Noah Silas Anderson

Chapter Forty-four: "The Anderson family"

I woke up later than normal, but couldn't complain. No alarm, no Gael, no yelling neighbors, or accidents outside.

Actually, I felt really good. If it weren't for the smell of warm vanilla and beer on the clothes I fell asleep in, and fresh tattoo, I would've thought it was all a dream.

Because I slept like a baby, I had a lot of energy. I could've dropped and did fifty push-ups, the way I felt.

Normally I'd go to the gym, but my time passed. So, I hopped in the shower, blasting my music through the Amazon Bluetooth speaker.

I got dressed and kept looking at my phone, thinking Brooklyn would call or text me. Tired of the waiting game, though, I finally made the first move. I sent:

Still mad at me?

Eager, I didn't leave the chat. I saw her typing a lot then she deleted it. Finally, she replied:

I never was

Relieved, I relaxed a little about what happened. Brooklyn's oddly more passive than I anticipated, and I'm not complaining.

*

On the third knock, Brooklyn opened the door. She put on a small smile and let me inside.

"Smells like bleach," I commented as soon as I walked in.

She laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, I clean when I get... bored, or upset," Brooklyn admitted, pushing some supplies in the storage closet.

"What were you upset about?" I asked, blocking her path to exit the closet. She dipped under my arm and walked around, going to wipe down the countertop.

She just shrugged, avoiding eye contact. Waiting for an answer, I just sat down and watched her helplessly wipe circles on the black laminate.

Finally, Brooklyn stopped cleaning and threw the rag down. She sighed deeply and said, "I just didn't like that, and I saw her trying to hit you. I don't wanna sound crazy but, I am a black belt in karate, and I kickbox."

"Yeah?" I chuckled, jabbing her exposed abs to test her. She buckled and laughed, falling over my lap.

"Yeah, so don't piss me off," she giggled, "or I'll beat your ass."

"I'm not too scared, I think I can handle it," I replied, licking my lips as I stared down at her.

She swallowed hard and whispered, "Yes you can."

Suddenly, my phone vibrated in my pocket. Brooklyn quickly stole a kiss and then went back to her cleaning.

It was Sky calling. I was kind of stuck, I wanted to answer it to see what she would say, but didn't want to with Brooklyn right there. She must've noticed I was torn by my facial expression, so that's why she asked, "Who is it?"

I mouthed "it's her," and Brooklyn put the broom against the wall to stand by my side and be nosy.

"Answer it," she whispered-yelled, rushing me.

On the last ring, I accepted the call. Like always, I just breathed into the speaker and let her speak first.

"Seriously, Noah, what the fuck. You disrespect me in my own home and then can't even text me back or answer the phone?"

Brooklyn looked at me bugged-eyed and tried controlling her laughter. I shook my head as I tried listening to the rest of Skylar's rant.

"What's your middle name?" I pushed the phone away to randomly ask Brooklyn.

"Noelle," she said back. "You?"

"Peter," I told her.

She made a face and said, "Really?"

"No," I laughed, Brooklyn rolling her eyes at my antics.

Sky went on and on, dragging this conversation I literally did not give a single fuck about. "Are you even listening?" she nagged.

I cleared my throat, really trying to see where Sky was coming from now, though. "Yeah."

"Noah, I just feel like you don't care about me at all. I know that was our thing, to not catch feelings, but I can't help that. Yes, I have Amber and she knows now. We're on a break, which is why I wanted you last night. Sorry for trying to hit you, it was just crazy that you would do that to me." Sky spoke her piece, sounding like she was crying. I know I should've felt bad, but I didn't.

"Okay," I replied with some sympathy. Some.

Brooklyn sat on the stool beside me and put her chin in the palm of her hand.
Her hair was still straight and put in a high ponytail. She wore a grey sports bra, cardigan, and black leggings and nothing else.
My eyes wandered to her forearm that had a new feature. I raised my eyebrow, trying to make out what the fresh tattoo was. She snatched her arm back and made me return to the call.

