I Think That Life is Beautiful (Menendez)

Lines of Sparkly Dust - ch. 1

     Childish giggling, the sound that perks people's attention and causes them to smile along and shake their heads in amusement. The sound filled the dreams of Meredith, a sound she hadn't heard in a while. It reminded her of her younger brother with his blonde hair and brown eyes, matching hers in shade. The way he used to giggle and play before that one night happened two years earlier. Something they were still dealing with to that day as their father was no longer in the picture because of it.
     Meredith sighed sadly as she woke to streams of sunlight pouring in through her deep red curtains, creating lines of almost sparkly dust in the air. She pushed herself up and ran a hand through her sleep-knotted, short, straight blonde hair, her small hand then going to rub over her face. With wobbly legs, Meredith stood up, the floorboards creaking slightly from the sudden weight of her thin form.
     "Thank god for not having a first period," Meredith mumbled groggily to herself with a yawn and dragged her feet over towards her closet, stretching her arms over her head. "Alright.. still September, so it's probably hot, I guess."
     She shuffled through the hangers, snatching up a white tennis skirt and black off the shoulder crop top. She had been told there was a new student joining Calabasas High School. Why somebody would want to go there and start the second week of school, she had no idea. She just hoped they would be halfway decent.
     "Meredith! Breakfast is almost ready!" Meredith's mother, Jane, called up the stairs in a chirpy voice. She had been trying her best to make her two kids' lives as incredible as she could with it just being her around after what happened with her now ex-husband and her son, Jackson.
     "Be down in a minute!" Meredith yelled back, quickly slipping on her clothes and getting into her connected bathroom to apply her daily makeup. Foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer, blush, highlight, a bright pink eyeshadow and sparkly lip gloss. She had a slight struggle with acne and though it may clog her pores just a bit more, covering the redness and light scarring helped her feel good about herself. Meredith popped out her purple retainers and ran her tongue across her front teeth, getting her toothbrush ready.
     "Good morning, Mer-Bear," Jane smiled as her daughter walked into the dining room to seat herself at the large, marble dining table.
     "Morning, mom," Meredith blushed at the nickname she had been given from childhood making its daily appearance. Jane placed her plate in front of her: scrambled eggs, toast, and a few strips of bacon with orange juice on the side. "Thank you. How was Jackson this morning?" She asked as she picked up her knife and fork, her mother sitting across from her with her own plate.
     "He's getting better. Slowly but surely. Well, he's coping better, at least. He has a therapy appointment today, so hopefully that may help him get that smile back," Jane said with a sad smile, gingerly sipping at her hot coffee. "I still can't believe I missed the signs. Didn't even listen to what he said when he was younger and then it happened again when he was older. Jackson says it was only those two times, but you never know really."
     "I know. And I know it's really hard not blaming yourself. Like I'm his big sister, I'm supposed to protect him from the scary things. He's fourteen and he's my best friend and I couldn't protect him. But it isn't our faults. It isn't his fault either. The only person in the wrong is dad, and all we can do is be there for Jackson every step of the way," Meredith said gently and reached across the table to take her mother's hand with a soft smile to dimple her cheeks. "You're the best mom Jackson and I could ask for."
     "Thank you, honey. Sometimes it's just nice to hear it," Jane whispered and held her daughter's hand back. "I certainly have the best kids in the world.
     "That you do," she giggled and scooped some of her eggs into her mouth, feeling the fluffiness burning the roof of her mouth lightly. They chatted a bit as they ate their breakfast together the way they did everyday, some of the time just being filled with comfortable silence. "I gotta head to school," Meredith smiled and stood up, bringing her plate into the kitchen to place in the sink.
     "Bye, Meredith. Be good, learn lots, have fun, be safe," Jane chuckled and kissed Meredith's cheek just as she grabbed her backpack and hurried out the door and to her car.