April 25, 1976

"You get to come back home now, Mama?" KJ asked with an eager smile.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes, I do," I smiled, "And Sky is coming too."

The three of us got into the car, Keith getting into the driver's seat, KJ in the back, and I got into the back as well with Sky's baby carrier. KJ didn't miss the opportunity to sit on my lap, partly to get a better look at his new baby sister. I had one arm wrapped tight around him so he wouldn't fall, my other arm holding tight to the handle on the baby carrier to keep it still to try and not make Sky wake up at every car move.

"So, bud," Keith started from the front seat as he began to drive, "You excited to be a big brother?"

KJ smiled eagerly again. "Yeah!" he answered and nodded.

"Are you gonna be as good of a big brother like Daddy is to Aunty Kay?" I asked.

He nodded again, smile still in place. "I'm gonna be the best big brother ever!"

I heard Keith chuckle from the front of the car. "Good. But you have to remember to be gentle around her."

I nodded in agreement. "That's right. She's still little, so you have to be gentle around Sky."

"And she's a girl, so that's another reason to be gentle with her. You don't wanna do nothin' to hurt her when you both get bigger."

Keith drove into the driveway and turned off the car. He came around to the back seat and took Sky's carrier while I helped KJ down from the car. The three of us walked back to the house and went inside. When we got inside, Mrs. Mathews and Keilah were there, doing something.

To say I was shocked when I saw Keilah and Mrs. Mathews in the house would be an overstatement. Keith and I had given his mother a key to take care of a few things in the house during one day and she still had the key. Her and Keilah had done the same thing when KJ was born, be at the house until we got there and say they did a little something in celebration or a celebratory manner.

And when we walked into the house, it seemed as though they had done it again.

I found it very sweet, actually. I'd be lying if I said I didn't appreciate having the two of them as family, at least in laws. I'm not saying that I have a problem with that fact that I grew up with all guys until I was a teenager, but even when Candy, Evie, Marilyn and Suzie came aournd, I kinda thought it was nice. I was never really "girly" with them, but they did manage to let that very small- and I'm talking microscopic- side of me to come out, and they were still about to do that a lot.

"Welcome home," the two said together happily when we all walked in.

I looked down at Sky to make sure she hadn't woken up. When I saw that she was still asleep, I smiled at the two. "Hello to you two too," I chuckled.

"Ok," Keilah started, "While you were still in the hospital, my brother and I finished up Sky's nursey for when you two got home. It's all done and decorated, and now that we know Sky is a girl, it made life easier."

I couldn't help but smile. "That's so great of you two! It's also great to see you two together and getting along after all these months."

"Yeah," Keith agreed, "And I've missed my baby sister, actually." He leaned over and ruffled Keilah's hair teasingly, and she laughed as she pushed his arm away.

As the two talked and caught up about the last couple of months, I took Sky's carrier and went to her nursey, KJ following after me like a puppy. The walls were a lavender color with a few patterns of shapes painted on as well. On the wall, there was a picture of the four of us that had been taken the same day she was born. All the furniture and toys and supplies were placed orderly around the walls of the room. Honestly, the now finished nursery looked great to me.

I saw Sky begin to stir awake and quickly but gently picked her up in my arms. I gently rocked her back and forth until she grew quiet again. As I did this, I walked over to the rocking in the room and sat down. I looked down at Sky and gently caressed her cheek, my thumb moving up and down against the smooth surface of her skin. KJ came over and leaned against one arm of the chair, looking over as best as he could see to see Sky.

I jumped slightly when I heard Keilah in the doorway. "My brother needs you in the living room," she said simply.

I nodded, stood up and placed Sky gently in her crib. "Would you stay with Sky and KJ?" I asked, "Just till I get back."

She smiled and nodded. "Of course I can. I'll get to spend time with my adorable little niece and my awesome nephew." She bent down and picked up KJ and ruffled his hair, causing him to laugh.

I smiled and walked out of the bedroom, letting Keilah fully into the room, and walked to the living room. Mrs. Mathews was sitting on the couch with a confused look on her face, and Keith was standing in the doorway facing outside. Mrs. Mathews looked at me as I walked in, then back at her son and cleared her throat, gaining his attention. He turned around and looked at me, and stepped from the doorway, revealing a man who didn't look to be much older than the two of us.

