'A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.'
| five |
I was only about five or six.
It was only Mom and me at home, like it always has been. I was young, yeah, but we talked about all sorts of things from drugs and alcohol to ponies and school.
One day, she was talking about having another baby.
Well, adopting one, to be exact.
It was a boy, a small gingery blond haired kid. He had loads of freckles and really great blue eyes. I knew then that he'd be a geeky type boy that would get quite a few girls.
His name was Junior.
She had all the paperwork ready, everything that she needed to have, so the people in charge chose her. She was a great mom, why shouldn't they have picked her?
Turns out, they did pick her and the parents agreed that she could have him and that I'd be a sister to him and that when he was old enough, we could tell him he's adopted.
I planned to take him out and be one of those mean but loving over-protective older sisters and make sure no girl ever broke his heart.
I was only young.
But then, none of that ever happened.
It just all fell apart.
I'm not sure why or what happened, but it was either the parents of the kid saying no or my mom pulling out. I never asked about it. She was sad for a few days but then she realized she still had me and became happy again.
I think she loved Junior like he was her own, even though she'd only met him twice.
Junior popped right into my head as soon as I looked at the ginger puppy with the blue eyes and for a second, I couldn't place the boy as if he was foreign, because I hadn't thought of him in so long. I'd nearly forgotten.
I'm sure she'll love this puppy and hopefully be happy about him, and not be given bad memories about him. But if I know my mom, she'll be happy and bring out the positive side of it.
She does that a lot.
I look in the rear-view mirror at Bumper, who about thirty minutes into the drive back, fell asleep laying down on the seats, Junior curled up against his chest, crumbs on his nose. I see Nelson scramble up and stretch, letting out a tiny yawn, making a cute noise. I check my phone and notice the time is nearly eight and I sigh in relief as I find my way down the streets of Vincennes to my house.
''Hey, dickhead,'' I reach back, my eyes still on the road and shake his arm. ''Shake a leg, you lazy piece of trash, we're nearly back.'' I grin to myself as he groans, nearly pushing Junior of the seats. Nelson climbs through the back to the front and sits, perched on the passenger seat, with his head held high and his nose in the air as he looks at me, proudly. I pat him on the head and he opens his mouth, letting his tongue droop out.
''We're nearly here,'' I sing, turning down my street, trying to get Bumper awake. ''Nearly here,'' I sing again, letting the e's in the words continue on. I look at him as he barely opens his eyes. ''Dammit. Bumper! We're here!'' I shout and he jolts up into a sitting position, the seatbelt tightening around his chest as he blinks rapidly. ''Sorry,'' he apologizes and I laugh as I cut the engine.
''Okay, grab Nelson, gimme Junior.'' I open the door and he hands me Junior and we swap. Then I lock the door as we go up to the front door.
''I'm kinda nervous,'' I admit, unlocking the door and calling out to my mom. ''Me too.''
