Silent But Kind

Leaving the Nest

Lips, now 20 years old, now had to witness the hardest moments throughout his life. His sister was signing up for the armed forces and most of his friends moved away to the big city or anywhere else. Losing his sister was going to be the worst he'll experience. 

He walked out of his room and saw Lisa's three luggaged bags by her bedroom door. Lips took in a deep breath and started to peer into Lisa's bedroom. Most of in the room is almost completely empty. The only things that were still seen is her entire bedspread, her pictures on her walls and other surface areas, and some of her personal items stored in boxes in either under her own bed or in her closet. Lisa was packing her clothes in a her large backpack when she turned her head to see her brother, peeking into her room. She smiled as she stood up and went up to him.

"You're allowed to come in Lionel." Lisa said simply. 

Lips tried to play it cool and put up a brave smile. He walked in and looked at the luggage. "I don't think ya need to pack that much." Lips said simply.

Lisa giggled. "What can I say? I'm a woman. A woman needs a lot of things to survive the world. Like you do with your hair."

Lips smirked. "Hey I work my butt off on this hair and you know it." Lips said, "It's one of my accomplishments." 

They both shared a laugh for a moment and each sighed. Lips sat down on the bed quietly and started to rub his arms.
Lisa, knowing his strange behavior, sat beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Lionel, there's nothing for you to worry about." Lisa said in a gentle voice, "I'll be fine. I promise you, momma, 'n granny I'll be fine."

"I know you will..." Lips said, lips beginning to quiver and his eyes began to water, "It's just....we've been so close since we were kids...the way you...protected me 'n took care of me...I don't even want that to end!" Lips tried taking a few deep breaths in order to calm down, but it was too late; he was beginning to cry, something he didn't want to do on the day his sister was leaving. 
Lisa gave a worried look and gave Lips a hug. "Lionel." Lisa said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close, and wiping his eyes with her hand, "Lionel I just want you to smile and be happy. I don't want you to be worried about me all the time. You're grown up now, you need to know that me, momma, 'n even granny aren't always gonna be here to help ya know. It's time you face the big big world on your own. I know you can do it. If I can do it, if momma 'n granny can do it, you can do it too."

Lips slowly began to hyperventilate and then scooted towards Lisa. Lisa sighed and hugged Lips, kissing his cheek as she comforted him.

Kayla walked in slowly and saw the scene. She then sat on the bed on the opposite side of Lips, laying a hand on Lips's back and rubbing it in a relaxing motion.

"Lippy-baby?..." Kayla asked slowly, "It'll be okay honey..."

Lips just continued to sob softly.

Suddenly a sound of a car horn was heard outside the house. 

"Lisa, baby!" Vira called from downstairs, "Your taxi is here!" 

When the news is heard, Lips threw his arms around Lisa and sobbed uncontrollably. "No! Don't go!" Lips cried. 

"Lionel I have to go..." Lisa said softly, hugging him. Kayla stepped up and gently pulled Lips to the bed, hugging him in a comforting way. Lisa then went up to them and hugged her mother and Lips tight, kissing each of their cheeks. She then went to slip on her backpack and then grabbed her four suitcases. After then, her, Kayla, and Lips walked down the stairs to the front door to say goodbye. After hugging Vira, Lisa went outside with her brother, mother, and grandmother behind her. Lisa then stopped, she turned around to look at Lips, then took something out of her pocket. She then ran to Lips and handed him the object: a silver dog tag necklace that says Lisa and his name on each side. 

"I've meant to give this to ya for a while." Lisa said, "Something for you to remember me by."

Lips whimpered as he hugged Lisa for one last time, sobbing on her shoulder and gripping the necklace in his hand. Lisa kissed Lips's cheek softly and stroked his hair.

"I love you, Lips...." Lisa whispered.

Lips broke the embrace, tears still falling down.

"You said my name..." Lips said, smiling, "I love you too....What do you have to remember me?"

Lisa smiled as she pulled out her wallet, opened it, and showed Lips the picture of her and Lips sitting on the front porch step, smiling and holding hands. 

"When was taken....?" Lips asked slowly.

"This was a couple days after we graduated from high school." Lips said, "A day after your friends moved..."

Lips sighed shakily, remembering watching from the window, watching his friends move away seperatly, one by one. He even remembered saying goodbye to them in his bedroom when they went to visit him. 

Back in reality, Lips looked at his sister and sighed deeply. The taxi driver honked again after putting Lisa's luggage in for the airport. After hugging Lips, Kayla and Vira for one last time, as well as a kiss or two on each cheek, she hopped in the taxi and drove away.

Vira and Kayla wrapped their arms around Lips's shoulders. Lips wiped his tears as he looked down at the dog tag necklace. "She said my name...." Lips whispered, kissing the dog tag with Lisa's name on it and wrapping the entire necklace around his neck.

"I guess it's my turn to leave, huh momma...?" Lips asked.

"Whenever you can baby." Kayla said, "But you go whenever you'd like." 

Lips nodded slowly and leaned his head on her shoulder as Vira rubbed a hand around his shoulder.

Lips started packing his trumpet in his musician case and sighed. He decided that he was going to go live in Los Angeles and try and become famous. Lips was nervous on being on his own for the first time in the big world. Of course, he's 20 years old and if Lisa can leave bravely, then he should too.
Lips then came downstairs with his musician case in hand and a duffle bag full of clothes, hairbrush, and other survival things for him. Kayla and Vira walked towards him and smiled. 

"Lippy I'm proud of ya that you're accomplishing your dream." Vira said, smiling and half-hugging him, "You'll make a great musician in Hollywood."

"I hope so." Lips said, "Think they'd want me?"

"You're professional, baby." Kayla said, "I'm sure they will."

Suddenly, Kayla slipped a piece of paper into Lips's hand. It had two phone numbers on it.

"That's our numbers." Kayla explained, "Just in case you'd wanna update us or if you wanna come home." 

Lips smiled. Lucky for him he had money leftover from his birthday and from working at a nearby daycare center for a short time.
A taxi horn beeped from outside the house. Lips took in a deep breath and grabbed his blanket that wouldn't fit in his duffle bag.

"Oh honey please be careful." Kayla said, while her and Vira hugged him tight as ever. 

"I will momma...." Lips said, trying to hide his fears and tears; he then took in a deep breath and stepped outside after the hug from his mother and grandmother. He hopped in the taxi and sighed.

"Where to, buddy?" the driver asked. 

"Los Angeles." Lips replied quietly, "Where Hollywood is." 

"Want me to drop ya off in a hotel there?" he asked.

Lips nodded. "Sure. The cheapest one you can find." he replied.

The driver nodded and drove off as Lips peered back to see his grandmother and his mother, who was waving and smiling.