"I'm sorry, Sky, and you're right; you didn't deserve that. It won't happen again. I have to go, I'll talk to you later," I talked robotically. Really though, it won't happen again because I'm done with her.
Sky sniffled and hung up, so put my phone face down on the counter and just stared at Brooklyn.

"What was your tattoo?" She asked and I showed her.

"What'd you get, and why is it a big secret?" I questioned, squeezing her thighs.

"Uh-uh, I have questions, too," she demanded and I groaned in agony. "Were you guys really only friends with benefits? No feelings?"

"Yes! Honestly, it went on longer than it should've, but you just heard: it's over."

She nodded. "What does she look like, I barely looked at her, but she had a mask and crazy makeup?" asked Brooklyn, curiously. I could tell she genuinely wanted to know so I pulled up her Instagram that I didn't follow, I only found her account in my DMs.
Brooklyn looked over my shoulder as I scrolled down the page full of cosplay photos, hairstyles, and eye makeup tutorials. She stopped on the most normal recent photo and observed it.

There was no obvious look on Brooklyn's face for me to tell what she thought of Sky physically. Sure, she had a nice body and can look good with makeup, but her photos are way too edited and she's been letting herself go lately. Not to mention she looks like a completely different person every other day. And her personality is the biggest turn off on the list.

"She's hot," Brooklyn said, handing the phone back over.

"She's okay," I mumbled back.

"I mean, she has a nice body." Brooklyn shrugged, twisting her lips.

"If you're a lesbian just say that," I remarked, earning a playful push in the chest.

"I'm not into girls," she said easily, "but I know when a girl looks good and she's not bad. You definitely upgraded, though. High-five!" I laughed as she slapped my hand.

"But," Brooklyn sounded.

"Uh-oh," I exhaled, sinking in the chair. I didn't realize we were both childishly spinning in them until the rails clinked.

"Isn't this weird?" asked Brooklyn.

My eyes rolled and I stopped her from spinning because the sound was getting on my nerves. "Didn't we already go over this," I sighed, briefing it, "Yes it's weird, we were on the cruise, now we're here and-"

"No," she giggled, "that's not what I'm talking about. I mean, last week you were all 'we can't do this' and now..."

"Uh, I didn't want to cross the line at first, but you don't make it easy," I paused, "It's like this: if you're going to get the same punishment for being five minutes late as you are for being an hour late, why not take the hour? You know, you can take your time and even stop for something to eat on the way."

Brooklyn laughed at my way of thinking. "So strange," she sneered, shaking her head as she hopped off the stool and walked me to the door. "Oh, and when a girl says 'come inside me' you're not actually supposed to."

I teased her, saying, "No? You liked it, though, you wanted it," as I stepped into the main hallway.

Brooklyn shut the door and then cracked it to where I only saw half of her face. She pinched her fingers, leaving only an inch of space in between them, and whispered, "A little bit."

I laughed out loud, mocking the gesture and low volume, "A little bit?"

Emereigh sang in the backseat the whole way to the rehab center.

"Did we have to listen to the whole Aladdin soundtrack?" I asked her, a headache coming on.

"PRINCE ALI-" She started howling.

"Emereigh, please," I laughed, unbuckling my seatbelt.

She frowned at me and climbed up front in the Hummer.

"Where are we, No-ee?" asked Emereigh.

I vibrated my lips and put my arm behind the passenger headrest. "This is where Dad is," I answered.

She got on her knees and scampered across my lap, fogging up the window with her nose on it.

"This is his vacation?!" she squealed.

I laughed and put her back in the seat. "Yeah, exactly - vacation. Come on."

*

Rick, and Emereigh came down from the laughing fit I sent them into. We sang happy birthday to him and offered donuts but he said not to make it a big deal while he's in here.

