The snow fell softly, the first to stick to the ground this year. The flakes were small and very soft. The cold they held wasn't really noticable at first--not until enough of them melted on my clothes and skin. Maybe it was finally going to cover some ground.
I couldn't tell you how long I sat at the edge of the forest, looking at the back of the Andersen home. It was so peaceful outside. So quiet.
The house was in total chaos as my guardian mother--Lilly Andersen--scurried around the house with Arden strapped to her back, preparing guest rooms and rearranging the studies.
It was the second week of December and in just two short weeks the whole of the Andersen family--James' brothers and sisters, their spouces and children, and parents--will be celebrating Christmas together. And, in two days, my boyfriend, Vincent, and his twin brother, Lucas, come home from Harvard and Yale.
It had been four months since Vincent and Lucas were home--a major deviation from the original idea. They were supposed to come home on a long weekend or during Thanksgiving break, but an overload of homework threw that right out the window. Vincent felt bad and apologized the whole week of Thanksgiving--especially since it was one of my stipulations for not moving back with my mother.
My mother. She was released from the asylum and is, currently, working as the secretary for the elementary school I attended as a child. She's been calling on a regular basis to try and rebuild our relationship. She has also been dying to come visit. I've been putting it off though. I don't want to see her yet; the idea terrifies me.
The rest of my makeshift family kept pretty busy. Zach and his girlfriend, Blake, were in full bloom. They spent a good amount of time together, with friends, family, and on one on one dates. Jacob spent a lot more time with the family or his friends, but he still disappeared off to the ranch and turned my kitchen into a disaster when he couldn't find the sugar cubes. Caleb came across a dilemma over the first semester of our senior year: he was hopelessly falling for a young freshman girl who hardly even knew he existed. Michael on the other hand didn't keep a girl for longer than a week, but he seemed happy so why bother him? Walter has been in complete heaven for the past four months in his flourishing relationship with the beautiful Bacon-woman, Rebecca. Walter and the Southern Belle--there really were no words to explain their relationship and how well it was going.
I laid back, crunching against the dead leaves in the forest. More names to remember. More adventures to come. My life at the Andersen house was not getting any easier.
And I really did miss Vincent. So much so that I imagined hearing the faint roarn of Fenrir, the blue motorcycle, in the distance. That was impossible, though. I wrecked Fenrir over the summer. Vincent drove Michael's old/new truck now.
But the sound was getting closer. I wasn't imagining it. I knew that sound. Fenrir was coming, there was no other explanation I could think of.
I got to my feet and ran through the house passing through the kitchen where Blake and Zach sat, passing Michael on his way down stairs, and passing Lilly as she went into the Library. Just as I ran through the front door, I saw the red of a motorcycle. Lucifer, Lucas' motorcycle. I should have known.
Lucifer pulled into the drive, slowing down to stop in front of me. My face was visibly displeased.
How could I forget about Lucifer?
Lucas dismounted the red beast and flipped the key in the "off" position. He stood there for a moment, his arms open as if waiting for a hug. I gave him a questioning look.
Suddenly, he remembered that he was wearing his helmet still, and began to take it off.
That's when I saw them--beautiful green eyes!
I jumped into Vincent's arms, nearly knocking him off balance. He laughed and kissed my cheek, my forehead, the top of my head, my chin, and any area he could get to easily. And I kissed him, too.
A strange grugling, strangled noise started coming from my throat. It was only then did my eyes begin to water, tears sliding down my cheeks. Why was I crying? What was wrong with me? The more I tried to stop it, the worse it got.
Vincent noticed. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. His shoulders began to shake.
"I missed you, too," he said, stifling a laugh.
When I, finally, got a grasp on my emotions, I held him at arms length and really got a look at my boyfriend. There were traces of dark circles around his green eyes and it looked like he hadn't shaved his face for the better part of a month. He was still sturdy and tall--maybe even taller than he was when he left. And handsome, of course.
"What are you doing back so early?" I questioned. Vincent ran his thumbs across my cheeks to get rid of the tear tracks. I blushed a little, embarrassed by my crazy emotions.
"I wanted to surprise you--I was kind of a jerk for not coming to visit during the semester. I promised and I didn't come through... the least I could do was come home a little early."
"Where is Lucas?" I questioned, looking back at the road for the blue Chevy that meant Lucas was almost here.
"He still had one more final. He won't leave until tomorrow at four."
I smiled and caressed Vincent's cheek. He leaned into my touch and smiled back with a warm smile.
When I pulled my hand away, I noticed the small audience that had gathered at the front door. Michael, Zach, and Blake stood watching.
I knew what was coming and I braced myself against Lucifer--half to protect the bike, half to get out of the way. Just in time, too. Michael lunged at Vincent and got him in a headlock, messing up his hair. Zach came up next, playfully jabbing at Vincent's sides.
They were laughing and smiling.
Blake came to stand on the other side of Lucifer, next to me.
"They're children!" Blake commented.
Just then, in one quick motion, Vincent grabbed Michael's arm and escaped his grasp, doing a brief victory dance to celebrate his successful escape.
Walter, Rebecca, Caleb, and Lilly--with Arden on her back--must have heard the commotion with Michael and Zach and came to investigate.
The victory dance didn't last long. Walter joined the easygoing fray, going for the tackle around Vincent's waist. Caleb joined in, too. There was no stopping them now. The only things that were missing were the two brothers, Lucas and Jacob, who never seemed to be around.
Lilly looked giddy with excitement as she approached Blake and me.
"Oh, just one more son and my house will be a home again!" Lilly gushed. "Just look at them. My boys...."
Lilly's excitement made me smile even more.
From the corner of my eye I saw Rebecca shift her stance by the front door, a small smile playing on her lips. I noticed the distance between our small group gathered near Lucifer and her--by herself--at the door.
I could see how hard she was trying to accept the idea that Vincent and Lucas were different. I couldn't imagine knowing the twins like they were then. It must have been frightening never knowing what prank was coming next. Especially after they cut her brakes....
I shook my head, shaking the thoughts from my mind and walked over to the bacon-woman.
"And we all thought they were, mostly, grown men!" I joked.
Rebecca laughed. "They are brothers, they will never act their age around each other." Her Southern accent was as storng as ever.
James pulled into the drive, then, his car going straight for the garage.
"Alright, boys, Dad's home. Let's take this inside and out of the cold before we all freeze to death!" Lilly called.
And with that, the playtime reunion was over.
Walter found Rebecca, Zach wrapped an arm around Blake, and Vincent laced his fingers with mine as we all headed into the house.