Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Chapter 2
They pulled up to a large house and Diana thought, is that where I am going to live? It was huge compared to the apartment that she, her mother and her sister shared back in Richmond. Julius laughed gently at his twin awestruck face.
"What's wrong, Di? You look like you just saw the White House in person or something." Heidi chose that time to pipe up
"Mommy, Diana and I lived in a two bedroom apartment. This is a palace." Diana laughed. Her baby sister was so blunt at points it wasn't even funny. Diana picked up her suitcase, took Heidi's hand, walked up to the house and was greeted at the door by a pretty black woman that looked to be about her early 60s.
Hi, Diana and Heidi is it? I am Annabella, the housekeeper and housekeeper doesn't mean slave. That era is over. Although your twin over here, thinks otherwise sometimes.," she said as Julius walked over and gave Annabella a hug.
"Oh, c'mon 'Bella. I know you love me." She slapped off Julius' hands and picked up Heidi's suitcase. As she did, she turned around and winked at Diana and Heidi. They both tried to stop their giggles from getting out. Maybe living here will be cool, they both thought as they walked into the house.
"Don't worry about Bella girls, "Their father said behind them "Her bark is worse than her bite." They walked in the house. It was as big inside as it was outside. The staircase looked so huge. Diana felt so small.
"Now," Julius was standing in front of them, with a business-like look on his face.
"Now, who would like to take a tour of this 'palace'?" he said as he winked at me. Heidi started to jump up and down.
"ME! ME! ME!" With that Julius allowed her to get on his back. Then he turned to Diana and held out his arm.
"Well, Miss Campbell, shall we?" Diana smiled and took his arm.
"Mr. Campbell, we shall." They all laughed as they made their way around the house.
"This is the living room. It is decorated in a beach theme. We usually host company in this room." Julius dictated. This room is beautiful Diana thought as she admired the shell décor and the ocean looking carpet. This would be a perfect place to do some writing.
"This is the kitchen, also known as Bella's sanctuary. Enter at your own risk." Julius laughed as he narrowly avoided Bella herself who was wielding the spatula like a knife.
"Now, ya'll get out of here, I have to fix dinner!" Annabella scolded but with a smile on her face. They walked down a small flight of stairs into a room with large trophies and plaques all around
"This is the trophy/den/football watching room also known as my sanctuary." From the look on Julius' face, this was where he spent most of his time. I noticed a door off to the left and decided to investigate. Diana peeked in and saw it was an office.
"That's dad's office, Miss Nosy." Julius said and went back to showing Heidi his trophies.
Suddenly she had an idea. She blew past Julius and up the stairs to her suitcase. She rummaged in it for a few minutes until she found the pictures. There were three frames in her hand. One was of her, her mother and Heidi, all smiling and sweaty from playing football. The next one was one of Heidi playing football with her friends a few months before their mother was killed. The last one was of Diana, holding her pride and joy, her camera. She was the chief photographer for her old school newspaper, The Panthianette. Diana loved photography almost as much as she loved singing and football and she was rarely seen without either he video recorder or camera.
As she walked down the stairs, she looked and smiled as Julius showed Heidi his trophies and explained each one. She slipped by them and quietly into the office. She walked to the desk and put the photos on it. After all, she thought as she walked out, we are family again. As she walked out of the office, Julius looked up and smiled.
"Hey pretty picture, would you and Smurf like to see your room now?" Diana smiled at her childhood nickname.
"Sure." She said as they ascended the stairs.
Suddenly Diana heard voices and the front door shutting. They reached the kitchen and walked toward the living room. It wasn't Papa or Annabella. The voices sounded like teenage voices. They were calling Julius. Heidi who was in Julius' arms, whimpered, got down, and ran to hide behind Diana. She did not take well to strangers but something made Diana think that the voices weren't strangers' voices.
Two guys were waiting in the living room. Heidi and Diana hid in the shadows and watched. The two boys looked to be about Diana's age. Both were light-skinned but one's facial features were sharper and more defined. The other boy was slightly darker and had more of a baby face. Why did they look so familiar? Diana thought as she examined them. Diana took Heidi's hand and moved closer so she could hear them talking.
"Hey Julius man! You were supposed to meet us at the courts to play b-ball. What happened?" The baby-face was talking quickly. Heidi whimpered and pulled on Diana's skirt, trying to hide herself even more. They both look so familiar. She closed her eyes and pictured these two boys when they were younger and tried to figure out who they were. She was shaken out of her thoughts by hearing Julius' footsteps walking toward them. He took her hand and pulled her into the light with Heidi still trying to hide behind Diana's skirt.
"These two beautiful young ladies right here." Julius held onto my hand when he felt me stiffen.
"I only see one." "Baby Face" said looking carefully. Julius let go of my hand, walked around and picked up Heidi who hid her face in his neck.
"This is my baby sister, Heidi. And I think you both remember Diana. Rev, Petey, our camera girl is back!" Now she knew who they were. Petey Jones, the little boy who used to run around trying to kiss her since they could walk. She smiled at the memory of giving him many a smack across the face because that's what she saw in a movie when a guy tried to kiss a girl who didn't want him to. Then there was Rev. He was her singing partner. They had been in the children's choir before Diana moved. She loved singing duets with him.
"Songbird?" Rev could hardly believe it. The little bird with the loud voice had returned.
"Jerry? How are you?" Diana giggled and allowed herself be pulled into Rev's warm embrace.
"I am fine. I am the future starting quarterback at T.C. Williams High School!" Rev puffed out his chest proudly at this fact.
"Ooooh! Such a tough guy you are. Weren't you the same guy who used to play tea party with me?" Rev's ears turned red and glared at the blue-eyed girl who was trying to hide her giggles.
"I was five and you were and still are a pretty girl. I could never turn you down Songbird." Petey sidled up to Diana as Rev was talking and put his arm around her.
"Hey camera girl, do I get my kiss I never got all those years ago. Diana giggled. Why not? She thought. It also gave her a chance to extract a little revenge in the process.
"Well then, come here Mr. Jones and I will give you what you deserve." She got up on her tiptoes and gave him the hardest smack ever. Then she kissed him right on the cheek.
Thank you for reading this far. I am sorry I haven't updated in a while. I am going through relationship problems. Anyways please be kind and press the pretty little review button and give me a holla!