Another couple years later had passed. Not much had changed. Cerise and Brenden often visited each other to play, they spent special occasions together, and they helped one another through new experiences. Some things did change, though. Mostly, the kids. Brenden had gotten taller, even though he had always been taller than Cerise, whether it had been by a few centimeters or an inch. Cerise's hair grew faster than most people's, like her mother's, so her hair was waist long, wavy, and usually pulled back into two pigtails.
One day in March, when the weather was warm and there was no need for a jacket anymore, Cerise and Brenden were sitting in the Alston living room, since they were often in the Alston house. Mirabelle and Stephanie were talking on the porch, which they did all the time. The, now, 5 year olds had asked to go outside, but Mirabelle reminded them that the grass was still wet from the rain and that they should stay inside. The episode of SpongeBob, Pizza Delivery, had just finished and the kids were still laughing at the memory of SpongeBob singing Krusty Krab Pizza.
"I'm bored..." Cerise moaned after their laughter had slowed to a stop. "Well, what do you want to do?" Brenden asked. Cerise's face slowly turned into a grin. "Let's play hide and go seek!" Cerise suggested. Brenden shrugged. "Who's going to count?" He asked and Cerise pointed to him. "Cece, I'm always counting! Why me?" He whined. "Because," She said matter-of-factly. "You're older." She said and put his hands over his eyes. "Now count!" She ordered and scampered off to hiding. He sighed and began counting. He, indeed, had been older, but they both knew how to count and say their ABC's since they were 4. Mirabelle and Stephanie made sure of that.
After counting to 20, Brenden took his hands away from his eyes and looked around. "Ready or not, here I come, Cece!" He called and got down from the couch, preparing to look for her. Suddenly, James walked through the front door-- too early from work. "Hi, Uncle James!" Brenden said and hugged him. James hugged him back, but he didn't look as happy. "Hey, Ben. Where's your mom and your Aunt Mira?" He asked. Brenden laughed, because the answer was obvious. "On the porch, like always," Brenden replied and then went down the hall to find Cerise. James walked out to the porch and Mirabelle's and Stephanie's faces turned to look at him, puzzled.
"Hon, why are you home so early? Did they actually let you off? What happened?" She asked. James pulled the footrest from a chair in the corner and sat down on it near the women. "I... have some news. Good, and bad," He hesitated. "Go ahead, sweetheart," She said, a worried tone somewhere in her voice. James rested his head on his fist and his elbow on his leg. "The company c-" He began as Cerise ran smack into a chair. Brenden hurried after her, helping her up. "Cerise! Brenden!" Mirabelle said strictly. "You two know to not run in the house." They both apologized, looking down. "Kids, go inside. The grown-ups need to talk right now," James said.
Cerise and Brenden both furrowed their eyebrows, confused why their parents didn't want their company. "Why can't we stay?" Brenden asked, tilting his head a bit. "Because we said so. Go inside and play now, sweethearts," Stephanie said. With hanging heads the children went inside, returning to their game of hiding go seek and agreeing to not run, but speed-walk. "What were you saying?" Mirabelle said. James told the women the news in a low tone and they were all in shock and sadness.
YOU ARE READING
Love Before Birth | Book One
Short Story{0.5 in the Love Before Birth Series] Two couples: the Reed's and the Alston's have known each other for the longest of time. They've stuck together through middle and high school- even marriage. Now they'll have to help through birth and, of course...
