I fidgetted on the couch, my palms sweaty and my heart racing. “Austin stop being so anxious.” I scowled as I watch my seven year old brother run to the window for the tenth time in the span of only five minutes.
His anxiety was rubbing off on me and quite frankly I lost count on the many times I wiped my sweaty palm on my jeans. Today is the day mom and dad will bring Kade home. Today the mysterious Kade wouldn’t be so mysterious anymore. My heart pounded in anticipation.
They were supposed to be here an hour ago but still no sign of them.
“Austin,” I whined when he pulled the curtains aside again and peeked outside.
“Do you think he’ll play video games with me Mia?” Austin let out in excitement.
I narrowed my eyes on his back and my fingers itched to grab a hold of one of the throw pillows to hurl it at him. Specifically at his head. “Hey! I thought I was your gaming buddy!”
Great the mysterious Kade wasn’t even here yet and he’s already my brother’s favorite.
Austin whirls around and raises his brow. “You’re a girl Mia. And you always lose.” He huffs and turns back around to look out the window. “I need some real competition. “
“Hey what’s that supposed to mean?” I snapped.
Austin shrugs. “It means you suck at playing video games.”
I shoot daggers at his back. ” I hope dad takes the video games from you again. I’m not helping you this time around.”
It’s embarrassing to admit that I have never beaten my seven year old brother in a video game before. But to my defense, I wasn’t really into video games anyway. It was just a way for Austin and me to bond, but I guess now he didn’t want to.
He turns around to poke his tongue out at me. “That’s what Kade will be there for.”
“You don’t even know him yet Austin! He could be the worst!” I snapped, folding my arms across my chest. Who would have thought I’d be jealous of someone I have never met before?
Austin doesn’t respond to my words only hops in excitement and claps like a giddy little kid. “They’re here. They’re here!”
I wasn’t expecting the sudden drop in my stomach as Austin’s words sank in. Nerves bubbled up inside me, causing my heart to race and my mind to go haywire. Never had I ever been so nervous before.
“Don’t let them see you peeking out the window Austin!” I managed to say through my uneven breathing as I wiped my palm over my jeans for what felt like the hundredth time. By this rate, I’d leave a permanent wet patch on my jeans.
Austin nods and runs towards me, excitement lighting up his features. I wanted to roll my eyes at his sudden burst of overexcitement, but I refrain knowing it will not earn me brownie points with him.
“I bet he’s so cool.” Austin jumps up and down and I huffed.
“Yeah, I bet,” I said sarcastically and fixed my red shirt. I probably should’ve ironed it seeing as it was wrinkled badly.
It’s a t-shirt Mia, it’s supposed to be wrinkled.
Wait, why was I trying to impress someone I don’t even know?
“I’ll show him my Xbox and we can play-
Okay, this time I did roll my eyes. ” Okay Austin, I don’t need to hear you fanning over Kade every fucking second.” I huffed in annoyance. Jealousy really didn’t feel so good. Knowing you could be replaced so quickly was upsetting and downright hurtful.
I knew Austin always wanted an elder brother but geez, I couldn’t exactly grow a pair of balls and a dangling dick overnight.
“I’m telling mom and dad you cursed. ” Austin sang and I groan.
“Don’t act like you’re innocent you little twit.” I rise to my feet swiftly and before he could get away, took a hold of his ear and pinched it. He whines, swapping at my hand.
The door suddenly opens and both Austin and I froze. With Austin and I arguing, I had forgotten to listen to their approaching footsteps. My heart pounds as I quickly let Austin’s ear go and whip my head to face the entrance of our house.
It’s only mom and dad. No sign of Kade.
“Mommy!” Austin yelled racing towards mom who dropped on her knees to circle her arms around his smaller frame.
“Well, now I’m jealous. ” Dad huffed, placing the bags down on the floor with a soft thud. Kissing Austin’s forehead multiple times mom finally let him go so he’d run into dad’s opened arms.
Dad lifts him up with a grunt and Austin whines. “Dad.”
“You may have been the man of the house for two days little squirt but you’re not too old for me to still carry you.” Dad chuckles, playfully messing up Austin’s hair.
Mom rises to her feet and stared at me expectantly. “Well come on.” She opened her arms and smiled when I rolled my eyes playfully. I walked into her opened arms and breathed in her light floral scent that always eased me. She smelled of home. And honestly, I missed them so much.
“Hey what about me?” Dad joked, walking over to us and curling one of his big arms around both mom and me, the other held Austin who was now squished between us. I smiled when I felt dad’s warm lips on my forehead.
“I miss you kid.” He whispers.
“Miss you guys so much,” I admitted, breathing in their homely scent. Two days without them felt like it was an entire year.
“Is my new brother here?” Austin asked in excitement.
His words made all three of us freeze as we are reminded of the huge elephant in the room, well I suppose I should say the lack of elephant in the room. Because currently there were no signs of the mysterious Kade.
Mom and dad pull away slowly as if reluctant to acknowledge Austin’s question. I may not have asked the question, but unfortunately, I was also anxious to know their response. I just acted way calmer than Austin did.
“Uh….” Mom trailed in uncertainty but stops when the sudden sound of combat boots striking the hard surface of our wooden floors fills the entire quiet room.
Mom turns around and that’s when my eyes follow hers. My mouth suddenly goes dry when my eyes clash with the bluest eyes I have ever seen.
They couldn’t be real, could they? Must be contacts.
But it wasn’t his eyes that made my mouth suddenly go dry, it was the abundant body art that painted both his arms. I could also see some of that art peeking from his plain white t-shirt which made me know he had some on his chest too.
My heart starts racing uncontrollably when I slowly brought my eyes back to his face. I felt like I had just been sucker-punched in the gut when his eyes fall on mine.
Kade was no kid, he was a damn teenager.
His hair was dark and inky which made the blue in his eyes pop even more. My eyes leave his to trail down his straight nose to his shocking dusty pink lips that looked incredibly soft from here.
My heart sped even more.
Mom turns to face Austin and me and smiles unsurely. ” Please welcome Kade to our home.”
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.