Angel Hospital

Chapter 1

"Your parents don't mean anything by it." My driver, Jimmy, keeps talking but I stop listening. They never do.

"... need a break for a while, that's all. No one can stay away from you for long, you know that." Jimmy is saying when I tune back in, smiling warmly at me through the rearview mirror.

I smile slightly in response. 

Any trace of a smile vanishes from my face when I think of where Jimmy is taking me and why.

I heave a long sigh, turn up the music in my headphones and stare out the window, vaguely aware of things passing by. I think back to the news I got less than 4 hours ago,

My parents, mainly my mother, are sick of dealing with me, so they've jetted off to Europe for a year. And they've decided that these are special circumstances, so they're taking special precautions. Translation: they're dumping me with my father's best friend.

 To be fair, he isn't a stranger to me. I pretty much grew up hanging out with my father and his best friend, Jackson. Enough that I call him Uncle Jackson or Uncle J most of the time.

I've stayed at Jackson's place plenty of times. The only difference is his sons weren't there during my stays. Now that I'm staying for a full year, they will definitely be there.

I shake my head, cutting off my internal rambling. I focus on the soft gray leather interior of the car before I turn my attention outside my window, watching the familiar path pass by.

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I give Jimmy a hug goodbye after we stop in front of Uncle Jackson's house. 

"Bye, Jim." I whisper.

Jimmy smiles widely, knowing I don't speak often. "Goodbye, Miss Raven." 

His smile turns sad, as he waves one last time. Then he hops into his black SUV and drives away.

I take a deep breath in and release a long sigh through my nose. And I turn to face Uncle Jackson's house. Or really, it's more of a ranch-style mansion.

Apparently, big family + good job = big house.

I drag my bags to the front door and ring the doorbell.

In a flash, the door is opened, a pair of motherly arms wrap around me, and suddenly, I'm in the foyer.

A smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I try to keep a few chuckles from slipping out. I take a second to glance around. despite the size of the foyer, it exuded a homey and comfortable feeling. It also held an incredible aroma, almost like a bakery.

I turn and watch as Martha, the housekeeper, brings in my last bag, closes the door and leans against it, blowing her bangs out of her eyes.

I raise my eyebrow, turning my face into an expression that says Really?

Martha blows her bangs out of her eyes again, exasperated. 

"Well, after last time, I decided I was not going to let you bring your bags in by yourself again. That's my job." She then smiles really big and hugs me again.

This time, I let the small bit of laughter slip past my lips as I hug her back.

This 5-foot-one, bundle-of-energy, wild redhead could jump from subject to subject as fast as a three-year-old.

We hold each other for a good minute before letting go. 

Martha smiles widely again. "It's so good to have you back again, Rae. I need another girl around here and we could use that bit of sunshine that seems to follow you everywhere."

I almost snort at that 'bit of sunshine' comment. I'm pretty much anything but sunshine.

"Raven!" Someone yells, then I'm wrapped in a bear hug and spun around. I hug my Uncle Jackson back as he slows down.

This man is so much like a six-year-old, it's not funny.

When he lets me go, he practically starts bouncing around.

"You're here! You're here!"

See what I mean? 

Uncle J finally calms down, and pats me on the shoulder.
"Glad you're here." He says in an extra deep voice, trying to be a mature adult.

All three of us burst into laughter.

I gain control of myself first, then look at my Uncle.

He has wrinkles at the corners of his clear blue eyes from years of laughing. His military-cut brown hair has streaks of gray in it. He was doubled over from his usual stature of 6 feet and 2 inches. Overall, he was a pretty handsome guy, I think. I was never good at that stuff.

"Alright,' Uncle J starts after he has stopped laughing. "Raven, you can go ahead and unpack in your usual room. You can officially meet my boys after supper. Which starts at 7. I have some details for work I have to attend to. I will see you at suppertime." With a smile and a parting wave, he heads to his study.

I turn to see Martha and my bags gone.

Oh, that sneaky lady! I'll get her back, maybe I'll do the dishes or something.

My mind flashes with all the memories of her trying to do things for me and me trying to make her job easier. We have been in a sort of competition for years. I helped her when I could, and she would try to do things before I could help.

I blink, coming back to earth.

I head up to my room on the second floor, playfully glaring at Martha when I pass her in the hall.
She smiles back innocently.

I scoff and enter what is pretty much my room. I feel a sense of calm and peace wash over me as soon as I step inside. 

My room is pretty big, decorated in white, black, and different mixes of blue and green. My walls are a pale teal, whereas my curtains are a darker sea blue. My full-sized bed's headboard is against the east wall with nightstands on either side of it. A desk is pushed against the middle of the north wall, with windows on either side of it. A bean bag chair is in in the corner of the north and west walls, with a medium bookshelf against the west wall. There is a small sofa against the south wall, next to the door. There are two additional doors on the west wall, one leading to my own bathroom and the other to a walk-in closet, which I mostly use to store my skate stuff.

I sigh, looking at the dresser in between the doors and the obviously empty bags in front of it.

She unpacked for me too!

I'll have to scheme against her later, I need time to recover from the last-minute news from my parents regarding my living arrangements. As well as rest up before facing 8 boys at dinner.

I flop onto my bed. Now to get lost in my music until dinner....

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