Abby

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

No one spoke on the ride home, but Abby's grin was unmistakable. Aaron had practice, and she'd ordered him to go, and be home when she got there. Sure enough, as they pulled in the driveway, he threw open the front door and caught her in a hug. He swung her around a few times, he having bulked up, she having never regained all the weight she lost in juvey.

"I've never been so happy to see anyone in my life!" He hollered. She squealed.

"Show me our new house!" She ordered. He put her down and grabbed her hand pulling her up the walkway.

"This is the front door." He stopped short and put on a dramatic thinking expression. "I personally like how the darkness of the paint contrasts with the-." She elbowed him.

"Don't be a nerd, just show me the damn house." She said, picking on his antics, but still delightfully thrilled. He laughed and threw open the door.

"Entry way goes straight back to the kitchen." He pulled her there.

"Wow." Abby declared, her eyes wide. "It's beautiful. It's huge."

"Isn't it? I love the island." Her mother agreed, having caught up to them. Abby slipped onto a stool to try it out.

"What's over there." Abby questioned, pointing to the left, already off the stool.

"The living room." He said, following her out there. She saw the piano under a window, facing the neighbor's house. It looked perfect. And it had been freshly dusted. She saw the wood gleam in the sunlight. She sat down on the bench and played a few scales. She looked over her shoulder.

"It's perfect here." She said to her mother with a grin. "Is that a hallway?" Abby asked, leaning back to look at the oddly placed doorway from the living room to the outer parts of the house.

"That's the best part of the house, so we see it last." Aaron promised. She made a curious face at him but let him lead her to the other side of the first floor which contained a bathroom and a dining room. There was a small deck off the dining room with a table and a few chairs. She stepped out.

"I think this might be the best part of the house. Do you guys eat out here?" She asked.

"No, we haven't, actually." Jennie realized. "Sometimes I take my coffee out here in the morning."

"Can we have dinner out here tonight?" She asked. Jennie smiled, so happy for her eagerness to settle in.

"If that's what you want." Abby nodded. "Are all the bedrooms upstairs?"

"Yeah." Aaron said, leading her back to the stairs in the entryway. "Mine is to the left." He said pointing to the door directly next to the stairs. They walked in.

"Yeah." She quipped. "Smells like a gross football player." She giggled as he elbowed her.

"Mom and dad are across the hall." He continued as they walked over.

"Master bathroom?!" Abby exclaimed. "You guys hit the jackpot!" She went to check out their jacuzzi tub and glass shower.

"And your room...." He said, leading the way. "Is right here next to mine." He opened the door, and she stepped in, cautiously. They all looked at each other. This was the first part of the walk through where she'd been quiet and straight-faced. She stepped in and looked around. Her dresser was set up, some of her things on it. There were pictures tucked inside the mirror, though not the ones that had been there when they'd live in Connecticut. She looked at them, most of them being of her and Aaron. A couple of her playing the bass, piano, and an older dance picture. And probably the last family photo ever taken was there as well. Nothing and no one else from her old life. One of the pictures caught her eye. It was old. It had been folded and unfolded a hundred times, easy. It had been on her mirror back in Connecticut. She'd remembered, because it was her favorite picture of her and Aaron. But she knew it hadn't looked like that. She ran her fingers along the creases for a minute, trying to figure out where it had come from that it looked so worn. Aaron and his mother exchanged a knowing glance.

"We weren't sure what you'd want to do in your room, so we tried to guess a little just so it didn't look so empty." Abby smiled gently to assure her mother it was okay. She looked toward the bed and saw new sheets, comforter and pillows. It was a bohemian style, and it was pretty.

"You're really trying to turn me into a hippie, aren't you?" She asked her mother with a smile.

"If you don't like it, we can get new ones or just put your old ones back on." Her mother looked panicked. Like she'd done something wrong.

"No, no, no. I love it." Abby said. "I was just being fun." She sat on her bed and looked around. There weren't any posters on the wall, but her trophies and medals for dance sat on a shelf across her room. She didn't notice her bass anywhere, but it could have been in a closet. Abby didn't want to stay in there any longer. It felt weird. Foreign. Sterile. Not hers. She stood up and walked out of the room, her family exchanging looks once again noting her abruptness. "So, what's with the secret hallway?" She asked.

"The best is for last." He announced with dramatic flair. He walked ahead of her until he got to the end of the hall. "Close your eyes." She did so. He led her into a room. "Open them." She was staring directly back at herself, a wall of mirrors lining a room of hardwood floor. She looked to the side and saw her amp and guitar in the corner with a chair. On the chair sat her tap shoes. In the very middle of the room, at the top of the mirrors, was a wooden sign that was painted with the words #teamabby. She put her hand to her mouth.

"Is this all for me?" She asked, tears already spilling over her fingers. Jennie nodded, grinning.

"Yes. Aaron and your dad did all the work. We wanted you to have a space for your music and dance." She threw her arms around her dad.

"Thank you so much." She whispered through the tears. "I don't deserve this." He squeezed her tight.

"You do, Abby. You do." They let go, and she hugged Aaron.

"Best twin, ever." She whispered.

"Dad and I turned the basement into a gym and man cave, so you needed a space too." He reasoned. She put her tap shoes on the floor and picked up the acoustic. She played a few riffs, just to hear the sound, to christen the new room. She couldn't stop smiling. Everything felt so perfect.