Chapter 9

Jake walked into the living room to see his parents snuggled up on the sofa watching The Godfather. The movie was one of his father's favorites, and if it was on, he automatically watched it. Jake took a seat in one of the armchairs. His mother looked across the room at him.

"Is your homework done?" she inquired.

"Yeah," replied Jake.

"Good," replied Angela with a smile.

"Did you clean your room?" asked Larry. "The kids are coming tomorrow for the weekend."

"All clean," said Jake, not looking away from the television. A commercial break started. "Dad, I was actually going to ask you for something."

"What is it?" asked Larry, looking at his son.

"You know how you got me those concert tickets for Christmas?" his father simply nodded in reply. "Well it's in a couple of weeks, and I want Junior to go, but Uncle Alex and Aunt Diana are kind of strict when it comes to her doing stuff on weeknights. So I was thinking you could ask them for her."

"So you're asking me to conspire with you two," replied Larry with a grin. "I'd be happy to."

"Thanks, dad," said Jake excitedly. "Do you think you can convince them to let her go?"

"Him," corrected Larry. "I've talked her father into things far harder than this."

"You're not lying," chuckled Angela.

"Ok," said Jake, slightly confused. He stood up to return to his bedroom. "Just, please don't forget to ask."

"I won't," replied his father. "I've got your back."

Jake rolled his eyes in response to his father's attempt at using modern slang, and left the room.

"What do you think of that?" asked Angela after Jake had left the room.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that out of all of his friends, he wants her to go," she said. "What do you make of it?"

"I think that he's realized how pretty she's become," replied Larry as he pulled Angela closer. "And just like his old man, he likes the company of pretty girls."

"You're something else," said Angela with a grin.

"Don't I know it," replied Larry.

The next morning Angela answered the door to see Alex standing on the porch with two small suitcases, and a larger one.

"Morning," said Angela, stepping aside for him to come in.

"Good morning," replied Alex as he stepped into the entryway. "These are the kids' bags. The blue one is Jaimie's, the black is Claire's, and the monstrosity belongs to Junior. Where should I put them?"

"You can put the girls' bags in the guest room, and Jamie's bag in Jake's room," replied Angela. "Or you can leave them right here and let Larry do it."

"No," said Alex. "I'll take them up."

He carried the bags upstairs, putting Jaimie's bag in Jake's room first. He walked down the hall to the guest bedroom, opening the door and entering it. After placing his daughters' bags at the foot of the bed, he looked around. The décor had changed, but the furniture placement had not. Even with the new gold wallpaper, and matching deep-red bedding and curtains, there was a certain familiarity. He looked at the four poster bed where he had slept so many nights all those years ago and felt nostalgic. He smiled, then left the room, shutting the door behind him. Angela was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

"All set?" she asked, as he descended the stairs.

"I think so," replied Alex with a sigh. "If Claire's allergies bother her, there's some Dimetapp in her bag. Diana and I will both have our cell phones, so if you need anything just call. Thanks again."

"No problem," she replied. "We love having the kids over."

"We'll see if you still feel that way in 3 days," he replied as he opened the front door, and walked out. "See you Monday."

"Have fun," said Angela. "And don't worry, they'll be fine."

That evening after a dinner consisting of pizza, the Hesse children sat with Jake watching The Parent Trap. It was past Claire's normal bedtime, but each child knew that bedtime rules didn't exist at the Arbogast home on weekends, so no one brought it up.

"This movie never gets old," said Junior. "I could watch it a thousand times and still enjoy it."

"I think you have watched it a thousand times," replied Jaimie.

"I would have to agree," added Jake. "We have maybe four sleepovers a year, but I feel like you always pick this movie."

"Fine," replied Junior. "I won't pick it ever again."

"I didn't say there was anything wrong with picking this movie," Jake back-peddled. "Just that you usually choose this one."

Larry walked into the room carrying a bowl of chips, and a bowl of salsa. He placed them on the coffee table and looked at the television.

"The Parent Trap," he said as if thinking aloud. "I know who got to pick the first film of the evening."

Both boys made eye contact and started laughing.

"Ok," said Junior, feigning irritation. "I get it, I'm predictable."

"But in the best way, honey," replied Larry chuckling.

A couple hours, and another family movie later it was obvious that Claire needed to go to bed. She sat in a daze on the floor, staring at the TV with glassy, red eyes.

"Come on Claire," said Angela. "Let's get ready for bed."

"Junior, are you going to bed?" asked Claire.

"I wasn't planning on it," replied Junior, looking away from the TV.

Claire got up and walked to where her sister was sitting on the sofa and climbed up onto her lap.

"I don't want to go to bed alone," she whispered in Junior's ear. "Go with me, please."

Junior saw the look of pleading on her sister's face and knew she had no other choice.

"All right, Claire," said Junior, nudging her younger sister off her lap. "Let's go get ready for bed."

"I can help her get ready," said Angela. "That way you can watch the rest of the movie."

"No, that's fine," replied Junior giving her a significant look. "I don't mind helping her."

Upstairs Junior got Claire's pajamas out of her suitcase and helped her get out of her jeans and t-shirt. After she was dressed for bed, Junior handed Claire her toothbrush and toothpaste and started turning down the bed. She went to stand in the doorway of the bathroom connected to the bathroom to make sure the youngest Hesse followed through on brushing her teeth.

"Aren't you going to get your pajamas on?" asked Claire as she struggled to put toothpaste on her toothbrush.

