A Penny For Your Truth

Chapter 5 - Golden Days (Jonah POV)

"Welcome to Winters." I said as I waved goodbye to Dallas. I was supposed to be home thirty minutes ago but I got distracted. I mean, can you blame me? I've lived in this town for as long as I can remember, and I was not about to pass up an opportunity to introduce myself to a pretty girl. I mean I may never see her again. I ran like a mad man to get home within the ten minute spand my mom gave me.

I got home within nine minutes and thirty seconds. As I turned the handle to the door, I brace myself for whatever sarcastic remarks I was about to endure.

"Ah, there's our pride and joy with thirty seconds to spare. Impressive," my father says with an approving nod.

"Yeah Yeah. I lost track of time," I said. Hoping to sound more nonchalant than I felt.

"What happened to 'I will be home thirty minutes earlier to help with dinner'" my mother said in a very deep voice, trying to mock me.

"I do not sound like that." I say with a huff like I am actually offended.

"Of course, of course,. Your voice sounds nothing like that, It sounds more like..." Then my father, in the most high pitched girly voice possible said; "If I can go to the batting cages I promise I will leave thirty minutes earlier to help prepare dinner like the good son I am." My dad says with a wink towards my mother.

My mom starts busting up laughing and can't contain herself as she leans over the counter for balance.

"That was just disrespectful. How dare you take away my masculinity like that. Just shameful. Shame on all of you." I say very dramatically, which makes my mom laugh even harder.

"Well, next time you will get home when you say you will or you will be making dinner by yourself for all of us." He said as he adds garlic to the spaghetti sauce.

Mom nods in agreement to this plan. Of course she does, it means she wouldn't have to cook anything and can relax and watch one of her corny and cheesy soap operas. I let out a little laugh and go to the counter to get the plates and silverware to set the table without being asked. Hopefully that will earn me the brownie points needed to make up for my being late.

"So, who picked spaghetti for dinner? I thought we were having steak." I said.

"Well, your new sister chose it." She said.

"What! You went to pick her up without me. I wanted to come with you" I said.

"Well, we didn't think that you would want to come," My dad said stirring the pot of spaghetti noodles.

"You didn't think I wanted to come and meet the newest member of our family?" I said somewhat sarcastically.

"Well, you weren't all that excited when we told you, so we just thought that you wouldn't want to come." My mom replied, completely ignoring my sarcasm.

"Well maybe I was just in shock, I mean can you blame me? I was an only child now I am going to have to 'share your love and affection.'" I stated with air quotes.

"Well, you won't have to worry about that, we have enough love for the both of you."

My mom said pinching my checks like I was still five years old.

"Yeah, you better. Or this will mean war." I said as I finished setting up the dinner table.

"Oh yeah, And what type of war would that be?" My dad said, raising one eyebrow.

"I don't know yet but I will figure it out when we get there" I said with as straight of a face as possible. "Where is she by the way? The new addition?" I continued.

"Oh she went out for a walk a little bit ago, you know to get used to the area. She should be home any minute though." My mom said walking to the oven to get the garlic bread out.

"Ok, how should I act when she comes back?" I asked. I am not going to lie. I want to give a good first impression.

"Ummm, duh. Just act like yourself," My dad says sarcastically, with an eye roll. I'm impressed.

"Ha ha, very funny. What about who she is? Are there any big and important details I need to know about her background or anything?" I ask my parents.

They looked at each other for a moment before my mom said, " No, nothing really. You have nothing to be afraid of. She is a good girl. I think you two will get along well." As she places the garlic bread on a platter and starts walking to the table.

"Mom please, me, scared? I am not scared of anything. Especially not a girl." I said.

"Remember that one girl in fifth grade, what was her name?" He thinks for a second before continuing. "You were so scared of her you would purposely walk to school to avoid her at the bus stop" My dad says with a smirk as he puts the pot of spaghetti sauce on the table.

Wasn't she the one who would take his lunch money all those times? Oh! And made him become her boyfriend and do her homework for, what was it, three months until she moved? I think her name was Alex." My mom chimed in.

"Yah that's her. I can remember his face every time we would see her outside of school." my dad said

"The golden days." My mother said.

Did I just hear that right?

"What did you just say? 'The golden days'? Mom, you can't say that, please don't try to be hip, moms can't be hip. And if I remember correctly, she was stronger than the other fifth graders, including the boys. I was just respecting her personal space." I said trying to save my reputation.

"So, you mean to tell me walking thirty minutes evey day to get to school rather than taking a five mintute bus ride had nothing to do with her?" My dad said, raising one eyebrow in my direction.

With my chin held high, I tried to sound sure in my answer. "Nope, nothing. Walking was very good exercise and we live in such a beautiful neighborhood. It would be a shame if I didn't take in all that beauty. You should be proud of my selfless and observant decision."

"Yeah right. That girl scared the living color off of you." My dad said while my mom leaned on his shoulder, laughing.

I shake my head and start to laugh too. There's no saving that conversation, she did scare the living daylights out of me. Looking at my parents laughing together, behind the kitchen island, while they're putting together the salad, I start thinking about how fortunate I am to have them. It has always been the three of us and we've been as happy as possible, considering it's a relationship between a teenager and his parents. I've been content with that. We have a great family dynamic and I just hope that this girl doesn't change that. As the laughing starts to die down we hear someone come through the front door and into the kitchen.

"Oh! Welcome back, just in time, dinner is ready" My mom says to someone behind me.

It's now or never Jonah. It's only the person who's going to change your life and become a part of your family. As I turn around, I see the same reddish hair color and the same book, Persuasion by Jane Austen, that I saw at the park. Dallas was my new adoptive sister.