Forever Yours

Siblings [4]

4. Siblings

Maureen

I pulled out my cell-phone, hitting speed dial for my sixteen year old sister.

"Hey," she answered.

"Cara, I'm here. Where are you guys?"

"Took you long enough. We're outside Macy's. Justin is bored out of his mind and keeps asking to go to GameStop. Maybe you can babysit him."

"Are the bodyguards there?"

"'Of course. Brandon, Carl and Miles."

"Okay, I'll be up in two minutes."

I rode the escalator to the top floor and stepped off, inhaling the mouthwatering scent of pretzels. My buzz escalated. I wasn't much for shopping but I loved the general hum of the mall. The happy bustle of contented customers, the constant background hum of voices echoing as people laughed and chatted, and the bright, pinging sound of cash registers ringing up orders. Back when I was younger, I used to go to the mall in Brooklyn, and just sit in the benches near the stairs, listening to the sounds of people shopping. I had never had the money to buy anything, and had gazed at the pretzels hungrily, always wishing I could afford one.

The thought made me nostalgic and I headed over to the nearest stand and ordered a large cinnamon-sugar one. After buying myself a soda, I thought of my siblings and ordered six more. Three for Justin, Cara, and Ashley, and three for the bodyguards.

I bit into the soft pretzel with a happy sigh as I neared the entrance of Macy's.

I saw them immediately- they couldn't help sticking out like a sore thumb.

Carl, Miles, and Brandon, entirely dressed in black, stood sentry next to my siblings, arms crossed and wearing dark shades. The first time I'd seen them, muscles all got up in black suits like Mad Men personified, I'd wanted to laugh. Seriously. Black suits? Did all bodyguards get sent to the same clothing stylist? I knew Dad preferred it that way though. He wanted their positions to be ridiculously clear in an attempt to keep any prospective attackers at bay. It made sense. It still made me giggle.

Cara was standing next to Miles, one hand gripping two shopping bags, the other grasping a cell-phone. I snickered to myself when I noticed that she had recruited Miles to hold the rest of her bags for her. The expression on his face was priceless. Poor guy.

My fourteen year old sister, Ashley, looked disgruntled by whatever Justin was complaining about. I could guess what he was cranky about too. They had been at the mall for the majority of the morning and obviously, my fifteen year old brother was fed up.

"Hey guys," I called. They looked up.

"Hey," Ashley dropped her purse on Justin and came over, snagging one of the pretzels. Poor kids must've been starving.

"What took you so long?" Cara wanted to know.

"I had a meeting with the lawyers and I just came from lunch with dad." I passed out the snacks to the bodyguards who tried to refuse, but I held them out until they took them. Carl thanked me and Miles and Brandon, the quieter ones, smiled appreciatively. "You all eat yet?"

"No," Justin spoke up, crossing his arms, dropping Ashley's purse on the floor. I could tell that this was the topic of discussion because Ashley and Cara immediately rolled their eyes. "I'm starving and they want to keep shopping. I don't get it, they already bought half of the mall!"

Amidst the protests that ensued from my sisters, I offered him the last pretzel and my soda. "Eat up." Casually, I leaned down and retrieved Ash's purse, handing it over to her.