Reflected

Chapter 3.1

The next morning, I came into Mammy's room and helped change Brantley's diaper as the news came on showing a fire at a funeral home. Unknown suspect, it says. My eyes widened in shock as I took a deep breath. I shake my head, similar to what I've seen Mammy do, as Zoe goes to what's supposed to be both of our bedrooms and helps Mammy feed daddy-daddy through his tube.

Mammy, my grandma on my mom's side, comes into the bedroom and sits on her edge of the bed as I put on Disney Junior for Brantley. I head back into the living room as I plop onto the couch looking up at the ceiling. I just witnessed a crime last night didn't I, I think to myself. I hear knocking at the front door as I run to it to see police again.

"Have you seen Mr Steven-" the officer ask

"No" i say calmly "not sense yesterday"

"do you know when he will be back?" the other one asked

"no" I said

"thank you" they both said as they left. I walk into Mammy's room.

"do you wanna go with me to see if Melody can play outside?" I suggest. Changing the topic of what just happened.

"Yeah!" Zoe says, jumping off the bed. Zoe ran to the boxes that had her clothes and quickly changed.

"I'll go ask," she squeals as she is dressed and exits the front door. I quickly got Mammy a couple of water bottles and pre-opened them beforehand placing them in her drawer that she typically left open.

"Mammy, Zoe and I are going to play outside. I went ahead and grabbed some water bottles, and they should be opened if you need anything," I told her, and she nodded as I got out the front door and watched from our driveway as Zoe walked up the hill with Melody following behind her. Zoe smiled brightly as she excitedly jumped around her, trying to keep her pace due to the fact that Mel had Asthma and could not run.

"Alys! I got her," Zoe shouted as she was halfway up the hill and ran towards me.

"Hey," I chuckled at my sister, who was filled with energy. "Dang, she has a lot of energy, doesn't she?"

"She does," Mel answers, trying to catch her breath as Zoe races past me. I shake my head.

"I'm glad you were able to come out," I said, as in the corner of my eye I could still see a police car looking at the driveway. The three of us grew closer despite Zoe and I already being close due to us being sisters "How excited are you about summer?" I ask as Mel and I sat in the grass as Zoe played with Brantley whom decided to come outside with us.

"I'm a little excited, I mean who wouldn't be but I'm not to excited to be around my brothers all summer" Mel answers.

"You have more brothers than the one I met?"

"Yea, so the one you met is the youngest out of my brothers, but I've got like two other older brothers, but they're in high school."

"Oh wow! We got three older brothers as well but we also got a lot of older sisters. Actually Zoe is the youngest and I'm right before her" I explain

"Wow" Mel answers

"Yea, my dad was pretty active when he was alive" I say casually by accident as she takes a second

"Your dad was active to?" Mel jokes "so I think I might have like two younger siblings from my dad"

"Oh wow"

"Yeaaa, why you gonna have more kids if you can't take care of them" Mel chuckles

"Right!" Alyson jokes with Mel "Have you met them?"

"Nah, my dad or sperm-doner, if you will, sucks so I want nothing to do with him" Mel explains

"Makes perfect sense even if I don't know the story" Alyson nods "We'll I was thinking later on if your mom agrees, you could come spend the night if you want? I mean we have Brantley but it's mostly just Zoe, Brantley, me and our grandma Mammy"

"Wow, really?" Mel asks surprised

"Yea, I mean you do also live down the street" Alyson smiles at her.