The Changing Stars (Chapter 2.2) (LMS)

We walked out to the beach, me pulling my siblings along. Cody complained that wanted to go home and play Fortnite, but Rosie was thrilled. Cody was inside too much, I knew Mom and Dad wouldn’t be mad if I brought him there.

Rowan looked like a kid at the candy store. His smile stretched ear to ear as he kept gesturing to the ocean. I realized that this might have been his first time seeing it. Living in Maine, my family and I saw the ocean almost every day. It brought a new sense of thankfulness to me, watching Rowan stare out at the ocean. I got to breathe in the ocean air every day, and I knew that I should have appreciated it more. I made a mental note to come to the ocean every week.

“C’mon, Braylie,” Rowan nodded towards the other side of the beach, “Let’s take a walk.”

I paused, a bit wary, taking a glance at my siblings, “Guys, do you want to walk?”
“No!” Cody shouted, but was hardly heard over Rosie’s, “YES!”

I squinted my eyes, making a decision, “Let’s go. A short one. I promise, Code.”
He let out a big groan and started trudging down the beach, while Rosie came and gave me a big hug, “I love it here. I love you, Bray Bray.”
I smiled, and closed my eyes for a moment, “Go play with Cody, sweetheart.”
She ran over to our brother and did a big cartwheel in front of him, followed by a handstand, all while sticking her tongue out. I saw the hint of a smile on his face, telling me that he wouldn’t be miserable on our walk. I grinned, catching up to Rowan. I made sure to keep an eye on my siblings.

“I’m so happy we did this today,” Rowan laughed, running a hand through his dark locks of hair.

“Me too,” I said honestly.

“It just feels right,” He shrugged, “Being here today, feeling the ocean breeze, with you. I’ve always had spot on intuition, and I just feel right with you. Feels like I can be myself.”
“I’m glad. I’m starting to feel that way with you too.”

We walked on in silence. But it felt good. The silence didn’t close in on me, like it usually did. I kept my music by my side at every instant, but I didn’t need it then. The sound of the ocean and my siblings’ bare feet on the sand were sound enough. Even if I didn’t know Rowan all that well, there was a certain amount of comfortability that I was starting to feel with him. Maybe it was the way he smiled like he was a five-year-old at the circus, or how he acted like no time had passed between the two of us.

“Remember when we were little, and our parents would take us to the lake?” Rowan asked, kicking the sand up with his feet.

“I do,” I remembered, closing my eyes for a moment, “That last summer was one of the best.”

“It really was. Before you guys all left. I miss Connor and Maddie. They were like my second set of parents. I think I spent, like, seventy-five percent of time in your backyard.”

My heart stuttered at the mention of my birth-mother, Maddie. I hadn’t seen her in almost the same amount of time as Rowan, nor had I really talked about her. Dad always used to try to get me to call her and tell her that I wanted to visit, but I was always waiting for her to make the move. She had been my mom after all, I didn’t want to call and beg her to come back.

“I miss those days too,” I simply replied, feeling every single sting of the truth behind those words. As much as I loved my life, it was that longing for my childhood that I was feeling. Looking at Rosie and Cody, while they raced back and forth, playing tag, I longed for the days when I could of done the same with Kenny and Rowan. I think that longing was stagnant in everyone’s hearts, regardless of situation.

Rosie pulled me out of my thoughts as she ran and jumped right in front of Rowan and me, “I bet you can’t catch me. Or Cody! You can’t catch us!”
She ran away, grabbing Cody’s arm as she pulled him down the beach. He ran with her, leaving a trail of sandy footprints.

“Well,” Rowan shrugged, turning to me with a quick smile, “What else can we do?”
He took my hand suddenly, grinning. My feet lef the ground as he pulled me after my sister and brother, laughing all the while. We ran after them, letting our feet glide across the sand as it splashed up behind us.

☼

My grin was plastered to my face when I got home, running inside to greet my family. Mom wouldn’t be home yet, but Dad had a fairly short shift at the fire station if I remembered correctly. I knew that he would be interested in what Rowan had to say. And even if he wasn’t, my Dad and I talked every day. For a long time, he was all I had. We talked all day, he took me everywhere, and I would even crawl into his bed when I thought he wouldn’t notice.

“Dad!” I called, as we got inside. Cody was immediately in the living room, laying on the couch. Rosie bounced up and down beside me, asking where Kenny was. She eventually found her out on the back porch. I could hear my two sisters’ laughs from the dining room. It made my own grin widen even further.

“Dad, c’mon where are you?” I called again.

“In here, Bray,” I heard his reply, and ran into our office quickly.

“Hey, there’s my girl,” He lifted his arms up, smiling big.

“Hey Dad. We just got home from lunch.”

“With Rowan?” Dad waggled his eyebrows, “How is he? I haven’t talked to his Mom in awhile, but I’ll make sure to tell her that you two have been hanging out again. She was always thrilled when you came over her house.”

“No, don’t!” I answered, plopping down on his couch heavily, “His parents aren’t like they used to be. Apparently they’re horrible now.”

“I sure hope you wouldn’t call me horrible,” He shook his head, “Every teen calls their parents horrible, even when it’s not the case, kiddo.”

I took a big breath and told him the whole story with Mike, the wedding, Rowan, everything. His face changed as I told him.

“Wow,” He sighed, looking disappointed, “I didn’t know they were capable of acting like that. They were so obsessed with their boys when you were all little. Tell him I’m sorry, if he says anything.”

“I will. He misses you, he told me.”

“Ha, that’s sweet. I guess he was around me and your mom a lot,” He nodded, clearly remembering the past.

“She’s not my mom!” I reminded him again, taking on a more playful tone with him. I wanted to get that out there, without Dad thinking that I needed to go to a therapist.

“Yeah, yeah,” He shook his hand, “I remember.”

“We’re going to do it again next weekend. But I hope Ken can go next time too,” I pondered, hoping that Kenny would agree.

“But, do you really? Or do you want to go on a date with him?” Dad questioned, putting his head back to let out a big laugh.

“Dad!” I complained, “I am supposed to come here and let out my feelings, not get made fun of!”
“I, for one, am not making fun of you. But your sister may have told me all about how you feel about Rowan when you left.”
“She did what?” I crossed my arms, “I didn’t even say anything to her!”
“So you do like him?” Dad furrowed his eyebrows, “This doesn’t seem like Dad territory. Maybe you should talk to your mom about this. Or take it up with Kenny. I’m always here for advice, but if we talk anymore about you dating, I’ll probably go fight him.”

“Oh, come on, Dad. You save lives. You can’t take,” I stood up from his couch, going over to lightly kiss him on the cheek. I waved goodbye and shut the door lightly behind me. He needed privacy to write his memoir.

I walked out with an agenda. If Kenny wanted to spread inter-family rumors about me, then I would have to take it up with her.

As I approached the back porch I called, “Hey Ken, I heard you had some good conversations with Dad while I was gone.”

I could feel her eye roll from the hallway.

Sorry for the super rough ending. Next part coming out tomorrow!