Milo & Judah

Chapter 1 - Home for the Holidays

Milo dropped his luggage on the front porch to retrieve his keys. He put the key into the lock, but the door opened before he could turn it. His mother rushed out to hug him. She squeezed him as if she hadn't seen him since he left for college in August—and not three weeks ago at Thanksgiving.

His mother released him from the hug to take hold of his face. She looked on the verge of tears. "Why didn't you tell me you were getting in this morning? I would've picked you up at the train station."

Milo patted her shoulder. "I didn't want to put you through the hassle. I just called a car."

"You're sweet." Mrs. McBride hugged him again before helping to bring in his bags. "Am I right to assume some of this is dirty laundry?"

Milo grinned sheepishly. "Those two." He pointed them out.

"It's like you never left." Mrs. McBride picked up the bags and took them with her into the kitchen. The swinging door rebounded a few times before settling.

Milo turned toward the stairs in time to see his fourteen-year-old little sister launch herself at him. She threw her gangly arms around his neck, squealing directly into his ear. "I'm so glad you're here. I have so much to tell you."

Milo held her at arm's-length to look her over. "Jeez, Mags, have you grown since Thanksgiving?"

"It's probably the boots." Maggie lifted her foot between them to show off the three-inch heels.

"Since when do you wear heels?" Milo inspected her face. "And eyeliner."

"Ugh! Don't be like Dad? He complains every time I go over there."

"I'm not complaining." Milo pulled her close again. "I just miss being here."

Milo felt like he was missing seeing Maggie grow up. That feeling struck him even harder when Maggie said, "I have a boyfriend."

"What?"

Maggie nodded enthusiastically. "His name is Freddie. He's so hot. All my friends wanted him, but he asked me out."

"Is he nice to you—even around his friends?"

"Yes, officer." Maggie scoffed. "He's very sweet. Even around his friends."

"Well, that's how you know if he's a good guy, or if he's just a douche bag who only wants to hook up with you."

"Who even says hook up anymore? You're so old." Maggie giggled.

Maggie became preoccupied when her phone buzzed. She waved her hand absentmindedly. "I'll talk to you later." she said, wandering into the living room.

Milo rolled his eyes. He hefted his remaining bag onto his shoulder and trudged up the stairs.

His bedroom was immediately familiar and somehow alien at the same time. He'd left most everything when he left for college, opting for a fresh start. The room was like a time capsule of his high school life. The cork board over the desk still had some of his old sketches. Photos of his high school boyfriend hung alongside the concert ticket stub from their first date. The dried out boutonnière Hunter bought him for their prom tacked up next to their photo from that night. They both looked happy. It seemed unfathomable that the couple in that photo would be broken up a week later.

Milo sighed. He tossed his bag on the bottom of the bunk bed, leaving the unpacking until later. At the moment, he wanted to veer off of memory lane before it sent him careening into a ravine of depression.

In an attempt to lift his mood, he sought out Maggie. The door to her room hung ajar, so he pushed his way in.

Everything was so different. Unlike his room, frozen in time, Maggie's had gone through a complete transformation. Stylish throw pillows replaced the two dozen stuffed animals that used to live on her bed. Posters of cartoons and kids' movies had been switched out for actors and boy bands. Photos of Maggie with her friends covered the Pokémon stickers she meticulously pasted around the edges of her mirror a few years ago.