Hello. Here is the fourth chapter. I'm sorry it isn't too long.
I'm seeing a lot of views but not so much reviews. I need to be judged people, or my work won't improve.
Hope you like it :).
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Paths – Chapter 4 – Her Name
I'm on the living room, waiting for Michael to wake up. I know I woke up a little early but he can't be too late. I rather do it the sooner.
I'm so curious about her... And I just hope that she finds Michael adorable. That way, she won't stare at me so much and I'll be able to study her better.
We were together for what? Five minutes? Probably. But I can already tell that she's different from the others. And I want to know what makes her different.
It's almost 10 a.m. when I hear footsteps. In a short time I can tell it's Susan's. She's just taking a peek to the living room when she notices me, stares at me, and with a raised eyebrow, leaves the room. My sister can be scary sometimes. I feel uncomfortable, with the odd feeling that she knows what I'm up to.
She starts to play the piano we have near the hall and somehow it starts to relax me. I'm glad that she started to play. That way, all the family will wake up sooner. In half an hour Michael appears near me and sits on the sofa. He is already dressed up for the day.
"I just need breakfast." And leaves again.
I decide to go to the kitchen to help him. My mom is still a sleep. Luckily, the kid doesn't want anything sophisticated and it's pleased with the bowl with milk and cereal I give him.
"Are you ready?" He asks me with food on his mouth. He is looking at her house.
"Yeah, I think so. I shouldn't be nervous. We are just introducing ourselves as her neighbours."
"Maybe we should bring mom and Susan with us..."
I remember that Susan is just around the corner and might be hearing our conversation. I talk to him, trying not to be louder than the piano.
"Yeah, maybe we should. But you know that women talk a lot. If we go with them, she won't notice us." He looks at me with a quirked eyebrow.
"Ok. Let's go first."
I wait for him to finish his breakfast while I'm trying to get my hair straight. That's impossible when my hair is long enough to almost touch my eyebrows. I look to my brother and notice that is hair is also messy. But in his case it's cute.
He finishes the cereal, puts away is bowl and follows me outside. I get closer to our fence and start to look.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm checking if they are awake. I don't want to be rude and interrupt their sleep."
He starts to look with me, jumping because the fence is a little higher than him.
"Luke! Look!"
He points to one of their windows and I can see the woman, carrying a lot of books to one little table in their living room.
"We can go!" He looks excited but I just become nervous. He doesn't understand why I'm quiet.
"Maybe we shouldn't go now. She is… organizing her books"
"No! We should go now! It'll be fast and she can organize them after we leave."
I don't want it to be fast. I need to speak with the girl.
"And besides, you want to talk with the girl, not with her mom." Touché, Michael.
"Maybe the girl is still sleeping." I say hopefully. I'm having second thoughts about this.
"She isn't, look."
And now I see the girl joining her mother. Last night I had my doubts about her. I thought that I was overthinking and making a big deal. But no, I wasn't exaggerating. She really is different.
"But now she's helping her mother. Maybe later…" I try again.
"I think her mother can organize the books herself." And without hesitation, he grabs my arm and takes us to her front gate, where we stop.
I remember when yesterday I was worried because I didn't remember any single thing about this house. Now I think that's trivial. The girl took my full attention since then.
"Don't worry, we are just introducing ourselves." I say to my brother, but I can tell that he isn't worried at all.
He enters their front yard, walks calmly and only looks back at me when he arrives at the front door. The moment I reach him, he knocks. I hold my breath. He crossed his arms behind him, waiting, and I'm thinking that maybe I could run and jump to our front yard, but I know that someone is coming. And the moment arrived. The door is being unlocked.
"Oh, look! Hello Michael! How are you doing? Did you decide to look for my house?"
What? I remember this man from yesterday. He was the one checking the mailbox. I can tell by his profile. But how does he know Michael?
"Good morning Dr Granger. I… I didn't know you lived here. Are you my new neighbour?" he is confused and looks back at me, questioning something with his eyes.
