The Silence She Speaks✔

Twenty-Chance

It was well past midnight by the time I finally made it home. I told mom I was coming on Thanksgiving day, but I never said when. The lights were on, so I figured that somebody was awake. I knocked on the door, and rubbed my arms. It was freezing out.

Dad answered the door, and the moment he saw me he delivered a bone crushing hug.

"Chance, my boy!" He smiled.

"Hey dad," I smiled too. I hugged him back warmly.

"Leigh, guess who's here," Dad called. He led me in with a huge, goofy grin. I ducked down so I didn't hit my head on the door and kicked my shoes off. The struggles of being seven foot.

Leigh's head popped out from the kitchen and she smiled widely. "What's up bro," she laughed.

I crushed my baby sister—as I still like to think of her—in a tight hug, and Dad came over to give us both a hug. "I'm going to bed," Dad sighed. "But man it's great to see you two kids home again."

"Night Dad," I laughed. Leigh gave him a quick hug and kiss goodnight. Dad left and Leigh looked up at me curiously. "What?" I asked

"Have you grown again?" She questioned, jealousy hinted in her voice. Nora and I had always teased her about being shorter than us.

"I'm still seven foot," I laughed. "What about you, booger girl? You grown any?"

"I picked my nose once," she muttered. I laughed and threw myself down on the couch.

"Man it's great to be home," I sighed, running my hand through my shaggy black hair with a tanned hand. It's gotten darker since I started going to UCLA. Sometimes people think that I'm Dad's biological son because we're both Indian. No, not Native-American Indian, we're India Indian. "Wish I could stay longer."

"I know what you mean," Leigh agreed. She threw himself down on the couch next to me and nestled into my side. I smiled and held her closer. "Sucks getting older," she muttered.

I nodded and looked around at the house. Everything was the same as when I left. Except there was a book lying on the floor wide open. "Man, I didn't think I'd ever see the day that Camy would just leave a book lying on the floor," I muttered. I picked it up and read the page. "She's got a new taste in books too? How much have I missed?"

Leigh laughed and took the book. "This isn't Cam's," she said, placing a bookmark in between the pages and setting it on the coffe table.

"Mason's?" I asked.

"Nope," she smiled.

"Leigh, how much did Dad have to drink?" Devin called form the steps. Alex was standing with him, both boys looking exhausted.

"Hey boys," I said with a grin. I stood up and braced myself for a football tackle.

"Chance!" Devin shouted. He ran to me and tackled me to the ground. Alex laughed and hugged me when I was able to get back up.

"I can't believe you're home," Alex smiled. "Did you grow again?"

"No," I laughed. "But you sure did. What are you now? Six-eight? Six-nine?"

"Six-six," Alex said sheepishly.

"By the time you reach my age you'll be well over seven foot," I smiled as I slapped his back.

"Dude! You're taking next mowing duty!" Devin announced victorious while laughing at Alex. Alex groaned.

"Why does he have to mow?" Chance asked.

"I guess you wouldn't know since you went to college first. The kids still living at home make bets about who is coming back when. Nora and I started it, and Mason and Quinn will finish it," Leigh explained while taking a drink from her beer on the coffee table.