The Wanderers

Chapter 2 || Lacey 2003

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"Damien, give it back!" I scream as I chase him down the hall. He's got my Barbie; it wouldn't matter except when he takes my Barbie's he tends to cut their hair. He's already given three of my Barbie's new haircuts and I don't want this one to be the fourth. So, now I'm chasing him, but it's not a fair chase because he has longer legs being that he is five and a half years older than me. He finally stops and puts my Teresa doll high above his head. Then, looks down at me with a smile.

"If you can get it, you can have it," he smirks, thinking himself victorious.

"That's it," I say, looking at where he decided to stand. Right next to the couch. I may not be very tall, but I can climb. He nods. That's all I need before I'm climbing up onto the couch, on the arm of the sofa, and lifting onto his back. He starts spinning me around trying to get me off, but after years of doing this little dance. I'm pretty much a pro now when it comes to staying on. He still has his hand above his head. I just need it to get lowered a little less than an inch and the doll is mine. So, I cheat and go for his weak spot; just under his armpit.

"Not even fair," he strains, trying to keep from laughing, but I don't care I've got my eye on the prize. He moves his hand down and I snatch it!

Luke screams, "And she is victorious!" As he runs for me to grab my arms, while Damien holds on to my feet. They swing me a few times back and forth. I love when they do this. It feels like I'm floating. Believe it or not, but this is when I feel the safest. Up in the air with both of my brothers lifting me. Then, they swing and let go, so I'm momentarily propelling through the air. Until I hit the couch that is.

Luke is only two years older than me, but people say we could be twins; we have the same naturally tan skin, dark brown hair, and green eyes. Not to mention, our names Lacey and Luke, but we could not be complete without Damien he really ties us together. His facial features practically match ours, button nose, heart-shaped face, round eyes, and thick eyelashes. Mom says we get our eyes from our Dad. She says, "There's an angel in heaven with eyes as sweet as ours". Mom is one of those people that just has a way with words.

Dad passed away a few years after I was born from a heart attack. Mom says Dad's heart wore out. Damien is the only one, who really remembers what he looks like from memory, not a picture. I can't really say I miss him because I don't know him, but I miss the idea of him. I'm sad that I can't call Dad and a man, who looks like me comes in asking me what I need. I'm sad that I'll never have a father daughter dance, or that I won't get to roll my eyes when I bring home a guy or friend he doesn't like, but I have my Mom and my brothers, and that's enough love for me.

Mom walks through the door, "Honeys' I'm home," she calls to us. Damien walks over to her to get her bags, "Thanks, sorry, I'm so late," she says, panting from the little walk up the stairs to our apartment. "But I have some amazing news for you guys. There both really big and I mean really big, and exciting changes for us." I imminently get excited because of the animation in her voice. I looked at Luke, who is now sitting beside me on the couch; he shook his head and winked at me.

"What is it, Mom?" Damien asked, looking at her from the kitchen table.

"Oh, no. You go sit in the living room," she told Damien. He listened and walked quicker than usual to sit on the other side of me. Mom pulled the desk chair out to sit in front of us. "I got the job!" She announced her voice raising an octave or two.

Luke jumped up, "Mom that's awesome!" He told her, giving her a tight squeeze. Followed by Damien and I. "So when do you start?"

"Well, they want me to start next month, but they are forwarding my pay, so I'll have the money in advance. And here's where the other bit comes in," she told us. For some reason, my eyes move from her animated face to her hands and I just watch them as she explains that with this job means more money, so we would be moving.

"Where?" Luke and Damien said in unison.

"Well, I've been in contact with this guy, who recently put a house on the market. He wants to rent it really cheap."

"Mom, we need details," Damien exclaimed, getting just as excited as Mom.

"Okay, then get in the car and I'll show you our new house!" So we did. The house is about ten minutes away from our apartment complex and it's on Chip Way. In fact, all the streets are named after characters from Beauty and the Beast! Not to mention, there's a pool! I was looking at the houses we were passing all of which could fit our apartment times two. We came to a stop beside a giant Christmas tree. "Okay, close your eyes," she said to all of us. We quickly obeyed too anxious to wait. She drove a little further, up to a driveway, and came to a stop. "This is it, open up."

The driveway was aligned with rocks and palm trees, there are two windows placed in the center of the house trimmed with light blue paint. Over to the side of the windows are two small steps that lead to a door.

"Can we go in?" I asked. As soon as I said it, both Damien and Luke, who had been taking the reigns in the asking and talking department, looked at her waiting for an answer.

"Well, I mean it's not like I have a key, yet," she told us looking down. Then, her face perked up a bit, "but wait I do."

We all bounced out of the car and into the new house. We walked with Mom through the opening of the house. She showed us the wide-open living room and Damien were mystified by the idea of a dishwasher. It's his job to clean the dishes at the apartment. I was too busy freaking out about the fireplace! Luke decided he doesn't need furniture and just laid on the ground in the living room. "Don't you guys want to see your rooms." I didn't think it was possible to go as fast as Damien and Luke did to see their rooms. They sprinted down the hall, closing and opening doors until they settled on one they liked. They share a room, always have. Mom looked down at me, "Those two better not have picked the master bedroom, or else there will be two very disappointed little boys," she commented smiling and just laughed because, knowing them, that's exactly what they did. "Lacey, that's your room right there," she pointed to the first room in the hall. I opened the door and walked in, the carpet is blue, but not light or dark blue, more like gray-blue. The four walls that make up my new square room are plain white, but I like it. It's a change.      

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