𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬: 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧

Seven

It had been exactly seven days since we packed up our lives and moved to California. As the sun set on our new home, the last remnants of boxes and moving trucks were cleared from the driveway. Exhausted but excited, we began to carefully unpack each box, revealing familiar items that now felt like a breath of fresh air in our new surroundings. It took us a solid seven hours to get everything organized and put in its proper place. By nightfall, our living room was filled with furniture, kitchenware, and various household materials.

As we finished for the night, I glanced over at my friends sleeping soundly on the large futon in the living room. Emily, Cameron, Jasper, and Promise had all fallen asleep during the chaos of moving day and were now huddled together like a pile of puppies. I smiled to myself as I thought about how grateful I was to have such amazing friends by my side through this big life change.

Feeling restless, I decided to step out onto the balcony for some fresh air. The warm California breeze greeted me as I dialed Mackenzie's number. Ring after ring, I waited patiently until finally she answered with her usual cheerful tone. "Hello, This is Mackenzie. How may I help you?" she said.

"Hey Mackenzie, it's Juliana," I replied with a smile.

"Juliana! Hey little bean, what's up?" she exclaimed.

"I know it's late but can I ask you for a favor?"

"Why didn't you tell me you moved to California? And why are you calling so late?"

"I wanted to surprise you and Gianna. Can you keep it a secret until you see us?"

"Of course! What do you need help with?"

"Well, we just need some mattresses for our beds."

"Hold on, let me check if we have any extras."

I waited anxiously as Mackenzie searched for any spare mattresses. Meanwhile, I unlocked Biscuit's cage and let him roam free in the living room. He eagerly jumped onto the couch next to the futon where my friends were sleeping, but I gently scooped him up and brought him upstairs with me to grab a blanket.

As I returned to my call with Mackenzie, she announced that she did indeed have some extra mattresses. "How many do you need exactly?" she asked.

"I think we'll need at least three or five for all of us," I replied gratefully.

"Okay, I'll bring them over. What's your new address?"

I gave her our new address on Palm Springs Avenue and thanked her before hanging up. As I headed back downstairs, I remembered that I had promised to make kimchi for my friends when they woke up. Smiling to myself, I grabbed the necessary ingredients from our packed kitchen and got to work.

As I waited for the kimchi to ferment, I settled down on the futon next to my sleeping friends and spread a warm blanket over them. They shifted slightly in their slumber, but continued to sleep peacefully. Content with my small act of kindness, I thought about how lucky I was to have such amazing people in my life. Just then, my phone beeped with a text from Mackenzie saying she was on her way with the mattresses. Grinning widely, I couldn't wait for her and Gianna to arrive and see our new home for themselves.

As I made my way to the kitchen, the smell of sizzling oil filled the air. I opened the cabinet and pulled out a pan, coating it with a generous amount of oil. Turning to my trusty sidekick, Biscuit, I asked him to open the fridge for me. With his tail wagging eagerly, he trotted over to the fridge and opened it for me. Meanwhile, I set the heat on low on the stove and gathered some vegetables and pre-seasoned chicken from the fridge. My chopping board and knife were waiting for me on the counter as I quietly diced up the vegetables and sliced through the tender chicken. Carefully, I added them to the pan, causing it to sizzle and release mouth-watering aromas that could almost wake up Emily and the rest of our friends sleeping in the other room.

Oh, right. I forgot to mention, Cameron has some interesting pets. A fluffy collie puppy named Mollie and a baby monkey named Fall. They are both under Biscuit and May's watchful eyes, keeping all of us safe in our cozy home. As I finished cooking up some delicious kimchi, a sudden doorbell rang throughout the house. Biscuit perked up at the sound and started barking excitedly. Quickly calming him with a treat, I made my way to answer the door.

To my surprise, it was our friend Mackenzie standing outside with a big smile on her face. Biscuit wasted no time in finishing his treat before bounding over to greet her with enthusiasm.

As soon as I open the door, my cousin Mackenzie greets me with a warm smile and a cheerful "Hey, Mackenzie!" In her arms, she carries the mattresses that I had needed. I thank her profusely and lead her into my apartment.