StarFall (Completed)

Ch. 5 (part 2)

"Come on in," Miller said, as we walked up the steps to his house. A beautiful two-story home, rose bushes perched under the large living-room windows, a small well in the middle of the lawn.

It was a fifteen minute walk from where I lived, but I can't say I remember ever passing it.

He pushed open the front door, and welcomed me in. "Home, sweet home." He joked.

I stepped inside, it was a little messy, here and there, but otherwise a well-kept home. We passed by the open living room, and headed for the stairs. Pictures lined the soft blue walls, I could make out images of a young Miller, and what looked like his sibling.

I stopped in front of a photo, and pointed. "Is this your mom?" 

Miller turned to look where my attention had been caught. "Yeah, that's her."

"Your mom's a cop?" 

The photo before me showed a middle-aged woman, with dark brown hair, medium skin-tone, and deep brown eyes, dressed in official police attire. 

"Not just a cop, she's the Chief." He pointed to a medal hanging from her uniform in the photo.

"Wow, that's pretty cool. I bet she's a total bad-ass." I let out a light laugh, and examined more photos as we ascended the stairs. "And your dad?"

Miller stopped walking up the stairs, his hand gripped the railing, he craned his neck back to answer. "He doesn't do much these days." He waited a moment, and turned his gaze forward. "He passed two years ago." Further up the stairs he climbed.

I didn't know what to say. I remember how I felt after my papa Cruz had passed, I didn't really want to open up to anyone. I didn't know Miller well enough to know if he was the same, so I tested the waters.

"That must be hard on you. Were you close?"

"It's not me I'm worried about, but my sister...she was only five when he passed. At least I got some time with him, she barely got anything at all." He lingered at the top of the stairs.

I guess we both bottle things up. I stood next to him. "Miller, I'm so sorry, I--"

"It's alright. You don't have to say anything." He paused. "My room's this way."

I followed him down the hall, past more memories hung upon the walls, watching us from their frozen view. 

"Miller, mom said you gotta put me to bed tonight," a small girl with a lisp said, popping out of a bedroom ahead of us. She looked to me instantly. "Who's she?"

The girl was done up in pigtails, with a purple polka-dotted outfit on, and a big, frilly, pink tutu worn around her waist. A glittering wand clasped in her hand.

I smiled and bent down. "Hi there, I'm Adeline, and who might this pretty princess be?" My tone was sweet as could be without getting a cavity.

"Bryer," she lisped out so cutely that I could just die. "And I'm not a princess. Princesses are boring."

"Boring, huh? Okay then, 'not a princess', then what are you?" I grinned.

She flashed a proud smile, her front tooth missing. "I'm a king."

I wanted to steal her away, but I couldn't--there was a witness. 

"A king? But, sweetie, you have a tutu on."

She rolled her eyes at me--what an early age to start. "That's because I'm a ballerina king, duh." She walked past me. 

I stood there, bent over, mouth open, smile still spread wide. "Ballerina king? Of course." I stood back up.