There are tons of pictures of her with
kids and some of her in dance gear teaching little bitty kids. When I come to one of her wrapped up in a man’s arms, I pause. They kinda look alike; he’s huge with blond hair and blue eyes, but his nose is the same as Claire’s. They are both grinning, obviously happy, and nothing but love comes from the picture. It must be her dad, but he doesn’t look old enough to have a daughter her age. When I go to the second picture, it’s her with the guy and then another woman. She’s lean, but thick the way I like my women. She’s stunning, long brown hair and brown eyes that shine off the screen. She looks nothing like Claire, but she looks at her like Claire is hers. It’s weird, and I want to know who they are. I have a feeling I know the guy. I’ve seen him somewhere, but I can’t place him, my thoughts are too flooded with Claire’s gorgeous face.
When we finally reach the house, I turn off my phone and tuck it in my pocket, hopping out of the car just as Angie comes wobbling toward the car from my sister’s arms. She’s littler than most kids and just started walking a few weeks ago. Her brown hair is in spurts all over her sweet head. Her green eyes are shiny and wide as she screeches when she reaches me. She looks just like Lucy, which is good. We don’t want anything reminding us of that jerk-off, Rick.
“Angie!” I exclaim, picking her up and kissing her face as loudly as I can. Her giggles envelop me, instantly making me excited to be here. Kissing me on my face, she hugs me tightly, her little head tucked under my chin, tickling my neck. I kiss her head, squeezing her tightly before Jayden takes her from me and she screeches for him. A grin sits on my lips because I know that kid is loved more than ever, and that will never stop.
When my sister’s arms come around my waist, I hug her tight. She’s my height, her brown hair long, reaching the middle of her back. She looks just like me; we all look like my mom with only my dad’s green eyes. But her face is softer than the sharp angles that I have. Her eyes are also slanted a tad like my mom’s, while my brothers’ and mine are wide. When she looks up at me, I can tell she’s struggling. We’re two years apart, and before Jayden came, we were superclose. We still are but not nearly the way I would like us to be. She pulled away once she met Rick. Rick changed her. Fucking jerk.
“Hey, how are you?” I ask and she shrugs.
“All right, working and just trying to make it, I guess. I told Mom I want to get my own place, but she’s dead set on me and Angie living here for the rest of our lives.”
I smile. “It’s what’s best, especially with her babysitting and everything. Gives you time to save money.”
“I know,” she says but then her shoulders fall in such a defeated way that I want to do everything to make it better. I just don’t know how. “I just hate that it’s been over a year and I’m still heartbroken, you know? Like, he’s already moved on, Jude. Getting married again, and it kills me because I’m living with my parents with our daughter, just trying to get by.”
“It takes time,” I stress. “You’ll be fine. Maybe when I move, you can come out with me. Start a new life in wherever the hell I go. LA, New York? The possibilities are endless.”
She laughs as she hugs me tight. “You don’t want you older sister crowding your bachelor pad and you know it.”
I smile. “Maybe not, but if it made you and Angie happy, I’d do it.”
Her eyes lock with mine and she cups my cheek. “I know you would, but I’d never ask you to.”
We share a long look, and I can’t help how my chest aches for her. She used to be so happy, thought Rick was the only man to make her happy, and then it just went to shit. No one wants to watch anyone they love go through pain, and it honestly kills a piece of you when you have to.
“My boys are home!”
I look up to see my mom coming down the stairs, her grin unstoppable as she pulls me from Lucy’s embrace into her own. Her brown hair falls in curls over her shoulders while her hazel eyes shine with love for me. My mom has always been a tad bit overweight, and while some people would frown on it, I love it. Her arms always feel warm and like home. I completely relax as I hug her tight. She kisses my temple before wrapping me tighter in her arms and whispering, “I’ve miss you, my Jude. I love you so much, honey. You’re my favorite, you know.”
She says that to all of us. One time I asked how all of us are her favorite, and she went into these elaborate reasons why. I was her favorite because I’m considerate and loving. Lucy is her favorite because of her quick mind and sweet heart. Jayden, because he always has a smile on his face, always waiting for a challenge, and then Jace is her favorite because he’s the baby, and she can still snuggle him without his trying to get away. There has never been a moment that I didn’t know my mom loves me. She went out of her way to guarantee to each of us that we were special. I smile against her neck as I squeeze her, picking her up off the ground, which causes her to squeal. We all laugh as I place her on her feet, kissing her on her cheek. “I love you too, Mom.”
Pulling back from me, she cups my face before asking, “Please tell me you’ve found a girlfriend?”
I laugh as I shake my head, ignoring the fact that Claire comes to mind. “Too many girls, too little time, Mom.”
She shakes her head before letting me go, shooting me a disgusted look before she reaches for Jayden, hugging him just as tightly. When someone jumps on my back, I hold their weight and smile when Jace’s arm comes around my neck, choking me.
“Hey, bro,” he says, squeezing my neck harder. I grab him by the back of his head and flip him off me, causing him to land hard on his back. He looks up at me with a glare, his green eyes flashing with anger, ready for a fight, but before I can kick him in the side or drop an elbow in his gut, playfully, of course… Okay, not really, but still, my mom is yelling at me.
“Jude Marshall Sinclair! Be care! He’s fragile!” Mom scolds me as I reach out to help Jace.
He shoots me a grin before nodding his head as he stands. He’s taller than me but lean like I am. Everyone says we could pass for twins except I’m covered in tattoos while his little girl skin is bare. Come to think of it, I’m the only one with tattoos. My siblings are sissies.
“Yeah, Jude, I could break,” he says, batting his eyelashes at me before leaning against my mom for protection.
“Oh no, then you won’t go into the draft, freaking girl.”
He glares as I smile, wrapping my arm around his neck and hugging him close to my chest. I haven’t seen him since I started school, and I’ve missed the little jerk.
“You heard I won’t be going in for another year, right?”
“Yup, I guess I’ll have to play for all three of us since Jayden probably won’t go till next year.”
“You think they’ll draft both of us?” Jace asks and I shrug.
“Sure, why not? We’re the best.”