Ariella never saw Mike like a brother; she only loved his goofball personality and flair for creativity. Mike never dreamed that bubbly and fierce Ariella would be interested in him. Once she confesses she's crushed on him for years, Mike staunchly...
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Post-workday traffic zooms through our suburban neighborhood. Cars intermittently pull into driveways, and weary-looking people greet us before disappearing into their homes.
Bobbing my head, I shake my shoulders and lip-synch the pop song, glancing at my walking partner as the music dies out. I sweep my hand against Sierra's vinyl coat as we round the corner. "Quit taking the earbud out!"
Chuckling, she plays up my gentle push, pretending to stumble dramatically. "Sorry, sorry."
The music resumes as she stuffs it back into her ear. We decided a brisk walk before cooking dinner was a great idea, and we were right. Exercise and movement were exactly what my restless body needed.
Nick invited Sierra to stay with us over Christmas break, and since he works full time, she spends every waking daytime moment with Luke and me. Ella's got serious competition as my honorary sister if it keeps going this way.
As we started strolling, she offered me the lavender-colored left earbud to her matching right one. Problem is, the girl can't seem to sit still even when she's walking, and takes it out every few minutes to adjust something. The zipper, her winter hat, her socks.
"Something bothering you?" I ask.
She smiles faintly, turning her gaze to the darkening sky. Pregnant clouds crowd the air, threatening to empty their guts with glittering snowflakes any given second.
"Just a lot on my mind. It's been a wild few months."
"Why? What happened?"
Sierra sighs and runs a gloved hand over her cheek before tucking it into her coat pocket. "A lot. A lot happened." She nabs my arm. "Actually, you know what bothers me?" She points across the busy street. "Hear that dog barking?"
"Sure." A yellow lab across the street barks happily through a chain link fence, tail slicing through the crisp air.
"And this guy?" Sierra gestures to another dog peering through a gigantic window on the Cape Cod house we stride past. A husky stands on two legs; gargantuan paws clawing at the glass as it barks and jumps.
"Yeah..."
"It bothers me that two dogs live across the street from each other, and they'll probably never meet because of this crazy busy road. They could be best friends, Ari."
"Oh my gosh." I snort.
"What? You're sorry you asked?"
"No! I love finding people as weird as me. That's the kind of thing I think about, too."
