The Perfect Match | ✔️

The Perfect Amount of Kids

When Friday finally approached, Charlotte packed up a weekend's worth of clothes and headed to the outskirts of town over to visit her mother's house. Often times one day just wasn't enough for them as game night would turn into church in the morning and then an exaggerated family dinner. She loved it though.

Back when she was younger, almost every weekend had been set aside for family fun whether they traveled a little, or stayed holed up in the house watching movies.

While her mom wasn't too happy with her daughter moving out of the house while still being in the same city, she understood that Charlotte wanted her own space so she could grow on her own. And when Charlotte's mom found out Jackson would be living nearby, she suddenly had no more objections.

Charlotte rolled her eyes at the thought as she pulled into the driveway. The two-car garage was let up, revealing her mom's present vehicles, but she pulled up beside another that she'd never seen before.

She hoisted her duffel bag up and closed her trunk before making her way up to the front door. Before she could even raise her hand to knock, however, it swung open to reveal her brother, Dwayne.

"Oh my God!" Charlotte dropped her bag and collided with her brother in a bone-crushing hug. "Oh my God," She murmured again into his black uniform.

"It's so good to see you lil sis!" He squeezed her a bit tighter, rocking them back and forth.

Another reason Charlotte's mother clung to her was that her oldest child and Charlotte's brother Dwayne, had gone off to join the Marines when he was eighteen. Her husband and their father also died serving so Helen was upset when he enlisted, but couldn't stop the determined young man-especially when he insisted that it connected him with his father in an indescribable way. Moreover, nothing was guaranteed in the field, so Charlotte was sure glad to see her brother again.

She finally pulled away, but still clutching his shoulders asked, "How are you? How long are you back for?"

"I feel great, Charlotte." He proclaimed, nodding. "I've moved up a rank since you last saw me!" Dwayne puffed out his chest a bit so she could see the additional decorations that adorned his uniform. "And I'm set to go back in a couple weeks."

Her eyebrows pulled together a little at this. "When did you get back?"

"Actually, I just got here an hour before you did!" He chuckled.

Charlotte had fixed her mouth to respond when her mother's head poked from the kitchen and shouted, "Close that door! I done told y'all about lettin' out my durn air!"

Charlotte and Dwayne both answered loudly with a drawling "Yes ma'am!"

Dwayne went to grab his sisters bag and took it to her old room upstairs while she strolled into the kitchen. "Charlotte?" Helen Yates turned with a large grin on her face as she took in her daughter. "Come here, my baby!"

They embraced firmly for a few moments before Charlotte yelped and hopped away having felt a swat at her behind.

"Stop leavin' my door all open." Helen scolded. "Got bought air gettin' out and free roamin' eyes tryna get in." Charlotte pouted dramatically and rubbed to alleviate the small sting. When Helen saw her daughter, she rolled her eyes playfully. "How's work been, honey?"

"It's been good as always. It's just the end of the year though and most kids are burned out."

"I bet," Helen breathed. "Those private schools are really no joke. I was watching the news and they ranked Denbrook Prep fourth in the state again!"