss them," Amanda whispered, and Carter heard the sadness, knowing tears were about to stream down his baby sister's cheeks. He pulled away from her and kissed Amanda's forehead. After a few minutes, Amanda spoke up. "But we're not going to think about today. Today is your day, Carter." Amanda pulled a smile onto her face. Carter reached for his blazer and pulled it on. The photographer should be taking pictures of Jasmine and the other girls right now, and Jasmine with her parents. Jasmine and the girls were preparing in the girls' old room. Jenny and Lauraine should come into Carter's old room any minute to start their pictures, so Carter and Amanda quickly removed some posters from one wall, the brightest colored wall in the room, and made it work for some family pictures. 

Directly after Amanda and Carter finished, Jenny, Lauraine, and the photographer entered Carter's room. The photgrapher gave the siblings some instruction, before taking dozens of pictures. All of them would be set up in Jasmine and Carter's house, where all of them would live, until each of the three girls decided they needed to move out to live by themselves. 

About an hour after the Andersen family pictures, Carter and Jasmine declared their vows to each other, and Jasmine was now Mrs. Andersen. Carter and Jasmine tied the knot with a kiss, and everyone in the room applauded. The photographer wanted one last picture before the reception, so he had Carter and Jasmine hold each other around their waists, Carter's sister behind him, and Jasmine's sisters behind her. Jasmine's parents put their arms around their three girls, and the Andersen siblings had a weird feeling on their shoulders. They felt something touching them. Nothing was there though, so all thoughts slipped their minds. The photographer ended up snapping a dozen pictures, before letting everyone go about their business; either staying up here in this room, or heading down to the reception in the ballroom.