P a r i s ~.•*•.~ALEX WALTER~.•*•.~

001•

the airport was buzzing with people. in and out they went...constantly.

Both Howard girls pushed a cart, stacked with the numerous suit cases the two had between them. announcements of flight arrivals and departures rang through the air as the pushed them through crowds of travelers and their relatives.

Jackie wore her usual style. a preppy, almost business-casual look made up of a checked coat with purple, yellow, and blue stripes over a sweater vest and a button up shirt. She paired this with black trousers and white shoes. She had a brown backpack and a smaller white bag perched on her shoulder. Whereas Monique wore a flowered white dress that stopped just above her knees, a light blue cardigan, white sock with ruffled lace at the top and ballet flats in the same powdery shade of blue. The oldest had a slick back ponytail, the youngest had pulled her hair into a half up half down style, small pieces of her layered hair framed her face, a small bow holding it all loosely together. The contrast in the sisters' styles looked quite comical when they stood next to each other.

A colourful sign read 'welcome to Colorado'. A warm greeting compared to the cold few months Monique and Jackie had been having.

It was then that the girls' uncle called Jackie's phone.

"Hi, uncle Richard" the girls said after Jackie had pushed the button, answering the call. he was dressed in a blue shirt and an stripped grey tie. he appeared to be in a car. Makes sense, Monique thought. he was always travelling for work.

"Was your flight okay?"

"Fine." Monique replied.

"You two doing okay?" The man asked, concerned for his nieces.

"Yep." Jackie sighed.

"Listen, I'm sorry I couldn't come with you to meet the Walters." The Walters were their god parents. Katherine Walter had been their mothers best friend. According to their parents wills, the Howard girls were to stay with the Walters if anything bad were to happen to them. With the girls' uncle always somewhere or other for work this made the most sense. Never could they have known this would actually be the case.

"I-"

"I think I see them. We better go."

The man hadn't even managed to get another word out before Jackie had announced that she had spotted the aforementioned Walters walking towards them.

"Girls...I know its a big change, Just keep your heads up. I'm here whenever you need me. Both of you, alright. Text me later." This was all he said before he hung up the phone.

Just as Jackie had slipped her phone back into her pocket, a woman with flaming ginger hair and a brown and white summer dress printed with flowers, practically sprinted towards them. Her husband, who wore a casual polo and jeans paired with a beige coloured jacket, and a baseball cap, trailed slightly behind. Something Monique had noticed is that they both adorned a pair of brown cowboy boots. welcome to the country, I guess.

"Jackie, Monique." the woman spoke, breathless. either from running or relief. She wasn't sure which.

"Hi." she said kindly before hugging each girl. As she embraced Monique, there was a couple things Monique picked up on. The faint scent of her perfume, how soft her hair was, how she held her. Tightly. Much like a mother would. She pulled back, observing Jackie and Monique before speaking again.

"I'm so happy you're here."

"Thanks, Katherine." the eldest Howard replied for them both.

"so, um-" The ginger woman said, looking around confused.