Brooklyn Noelle Brankovich

Chapter Fifty: "Backyard country extravaganza"

"Ma?" I called for my mother. The bag slid down my arm and I let it fall onto the white floor in the foyer.
"Papa!" Also the German word for Papa like in English.

"Brooklyn?" Melinda asked, surprised to see me. Her eyes grew, realizing it was actually me standing there, and ran over. She threw her arms around my body and squeezed the life out of me.

"Ay, niña, what are you doing here?" asked Melinda, gripping my head. She looked concerned by far and looked me over to make sure I was physically okay.

I scrunched my face at her touch and inched away to create space. "I'm fine," I sniffed, "I just wanted to visit for a couple days."

She palmed my cheek and smiled. "Awh. LA becoming too much?"

I nodded. "Something like that."

"Well, come, we have to tell everyone you're here!" She insisted, pulling my arm in the direction towards the kitchen.

I stopped and pried her fingers from my wrist. "Actually, Mel," I denied shakily, "can you not tell them, yet? I'd like to use my room in peace for a while."

Melinda smoothed the hands down her smock and agreed silently, alluding to the right staircase. I blew her a kiss as I trekked up the stairs and made my way to the bedroom I once called mine.

Once in there, I saw they hadn't changed a single thing.
So much for the office, closet, gym, and atrium , or whatever else they planned on turning my bedroom into, I thought in my head.

"Aheh," I laughed to myself before moving on.

My fingertips ran along the blanket on my bed as I paced to the closet. Instantly, my eyes connected with the ballet shoes on the shelves. I smiled and then turned off the light and tore my sights away.

Next, I was attracted to the bow window I would stare out of every morning, bright and early. Ah, the memories.

I rolled my ankle and then pointed my toes, staying on them as I shuffled to sitting area under the archway.

Coming down, I laughed off the cramp I suddenly caught in my calf muscle and took a seat of the Queen Victoria chaise.

"Enjoying yourself?" asked my mother, startling me. I shot up and didn't know what to say, stunned. I didn't want her to notice I was home so soon.

Unlike what I expected, she wrapped me in her arms and smiled at me.

"Back so soon?" she asked.

I gulped. "I just needed a break."

"Awh," she clicked her tongue and palmed my cheek, "I knew LA would be too much for you to handle. It's okay, you're home now." My face fell at her statement. LA, I could handle. Her sly comments, on the other hand, not so much. That's one thing I didn't miss about her and being home.

"Where's Dad?" I changed the topic of conversation.

"He's getting dressed for this evening," she let me know.

Confused, I scratched my head. "What's tonight?"

"The beginning of our annual two day event, remember?" She jogged my memory and I felt dumb for forgetting about it. How could I end up back home during this special festival my parents hosted every year? It's a family and friends thing where they really just flaunt their money. A lot goes into it and it usually ends up in the paper or on the cover of magazines and online articles.

"Get some rest, it starts at six," Mother beamed, pinching my cheek before she sashayed out of the room.

Day two of the Brankovich traditional festivities. Just like day one, but less kids, more champagne, better music, and everyone was dressed in all white.

"Little sis!" A voice boomed from behind me. My heels sunk in the grass and I lifted my shoulders in shock, squeezing my eyelids together.

"How are you, Lynn, it's been forever?" Daniel exclaimed, picking my body off the ground.

"Daniel, put me down!" I yelped. When he did, I smoothed my dress and made sure no one was watching us. "And I'm not your little sis!"

He's the result of my mother's first failed marriage. My parents weren't always together and my mom did some crazy things when she was famous as a teenager. At her peak, eighteen-years-old, she married an older man who already had a young child. So, Daniel's thirty, and he's a drag queen. He helped raise my obsession with strippers, too. Come to think of it, he was never a good influence. Anyway, the marriage was short-lived, but his dad died and my mother always looked out for Daniel. He lived in New York and made a name for himself there in the club scene, rarely coming around to visit or talk to us on the phone. I could never forget him, though.

Daniel gave the top of my head a noogie and put his hands to his lips, eyeing me. "You've grown so much, my God. Milk does a body good, baby! What're you, like, six feet now?"

"Shut up, Daniel. Why are you here?"

"Um, free food and drinks," he snickered, raising his half-empty glass.

"Oh, Danny-boy!" Ned chimed, walking over to Daniel and I. My eyes rolled.

"Oh, good," I sighed, "it's Nuddy." A nickname I gave Daniel's right hand man. He was like Dan's roadie, always going to his shows and being supportive but he claimed he wasn't gay and they're only best friends. Ned is like this genius who's also a stoner. He says some really smart shit to make up for Daniel's lack of brains. They're complete opposites; I mean very much Beauty and the beast.

"Brooklyn!" Ned gasped upon seeing me.