"Not right now," replied Junior, stepping into the bathroom and helping Claire with the toothpaste tube. "I will in a little bit."

After Claire had brushed her teeth and used the bathroom, Junior helped her get into the bed, crawling in beside her and laying back onto one of the ultra-soft pillows. Claire scooted herself closer to Junior.

"I don't like sleeping in strange places," whispered Claire. "I get scared."

"But this isn't a strange place," replied Junior.

"I don't remember sleeping here before," said Claire.

"I guess you wouldn't," said Junior. "The last time was when you were about two."

Thinking about it, Junior realized she had probably spent the night in this bedroom about a dozen times that she could remember. But somehow it seemed like more than that. There was a familiarity about this bedroom that seemed like she'd slept here a hundred times. That's how she felt about the entire Arbogast home. She had been raised so closely with Jake that every inch of the house felt like a second home: a place where she was totally comfortable.

Less than 10 minutes later Claire had given in to her exhaustion, and her slow, deep breaths signaled that she had fallen asleep. Very carefully Junior got up, trying not to disturb her sister. After managing to get out of bed, she pulled the blankets over Claire's shoulders and left the room.

"That didn't take long," said Larry when he saw Junior walk back into the living room. "Is she asleep?"

"Yeah," replied Junior sitting down on the sofa. "She just gets so anxious sleeping anywhere but home."

"You were never like that," said Angela. "I remember so many times when you would ask to stay here."

"We'd rent movies and eat all the food I wasn't allowed to eat at home," added Junior.

"The good old days," said Jaimie. "Junior, do you remember when it was the two of us who used to share the guest bedroom? Before Claire came along?"

"I sure do," replied Junior. "You always hogged the blankets."

Later that night as Angela was putting their dirty clothes in the hamper, Larry sat on the edge of their bed, deep in thought.

"We're not going to have this much longer," he said, almost out of nowhere.

"Have what?" she asked.

"Jake at home," replied Larry. "Having the other kids over for a sleepover. Pretty soon he'll be at college, and so will the other kids. Then they leave home forever."

"Don't get dramatic," replied Angela as she crawled into the bed on her side.

"I'm not being dramatic," said Larry as he got into the bed next to her. "I'm just thinking. We're getting really close to that point when we won't have kids around."

"True," agreed Angela. "But then eventually we get grandkids. And then we'll have a use for the guest room again."

"I guess," conceded Larry. He turned off the light on his nightstand and laid back.

The next afternoon Larry was sitting at the table with all four kids, teaching Claire to play Uno. She was sitting on his lap so he could help her with what to play.

"Should I put down this card?" she asked him quietly.

"That one works," he whispered. "But if you really want to win put down the "Draw 4" card."

She played the card he had instructed and her siblings groaned.

"I'm going to the store," announced Angela as she walked into the kitchen. "Anyone want to join me?'

"What are you going to the store for?" asked Larry. "You just went Thursday."

"I just realized we're out of laundry detergent," replied Angela. "So if you'd like to have clean clothes this week I need to get some."

"I'll go," said Junior. "I'm losing anyway. Claire, do you want to go?"

"No," replied Claire. "I'm having fun."

When they got to the grocery store, Angela got a cart and they made their way through the crowded store to the detergent aisle. After browsing for a moment Angela spotted what she was looking for and grabbed two bottles, placing them in the cart.

"Junior," said Angela. "Can you go grab a 12 pack of Sprite, and meet me in the frozen aisle? That might make this trip a little bit quicker."

"Sure," replied Junior, and she walked toward where the soda was kept.

It wasn't a particularly large store, but it was busy so making her way through the crowd took time and effort. She found what she was looking for but had to wait for no fewer than three people to move before she could grab it. With the pack of soda finally in hand she made her way toward the frozen food. She spotted Angela from about 15 feet away. She was talking to a man Junior had never met. He was tall with sandy brown hair. She'd never met him, but he looked familiar to Junior. As she walked up and placed the soda into the cart she noticed the stranger staring at her.

"Well, we have to be going," Angela said to the man. She took Junior's arm and led her toward the checkout lanes. Junior looked back to see the man still staring in their direction.

Angela was unusually quiet as she loaded the groceries onto the checkout belt and paid. It had begun to drizzle, and they walked quickly to Angela's van. Junior took the cart back up to the store and returned to the van, getting into the passenger seat. The windshield wipers came on, punctuating the silence. Junior looked at Angela, wondering if she should ask the question on the tip of her tongue.

"Aunt Angela," she started, speaking softly. "Who was that guy?"

Angela looked back at her. She sighed. After a few moments of silence, she began to speak.

"He's someone from my past," explained Angela. "The world isn't black and white, there's a whole lot of gray mixed in. I don't regret having him as an acquaintance, but I'm not necessarily proud of it. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, it does," replied Junior.

"I'd prefer if you didn't mention him to anyone," added Angela. "If that's all right with you."

"I won't tell a soul," promised Junior, meaning every word.

That night Junior laid awake, listening to Claire's soft snoring. In an uncharacteristic manner Claire had fallen asleep with ease, while Junior was still awake, her mind racing. The way that man had looked at her made her feel anxious. He didn't look at her in a way that made her think he was some type of pervert, but rather in a way that made her feel he was looking at her like he knew her. But he didn't know her. He didn't know her name, where she lived, or who her parents were. But she knew him. His eyes, his face shape, he looked a lot like the person in this house that she was closest to. Junior knew that she would keep her promise to Angela, if for no other reason than to spare Jake from that pain.