Emereigh tried eating the last donut and I pushed her hand away. "Stop, you've had two already. What would Cassie say?" I asked. She pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. I waved my head at her little attitude, my leg shaking under the table.

"Who's Cassie," Rick asked us, "is that your girl-"

"No," I responded fast, "Cassie is my friend and Emereigh's babysitter. It's just for until you're back on your feet, though. Kim sees her on the weekends sometimes, or whenever else she wants, but I check on them, too."

"Cassie's awesome!" Em exploded, throwing her arms in the air. "She's so nice to me, and she's pretty... and she got me stuff! Ooh, and we ate lots of ice cream!"

Rick nodded with a half smile. "Then who's your girl?" he asked me.

"I don't have one I told you," I laughed it off.

Emereigh popped up and exclaimed, "Yes he does! Her name is Brooklyn. She's really tall."

"What else, hm?" Rick dug for information while I wondered what else she thought of Brooklyn.

Emereigh stopped coloring and tapped her chin. She told Rick, "Well, she's really pretty. She smells like honey, and she has hair like a princess sometimes. She told me she was a ballerina, and guess what?!"

Rick laughed with anticipation. "What?" he asked with a gasp.

"SHE PLAYS VOLLEYBALL!"

"Your sister's honest at least," Rick boasted but was impressed by Em's accurate description of Brooklyn.

I chuckled, embarrassed. "My sister's a snitch, that's what she is."

Em dramatically took in air and squeezed my cheeks between her palms. She put her face in mine and said, "Don't say that, No-ee," probably thinking I said something else. Unless she's at that age and knows snitches get stitches.

"Volleyball, huh? You know I played back in the day, even got a scholarship for it at-"

"I know, I know," I beat him to it, "UCLA for two years then you got hurt and went back home to Maryland."

He chuckled. "She any good?" Rick asked about Brooklyn.

I tipped my hat up so I could better see, and almost smiled thinking about her. "Yeah, she's great."

"Hopefully I can get to a game when I get out of here," he said, his eyes drifting away, "won't be too much longer."

"Yeah. Fingers crossed," I replied, picking at the skin on my palm.

"Look, it's Rajah from Aladdin!" Emereigh showed us the picture she colored in the book I bought for her on the way.

"That's pretty, baby. Look how well you color," Rick engaged with his daughter, asking if he could do one, too. She nodded and remained grinning as she picked the perfect picture for him. It was one of Genie, and when he grabbed a green crayon by mistake, she silently switched it with a blue one so he'd get the hint. I couldn't help but laugh and be proud of how smart she is. And she really knows her Aladdin.

"Emmers, can you go get me a cup of water from over there?" asked Rick, pointing to the water dispenser by the window and fake plant. "Yeah, right there. I'm watching you."

She got up from the table one leg after the other and skipped to the fountain.

"Why were you limping?" Rick questioned me.

I puckered my brows in response to his random question, going, "Huh?"

"If you can 'huh' you can hear," he undertoned, and continued to color as he saw Em approaching through the corner of his eye. "Now what happened, I saw you walk in here?"

"Um," I started, not even caring how obvious it came off that I was lying, "I was playing around on Gael's bike and it fell... on my leg."

Not wanting to talk about it in front of the six-year-old, because he probably knew it was something work-related, he dropped it. For now.

"How's Gael?" he wondered, showing Emereigh his almost finished drawing.

"He's good. He just met up with Luke and they worked things out."

"That's good! I hope Luke's doing okay. Maybe when I'm out, we can all go boating or something," Rick suggested, all teeth.

"When do you think you'll be out, and are you gonna stay out?" That's the real question.

"Of course I am," he huffed, "my reason is right here." Emereigh smiled under the kiss he planted on the top of her head. Not going to lie, seeing him so loving with her was pretty sentimental. Everything just seemed right. She wasn't my just half-sister, and he wasn't only Rick, a crackhead. We're a family.

"I like us like this," Emereigh cooed, latching onto my arm.