Thin Air (Complete EDITING)

23- Shannon

Shannon July 4, 2020

The party is coming together nicely. I've got Caleb and Morgan putting the cones down at the end of the court.  The bounce house company will be by to drop the waterslide soon.

Our block parties are legendary, and this one is set to top them all. With Sydney turning 21, I am expecting the crowd to be bigger than usual. Several of her friends from college are going to be staying over in tents in the backyard tonight. I offered the pool house, but they wanted an old fashioned campout.  Tomorrow they are going to take a rafting trip down The American River.  My brothers are going to meet them downriver and carpool them up here. So the kids can leave a car down at the endpoint.

Brandon and Andrew are such great uncles o these kids. They have doted on Sydney from day one. I thought it would be a little weird for Brandon because he was such good friends with Erin. But he says that he likes having her around because he still gets to see a bit of his friend live on.

For a long time, the police thought Brandon had something to do with Erin's disappearance. It didn't help matters that he couldn't explain why his truck was seen tucked back on a dirt road with its headlights out late that night. Unfortunately there were no security camera in the Gas'N'Go back then. The police didn't want to hear it when he told them that it was Andrew and Jamie parked over there necking. They finally let up when the two of them corroborated his story. Even after all of these years, there are still people around town who negatively talk about their friendship.  How they think it was inappropriate. Speculating that he had come on to her, was rejected and snapped. Someone even came forward saying the saw Brandon dragging a crying Erin into the woods off the highway. But I know my brother, I know he didn't hurt Erin. He is a good guy.

In fact, both of my brothers are pretty awesome.

I am standing on my porch, appreciating how lucky I am, when said brothers come lugging up a massive cooler.

"Hey, guys!"

They are both red in the face with exertion when Andrew grunts. "Where do you want this heavy ass thing?"

"Over there, in between our driveway and the McGill's." I direct them. "The kids are going to set the bar up on that grass strip. Can you turn it sideways, so there is enough room to walk around it?"

They both grumble under their breath, something about me being a slave driver. They drop the oversized cooler with a curse and a thud. Andrew lifts his hat off and pushes his damp sandy hair back before setting it back on his head. "Is it okay if Eli and Brody stay here and swim while we run down to the rec area to pick Sydney's friends up? I don't want to drag them along."

"Sure thing. Those two don't need to be subjected to crazy college kids anyway." I answer.  Trying not to sound too hopeful, I ask. "If you have Brody with you, does that mean Nicole isn't coming?"

Brandon rolls his eyes when I say her name.

Andrew pushes at a piece of loose streamer and refuses eye contact. "She's coming. Brody slept over last night."

"Just Brody slept over, right?"

"Well, for most of the night, yeah." He clears his throat and looks guilty when he finishes. "Nicole called saying she heard something outback, and she was scared, so I told her she could come over."

"What the fuck Andrew?!" I shriek at him.

"I know, I know." He puts his hands up.

"No, obviously, you don't know. If you did, you would stop letting her manipulate you." That wench has so firmly ingrained herself into our family that it makes me sick. My dad gave her a job, my brother bends over backward to cater to her, and her son is my nephew's best friend. What next? Is she going to plant herself in my guest house?

"She doesn't manipulate me."

"Yes, she does. She manipulates everyone. Did you want her at your house last night?"

"No, but-"

"For such a tall guy, you have no backbone at all." Brandon interrupts, disgust dripping from his words, as he turns to stomp back to his truck.

If anyone hates Nicole more than Jamie does, it's Brandon.

Drew watches our brother walk away then tells me he's going to go fill up before he heads down to get Sydney's friends.

I'm walking back into the house to get myself ready for the party when a stampede of adolescents comes barreling through, knocking my drink from my hand. Good thing I hadn't showered yet. One of the boys shouts that they are done out front and will be swimming if I need them. So I refill my glass and head up the stairs, leaving them to burn off some energy before everyone else shows up.

A/N

Things really start to come together from here!

As always, feel free to comment/vote/tell me your theories!