"Hm, yes. I moved here a couple weeks ago." I notice that his smile drops a little. His hair is brown like the girl's, but has some grey in it. His eyes are a greyish blue and he uses glasses. And he is taller than me.
"Err…Good morning sir, I'm Luke, Michael's brother. It's nice to meet you. We live right there" I point to our house. "We just wanted to welcome you and your family to our neighbourhood." I rest my hands in my brother's shoulders after the firm handshake I give him. Thank God I've got my capacity to speak back. I was worried that Michael would have to be responsible for all the talking.
He looks at our house and nods his head. "Oh, really? Who would imagine that you live next to me, Michael?"
My brother just smiles and when I'm almost feeling an awkward silence coming e clears his throat.
"Do you want to come in? I would like to show my wife the patient who bit me last afternoon." He smiles while my brother just laughs. He should be ashamed.
He follows the man and they engage in a conversation about yesterday's appointment and I decide to follow, feeling really nervous. The real reason behind this visit might be just around the corner.
He stops in front of the kitchen door, interrupting his conversation with my brother, and turns to the living room.
"Jean, love, come here! Do you remember the kid I attended yesterday? The one who almost bit off my finger and ripped of my latex glove with his teeth?" It's Jean her name?
My brother is laughing, holding his stomach when the woman approaches us. She isn't tall but has presence. Like her daughter. And has her eyes. Big and brown. And somehow, they look younger than the daughter's. Speaking of her, why she didn't come too?
"Yes, I remember. Is this the biter?" She asks ruffling his hair too. I'm glad that I didn't bother to make him comb it.
"Nice to meet you Mrs Granger. I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt your husband." Apologizing while smiling doesn't seem to honest, does it?
"It's ok, he is fine. See?"
Mr Granger waves one finger on the air and shows around his band-aid.
"This is my brother Luke." He says to the woman and I shake her hand with a polite smile.
She asks my brother something about the biting incident and while the three of them continue their conversation, she leads us to the kitchen. I look behind me, trying to see if the girl is still on the living room but it's out of my view.
The kitchen is different from ours. Doesn't have toys, pencils and magazines everywhere. When we sit on the table, I notice some drawings on the refrigerator door. They have a signature but I can't read it because I'm too far. Maybe I should use the drawings for my benefit.
"Do you have kids?" I ask, pointing to the refrigerator. I interrupted their conversation but they don't look offended. Just my brother, because he enjoys the attention.
They look to the refrigerator simultaneously. Mr Granger smiles and without looking away, speaks to me.
"Yes, we have one girl. But she's not a kid anymore." They are staring at those drawing, lost in their thoughts. I don't understand if they are happy or not. They look… nostalgic.
"Is she here?" Michael asks suddenly, breaking the silence.
I can feel the anticipation in me. This is new chapter in my life that I'm about to enter. Knowing her name it's the first of many things I want to know about her. Last night I tried to guess it but none seemed to fit her.
I know I'll be thinking about her tonight too. And today she won't be the girl-who-lives-next-to-me or the-teenage-girl-neighbour. Tonight, I'll call her by real her name.
"Oh, of course!" Mrs Granger 'awakes' and answers to Michael. "We forgot to call her and introduce her to you. How could we? I wonder why she didn't came to see who was talking… Maybe she needs help…" And leaves the kitchen.
Michael looks at me with a smile and raised eyebrows. He is telling me silently that I should be happy because I'm about to see her.
"How old are you Luke?" Mr Granger asks me with a knowing smile.
"Eh, eighteen and eight months." I answer nervously. Michael looks at me concerned. Mr Granger just nods his head, still smiling.
"My daughter is eighteen too. Eighteen and…. almost ten months". And winks at me.
I just knew her age and I can't be happy about it because I'm blushing. How embarrassing!
"She is coming. She got distracted with a book!" Mrs Granger enters the room. I decide to take a deep breath, when suddenly, she appears.
"Hello. I'm Hermione."
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Since this chapter wasn't too long, The next one you'll be uploaded in less than 24 hours. Or maybe I should ask for reviews first... hm...