"Aht aht!" Mom snapped, stomping our way. "What are you three doing?" I grew worried, thinking she was referring to my drinking. My lips parted, ready to apologize since she never wanted me to drink as it wasn't "healthy."

"Partying?" Daniel suggested, shrugging.

"No, not that," she spat, "why are you at my party not dressed in all white?"

Whew. I felt relieved. I took another sip and glared at Daniel and Ned's outfit choice.

"We-"

"Zip! Just go, come back when the sun is down and no one can see those God-awful shoes you have on, Daniel. Brooklyn- And Ned, what is that? A beanie? Jesus." She nagged, dramatically rubbing her temples.

"Well then," Daniel huffed, "I'll just take my hors d'oeuvres and go." He snatched the tray from the passing caterer's hand and called Ned to follow him out.

Mom just walked away from me so I caught up to Daniel and asked if we could hangout.

***

"Work this pussy, work this pussy," the Teyana Taylor song WTP played while Daniel vogued all up and down the doc.

"Woo!" Ned cheered once he resurfaced from hitting his bong.

"Take it off!" I shrieked, stuffing a one dollar bill in the pocket of his black cargo shorts as he split before me. My feet dangled off the wooden plank and I had to curl my toes so my backless loafers wouldn't fall into the water.

Daniel ended showing us the choreo from his last show and turned the music off, the mini portable speaker was dying anyway.

"Danny, you're so good! I loved it," I squealed in awe, my eyes following him as he sat beside my body. "I have to come see a show one day!"

"I'll do you one better," he grinned, nudging me, "I'll be in LA at the end of next month. Come see me. And bring some friends."

"Friends with money," Ned added in the middle of choking. Daniel and I both chuckled lightly. I put my head on his shoulder and inhaled deeply, taking in my surroundings.

A heron existed on the water right before us.

"Look at that bird," Daniel whispered. He suddenly skipped a rock, disturbing the animal's peace. Angry, I sucked my teeth at him as I was enjoying the view. It was a perfect scene, beautiful; the sky was like cotton-candy, and the boats (yachts) around us glistened under the golden sun that was starting to set.

"Actually," Ned spoke up and Daniel flickered his eyes in annoyance because he already knew his friend was about to drop a fact. Ned said, "it's a Great Blue Heron. They're federally protected, they can't be killed and their nests can't be disturbed when birthing. I wouldn't skip anymore rocks, if it comes back, he may attack." Daniel and I, like we were one, snapped our necks and blinked at him, not knowing what to do with that information.

"And that's why you don't get any pussy," Daniel jabbed, gulping down a Passionfruit Mango flavored Seagrams wine cooler. It was my favorite flavor, but I let him take the last one of the pack he bought from the store after leaving my house - err, my old house.

Ned snorted in his laughter. "Hey, man, I don't get any pussy because my roommate is a drag queen." I just laughed at their playful banter and leaned back on my elbows, closing my eyes to relax.

Inhale. . . Exhale. I turned everything out. Well, almost everything.

"Oh my gosh, it's golden hour," Daniel gushed, whipping his phone out, "let's take a picture!" First, he made me stand up. Then, Daniel used Ned's bong as a stand to hold the phone in place atop the post and set a timer on the camera.

"One, two, three," he exclaimed, posing a million times, "soy cheese!" At the last second, Ned photobombed.

"My eyes were closed," I complained, looking over the one photo.

"Boo hoo, at least your ass looks nice," Daniel mumbled, waving me off.

"My leg looks dumb, and-" Ned spoke but Daniel cut him off.

"Who cares," my ex step-brother blabbed, "I look hot."

I laughed with Ned who cussed at Daniel for his apparent narcissism, then we all sat back down and continued to drink.

"Speaking of friends," Daniel brought it back up, "how are yours, or are you still having that little problem?"

I opened one eye to peek at him. "What little problem?" I asked.

"Making and keeping friends," he said easily, "you were always a little off when it came to, like, real human interaction. I mean, not now, obviously, that's why I'm asking; but back in the day, sheesh, sis. I'm surprised."

My mouth twisted as I began sinking, feeling small after his comments. What he said was true, I never did good with maintaining relationships. I would cut people off fast or never care to a chance get to know them. That's probably what I'm doing with my new volleyball girls and the people at the club, just barely acknowledging them.
But he's also wrong because I've made great connections with Cassie, Gael, and Noah. Emereigh, too! There's also Venus, Terrance, and Lily.
Fading into my thoughts, I realized how much I missed The Beach Plaza and the people in apartments 305, 306, and 307.

Even though Courtney hasn't yet said anything about The Playroom opening back up for business, I think I'm going to cut my vacation short and head back home. And by home, this time, I mean Apartment 311. LA: my fresh start and new beginning.

"I met some great people," I confessed, a smile turning my lips up.

"Can't be that great," Daniel scoffed, throwing his head back, "you left them."