"What's goin' on?" I asked in a confused tone.

Keith gave a weird look. "Uh," he started, "This guy says he wants to talk to you 'bout somethin' important."

Now I was really confused as I walked to the door and looked at the man. "Can I help you?"

The guy looked to be in his late twenties, thirty or early thirties at most. He was kinda tall, but not "large" in height, more like average. For some reason, his facial features were familiar to me, but I knew I never met the guy. He wore casual clothing, jeans and a plain t-shirt with a jean jacket on over it. His clothing wasn't sloppy, but rather comfortable looking going along with the weather. He was neatly shaved and groomed, and had hair a similar color to my own. He had a slight Southern accent, but not like he was from the area, but rather another part of the South.

The man cleared his throat a bit. "Uh, yeah," he answered, "My name is Eric Johnson. Are you Raina Johnson?"

"Well, everyone calls me Rain, and my maiden name was Johnson. Why? Do I know you?"

"Uh, no, you don't. And I don't know you either, but I knew your dad."

I felt slight anger begin to rise inside me at the mention of my dad. "How do you know him? He's been dead for nearly ten years."

"This is kinda hard to just come out and say," Eric said, "So could I just explain the whole thing to you guys?"

I nodded. "Sure, go ahead."

"Alright," he started, "In 1945, your dad had a marriage previous to his marriage to your mom. They got divorced though in 1948, and his first wife moved to Virginia with her three year old son, your dad's first kid. He eventually got remarried to some other woman, who was your mom, and here you are."

I gave a slightly confused look. "So what're you sayin'? That I have a brother floating around Virginia somewhere? Or more like a half-brother?"

"Not exactly… more like standing on your front porch."

It took a moment for me to understand what was going on, and when I did, my eyes widened a bit. "You mean you're-" I started but began to laugh, "This is all a joke, right? I mean, I'm an only child, I don't have a half-brother. I mean, as terrible as my dad was, he only married my mom, who was just as bad. Alright, great joke everybody, but I'm really not in the mood for this kind of joke."

"Rain," Keith cut in, "I don't really think he's joking."

I stopped laughing and gave a serious look. "So, you're really my brother?" I asked unsurely.

Eric nodded a bit. "Yeah," he answered and let out a slight sigh, "I am."

I hesitated. "Um… if you'll excuse me, I have to go check on KJ and Sky."

I quickly left the room and went to Sky's bedroom. Keilah was still in thee and so was KJ. When I walked into the room, I closed the door behind me, then leaned against the door. I let out a sigh and placed one hand against my head for a moment, then one over my chest in a failed attempt to calm my racing heart in shock. After all that, I felt sick.

"Rain, you ok?" Keilah asked in a worried tone, "You're really pale."

"I don't know," I answered in an unsure tone and shrugged, "But guess what? Every girl in this room has an older brother."

Her eyes widened a moment. "That guy at the door is your older brother? But I thought you were an only child?"

"So did I! But apparently, my dad had a previous marriage before my mother."

I'm only slightly happy with this chapter. Although lately, I'm not too happy with anything I've been writing for fanfiction. To me, everything I write sucks- except for that new chapter of "Cherry Flavored Soda" I just uploaded the other day, I thought that was pretty good, actually.

Credit to my best friend Sara for helping me figure out the details about Rain's brother: Eric Johnson! Also credit to her for saying whether adding him was a good idea or not, having that kind of plot when there's randomly another sibling no one knew about. THANK YOU MY BUDDY SARA *does our awesome handshake*

Hope everyone had an awesome Easter/ Resurrection Sunday last weekend! If you get offended by my second term for the holiday- I apologize if this sounds rude- but that's too darn bad. I'm a Christian, you know this, so that's what I call it.

oh, just so you know- next chapter is gonna be AWESOME I just know it. No spoilers, but there will be a celebrity appearance (hopefully I can make it work)!

Alright, I must go now, Rod Stewart is playing on the Music Choice Classic Rock station (beware if I'm ever typing and the Doors or the Rolling Stones started playing)- peace from all the hippies of the world =^-^=