I didn't remember much of that weekend. I remembered going shopping for school clothes and supplies that Saturday. I remembered being dragged to church. I remembered seeing old faces that had grown up over the past few years. I remembered talking to people, and Joanna chattering away with her friends from when we were younger. Though, there were only a few there that day.
I remembered eating supper, and I remembered that I went to bed last night.
And I remembered I was in my parents' home in Atlanta.
That was about all I really remembered.
I groaned and smacked my alarm clock. I wasn't thrilled about going to school. I never was. But at the same time I was pumped to see how many cute girls were on campus. I just had to.
And, as for Kristen, I knew she was ready to go to school and brag about how she magically had a new brother and sister appear over night. What a riot the kid was. She was so serious about some things, and then others she was so, childish. She was adorable, and there was no doubt she was our sister, she was Joe's little twin.
I slowly got dressed, sliding on my baby blue Abercrombie t-shirt, and some jeans, and sauntered out to dining room to find Kristen sitting in her chair, swinging her feet and reading the back of a cereal box. She looked up at me and smiled a great big toothless grin.
Another thing that happened this weekend, Kristen lost all four of her front teeth, so she had a gaping square in the front of her mouth.
“Well, good morning, Kid.” I grinned back, showing off my pearly whites, and ruffled her hair.
Her green eyes twinkled with delight as she giggled. She was dressed in a new outfit we had bought that recent weekend, and the coral pink with bright yellow polka dots absolutely complimented her skin tone, which happened to match mine and my sister's.
She continued giggling, and abruptly put up the cereal box when Dad gave her a quick look that I didn't seem to catch. He was standing in the doorway with a business suit on. Apparently he was going to work this morning, and it seemed to be of vital importance.
“Is Joe up?” he asked me curtly.
I shrugged my shoulders slightly, and then a flash back came from the last time I shrugged my shoulders at him. “I don't know.” I said quickly, looking down at the floor.
Joe could get herself in trouble. I wasn't going to get into it for her. No sir. I wasn't about to let that happen.
But she had done it for me.
I felt bad after that. She always stood up for me. On the playground. At the house. Wherever we went together, and kids picked on me. She was there, beating them off.
What a fighter she was.
I'll never forget when she cold cocked that one kid who picked on me when I had knee surgery. The kid was a black girl named Jacqueline, and she would beat me up with my crutches. (That was back when I was in remedial classes, but now I'm in honors, what a great jump.) And she found out. Holy Hell. If Joe hadn't beaten the tar outta anyone else but that girl, I'll be damned to tell you about it. The poor kid never messed with me again, that was for sure.
Our foster mother at the time, our first one I believe it was, wasn't thrilled. That was a lashing that Joe deserved, and she will never forget. She continuously stood up for me anyways. She was always attempting to do so, even though now I'm fourteen and I can take care of myself.
Aw man, who am I kidding?
If Joe wasn't around to help me outta some of the sticky situations I've gotten myself into, I don't think I would be able to live without her help. I really enjoyed having her help me; prove to me that she cared. At least someone did.
My mind then again wandered off into a state of delirium and day dream as I sat at that kitchen table. Her face slowly formed in my mind's eye.
Blond hair.
Pink streaks.
Lighter skin tone.
Button nose.
Gray eyes.
Shorter than me.
The only girl I truly missed out of all the wonderful ones I dated. The only girl I fell in love with. The only one I wasn't ready to let go. But she was ready to let me go.
She wasn't ready for the commitment, but I told her I would wait as long as it took for her to realize how much I loved her.
My beautiful, wonderful, perfect, Maree.
At that moment, Kristen tugged at my hand and we went to her room to play with the dolls while we waited for Joe. I mean, it was only 6:30 in the morning, and boy oh boy did I love playing with dolls.
