Surviving the Andersen Brothers

Welcoming Arden Andersen

I sat in the Kitchen, on the ground, with my back against the tupperware cupboards, clutching a cold glass of milk in my hands. It's been weeks since my mother called and asked me to move back in with her—a decision that still hasn't been made on that topic.

            I tried not to keep track of the days, knowing that anytime, now, Vincent would be leaving for Harvard.

            Things between Vincent and I changed that day when he found me at the river. Just like things changed when I found out about Harvard. The changes were different though. The change back then meant that we would spend our summer like nothing was going to end it—that he would ask me a simple question and I would answer with a yes or a no and I would either be his girlfriend when he left or I would just be his friend. Now this change made us distant, or maybe it made us more desperate to find a definition for what we were becoming. We didn't really know how to act around each other anymore.

            Between not knowing how to handle the change between Vincent and me and the phone call from my mother, I didn't sleep much.

            I looked up at the microwave clock to check the time. Five o'clock on the nose. It was way too early to be up on a day that did not include Track and Field practice or school.

            Lilly walked in to the kitchen just then. She didn't notice me until she went to start the coffee maker, seeing as I was right in her walking path.

            She jumped back, surprised to see a body sitting in the dark on the floor. "Jasmine! I didn't see you there! What are you doing down here so early?"

            I stood up, setting my glass of milk on the counter. I turned and pressed the button to start the coffee, having already added the necessities this morning with nothing better to do. "I... uh... had a bad dream," I admitted.

            "Oh, you poor thing," she said. "You know, after I had my morning coffee, I was going to go ask you something."

            Lilly seemed a little nervous so I sat down on the counter and gave her my full attention. "What is it?" I wondered.

            "Well, today is 'bring you daughter to work' at the firm.... I've never really had anyone to bring before.... But now I have you. I want to take you and show you around—oh, but Vincent is leaving in two days and you probably want to spend time with him."

            "No!" I nearly shouted, whether that was in response to finally hearing how many days I had left with Vincent or the idea of spending more awkward hours with him. Besides, Lilly might actually consider me her daughter. I could use some Lilly time. "I would love to go with you."

            "Oh, that's just wonderful. Go on and get dressed while I try to wake myself up."

* * *

Lilly's office was littered with pictures of the boys and me. Pictures of us from all ages. I recognized a few from the boxes of mementos that arrived a few months back.

            There was one, on her desk, that had a young Walter, Michael, Vincent, and Lucas standing next to a crib that held a baby with a blue eye and a green eye. Me. It was a picture I've never seen before. It must have been one she took.

            "I know what you must think," Lilly laughed. "I have way too many pictures in my office."

            I laughed a little. "No, you can never have too many pictures. Just haven't ever seen some of these before," I explained.