A River In My Memory

Chapter 2: Joseph (13 years old)

 "We are getting married!" Declared Eliza, streching out her hand in a delicate fashion. On her left hand she modeled a fair sized diamond ring that sparkled like crazy. The small living room turned festive as everyone cheered. 

"Oh my god! It so beautiful! Oh it must have costed a fortune." Screamed Jenna. Jenna was Eliza's best friend and she annoyed me every time she opened her mouth. Her voice was high pitched and naze. She had ebony black hair that settled into millions of tiny curls and light olive colored skin. In other words, she was pretty but I hated her.

"Eliza I'm so happy for you!" Mom quickly wrapped her arms around her and tears streamed down her cheeks. Let's just say that she was a very emotional woman and Eliza had inherited that from her.

"Mom it's alright. Don't cry." Eliza patted Mom's strawberry blonde hair. Her big hazel eyes turned sympathetic as she tried to hold back tears. 

"I just can't believe my baby is getting married!" Sobbed Mom as she pulled herself away from the embrace. she messily wiped her tears with her hand, messing up her eyemakeup. At this point she sorta looked like a racoon. 

I tried my best to hold back laughter, seeing as this was apparently a very emotional moment.

"Here Mrs.Anderson," said Anna, another one of my sister's friends, as she handed her a bok of tissues.

"Oh thank dear," she said, gratefully taking several tissues from the box and wiping her swollen eyes. She gazed at me, sitting on the couch, and not partcipating in any of this commotion. "Joseph, don't you have something to say to your sister?" All three faces turned to me and I suddenly felt like I was on Jeopardy. 

"Umm. Oh yeah, congrats on the engagement." I responded.

"Thanks Joseph." Said Eliza, throwing me back a smile before she turned back to her friends. 

I lifted myself up from the tan leather couch and excused myself from the room. 

"Don't forget to brush your teeth!" Yelled my mom, her  goldish brown eyes boring into mine. She was big on hygiene.

"I know," I replied to her as I turned to the bathroom door. I flipped on the light switch and once again was welcomed by the baby blue wall paper and the white shower curtains. I stepped in and gazed at myself in the large bathroom mirror. 

I swear, everytime I look in the mirror I'm surprised by how much I looked like my father. His same greyish blue eyes and his golden blonde hair that slightly curled at the tips. I frowned at my reflection. I hated looking like him.I hated seeing him everytime I looked at the mirror. I was the only one in the family that looked like him. 

That bastard had abandoned us long ago and i wanted any memory of his long gone. 

My older sister looked like my mother. She had the same strawberry blonde hair,the same perfectly shaped nose, snow white skin, and her rosy cheeks. If it weren't for the different eye color and age difference, they would look like twins. Eliza was 22 and Mom was 43 years old. 

My younger sister, Jessica who was three years younger than me , meaning she was ten. She also resemble our mother but had inherited our fathers gold blonde hair. Even still she looked nothing like him. Her big hazel eyes shielded her from having to bear the burden of being a walking image of him. Unlike me.

I quickly brushed my teeth, no longer wanting to look at myself. 

"What a long day" I said to myself, letting out a big breath.