~ongoing~ ~unedited~
After eleven year old Parker is faced with her stepfather's death, she has to move in with her five older brothers. Her newly discovered family has secrets they are hiding from Parker, but Parker is keeping secrets of her own...
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Watching the clock on my wrist, the seconds seem to tick at an agonizingly slow pace. How much longer till I can hold her in my arms again?
Lorenzo and Parker should be arriving home shortly, it's quite past our sorellina's bedtime, so I hope she's still awake.
Despite having such strong bonds with my brothers, I do not recall ever having this feeling of uneasiness when they are away. Perhaps, it has to do with her innocence. Unlike Parker, from a young age us boys have been aware of and trained for the lifestyle that awaits us.
Regardless, I feel like a child on Christmas waiting for the moment I can finally rush towards the presents under the tree. In this case, Parker is the present, I so desperately yearn for.
Hearing the front door unlock, I practically jump off the couch, to my feet. As I make my way to the foyer, I notice Lorenzo enter first, followed by Parker who looks dead on her feet. She must be exhausted.
With Lorenzo having already greeted me, I clear my throat to alert Parker of my presence. She lifts her head searching for the source of the unknown sound.
As her half-lidded eyes make eye-contact with mine, they snap open, giving the illusion she's not tired at all.
Despite her drained body, a burst of energy is exerted as she runs across the room, arms spread wide. I meet her half-way grabbing under her armpits. I spin her in a circle as she latches her legs around my waist, burning her face in my neck.
"I missed you." She murmurs in a sleepy daze.
I chuckle while moving my arms under her thighs to support her weight.
"I missed you more." I whisper back, kissing the top of her head.
I run my hands up and down her back, basking in the comfort I feel while holding her in my arms. Barely a minute passes before I notice she's asleep. The evening of her breaths being my indicator.
I glance at Lorenzo across the room. He watches the interaction with a stoic expression, though I see the corners of his lips threatening a smile.
"She refused to sleep." He speaks, standing from his position against the wall.
I raise an eyebrow questioningly, not wanting to wake the now sleeping child.
"She said she missed you guys so much she wanted to be awake to greet you." Lorenzo continues.
I suppress an audible awww from sneaking past my lips. She is so precious.
"Guess she'll just have to greet the rest tomorrow. Can you put her to bed?" He asks, admiring Parker who still sleeps in my arms.
Barely having time to offer a nod in response, Lorenzo heads to the third floor. Although, before disappearing he tells me to gather our brothers after putting Parks to bed. I guess it's time for another family meeting.
