Crooks & Nooks

Epilogue

(Takes place four years in the future, two weeks after Ray and Will graduated college)

I stepped off of the plane, feeling disoriented. I lugged my bags with me and headed straight for the Starbucks. It was 11 at night, which wasn't too late, but I had spent last night at a party and barely slept so I was pretty exhausted.

After getting some coffee, I got a cab ride home. Since I had been out of college for only two weeks, I was getting used to my new apartment and job for the summer. Since I was going to law school in the fall, I was only home for a couple weeks. I was glad to be home, seeing the familiar buildings and scenery.

It hadn't been too long since I was home, only since Christmas, but when I had last talked to Will, we had been on bad terms and we weren't able to patch things up yet. I really needed to talk to Will and my family. I had missed them too, especially Brandon. Will was starting his job as an aeronautical engineer soon and I was proud of him.

We had been fighting and I was dreading seeing him as much as I was overjoyed. There wasn't a specific thing that we had been arguing about, it had been about anything and everything.

Soon the cab was pulling up on my street. I took in the familiar home and smiled. Charlie was coming to visit tomorrow and Brandon was already home. I missed Mom and Dad. I missed Liz and Mase. I missed Chris and Matt.

I paid the cab driver and grabbed both of my bags. When I stepped up the stairs, I found myself just standing in front of the door, not able to get inside. I just thought of every moment in this house, both good and bad. I was glad to be home. I smiled to myself and stepped into the home.

I set my bags on the floor, my eyes adjusting to the harsh lights and felt a giant hug. Me, being unprepared and tired, fell, and pulled my brother onto the ground with me.

"Ray!" Brandon said and I put my arms around him.

My younger brother had turned twenty months ago, but sometimes, he acted as if he was two.

I laughed as we laid on the floor, relishing my baby brother's presence.

"Mom and Dad have been driving me crazy," Brandon said and I laughed.

I shoved Brandon off of me, "Get off, you weigh so much."

"All muscle," he winked and flexed.

We laughed and he helped me off the floor.

"Mom's asleep upstairs and Dad's asleep on the couch," he said and went upstairs to get Mom.

I walked into the living room and sat on my dad's legs, causing him to jolt awake.

"Ouch," he mumbled, not even opening his eyes.

"C'mon Dad, you won't even wake up to say hi to your daughter, which you haven't seen in six months?"

"I'm up," he mumbled before his eyes opened.

"Hey, Dad," I greeted.

"Hey, daughter," he said before sitting up. I wrapped my arms around him in a hug and he rubbed his eyes before pushing me off onto the couch seat next to him.

"Is Ray home yet?" I heard Mom yell and then her footsteps pounding down the stairs.

"Nope, not yet," I said, doing the best impression of Dad.

"Ray!" she yelled as she saw me on the couch.

I hopped up and hugged my mom.

After we had talked for a while, I headed over to the fridge to satisfy my grumbling stomach. I grabbed some pasta and put it into the microwave to heat.