Fourteen Boys

13

Here's to the boy who
distanced himself far enough
for me to miss him
until the day that I die.

•••

A few years has passed since the accident and in that time, our family became closer. More than a few physical wounds got healed in the process. And what better way to celebrate a grand family reunion than a wedding.

One of my cousins was getting married and everyone was invited. I personally never saw the appeal in grand weddings but it was nice to see all the old friends I grew up with. Coming home always made me feel rejuvenated. The familiarity of home and the people around me offered a sense of healing that I never noticed before.

"Remember kids, the fitting is at 4pm. Don't be late!" I could hear my grandmother call out from the kitchen. Knowing her, she would have left notes on all our bedroom doors just in case we forgot.

I rolled over to my side and checked my phone for any messages from my friends. Monica wanted pictures of Nico and his brothers for research. Luke and Zach haven't responded since I last texted them. They were probably too busy hiking and didn't have any service to check messages anyway. Kennedy did call when I arrived but has been quiet ever since, probably on the verge of his new masterpiece.

Josie, Nico's older sister knocked on my door and said, "Are you awake yet? James made breakfast."

"Yeah." I murmured half-asleep, "I'll be down soon."

"Can you stop by the kids' room please?"

"Sure."

Trying to wake up a room full of seven and ten year olds was not how I planned my first day of summer.

Josie, Nico and his younger brothers Pat and Isaac were already at the table when the kids came running down the stairs. Nico's eldest brother, James was almost done cooking and the smell of bacon definitely woke everyone up. My half-brothers Eric and Asher sat beside me with their forks aimed at the vegetables. Kimmy, Beth and Georgia had drank their juice before eating and were soon scolded by Victor who had his eyes glued to another novel.

"Was everybody able to sleep okay last night?" Josie asked the kids who were too busy stuffing their mouths with pancake to even answer.

"Mmmhm," was all any of them could reply.

"Why do I even bother with these kids?" She sighed.

"James made their favorite," Isaac commented with a light chuckle, "None of them will be focused enough to listen to you, not like they ever listen in the first place."

"How are we supposed to run after these kids all day long?" I asked, finishing off the last bit of Eric's carrots.

"There's six of us and five and a half of them. We can do this," James said.

"I'm thirteen, why am I included?" Victor looked up from his book and complained.

Isaac messed up his hair and laughed, "That's why he said half. You're technically still a kid."

"I'm one of you guys now, you don't have to take care of me."

"If you're one of us then should be eating your vegetables, Victor." Nico added some carrots to his plate as a joke. Victor shook his head and moved them aside. Beth and Kimmy picked at the carrots one by one and nibbled on them.

On the way to the fitting I thought about how different my life would have been if I stayed in my hometown. I would have the same friends from elementary school and things would have been normal. We would go to our favorite coffee shops, watch movies, and have our own booth at the burger shop. Everything here seemed so different yet still had the same feeling as the memories came flashing by.