SteeleKizz, Inc

Change of Plans

Sean

Their first winter on the United States eastern coast was quite memorable. The twins had a season of firsts, their first snowfall, snowmen, and snowball fights. The children enjoyed warming up to hot chocolate with marshmallows next to a roaring fire. Fingertips and cheeks were reddened from playing out in the cold and snow.

Jack hadn’t come by in months to deliver food. They had no clue if he passed along the message to their grandparents or not. Peter, a young dirty blonde haired guy, brought the groceries in through the winter months. Cara teased Sean that he acted like a pretty flower. Sean wasn’t sure what that meant, but noticed that he acted more like Cara than Jack did, or any of the guys they’ve been around before.

Winter turned into spring and their father had mentioned coming home for their home spring break to spend some time with them. He came home for Christmas Eve and Day leaving Christmas night. Nina had made a list for him to shop for the kid’s gifts and even wrapped them when he returned.

Sean was getting restless as the months progressed. His curiosity grew leaps and bounds. He would have Cara on watch as he ventured around the back yard to see what was beyond the fenced in area. He’d started climbing trees above the top of the fence and out of sight of the guards. Cara gave a whistle audible enough that Sean knew a guard was coming or making rounds and he stilled himself laying along a thick limb.

The more that he explored the backyard beyond the fence, there were other neighbors and houses. It appeared that they were on the outskirts of a gated community. So far, he hadn’t seen any other kids, just uniformed men and women running or jogging a path along the gated area. This disappointed Sean a bit. He was hoping he could find other kids to play with or sneak off to get out of his own house or even try to call his grandparents.

One day in March, Nina had ordered several things for the children’s birthday party. Sean had given up on Jack and completely forgot about him. They’d anticipated Pretty boy Peter coming by again. Sean was out back exploring the right section of fencing when Cara dashed out the backdoor without realizing that a guard had followed her watching intently the twins.

She looked back in time to shift her running towards the swing set instead. Once the coast was clear, she gave a different whistler. Sean creeped out of the shrubs giving Cara a look of frustration.

“What?” he asked her hurriedly.

“Jack!” she said louder than intended and pointed to the house. The van’s front bumper barely visible from the swing set. Sean nodded and returned to the house. Nina was in the kitchen clearing off the counters and wiping them down for the bags to be placed on. She looked to Sean as he was about to head up the stairs.

“Sean,” she called out. “Why don’t you help Mr. Jack? He asked for you specifically.”

Nina knew that Sean was growing restless and offered him the freedom out to the front yard.

“Sure,” he said. He ran upstairs to get his shoes on and another note that he’d prepared months ago. He dashed back downstairs and out the front door. Cara was coming in and sitting on the steps watching the two guys with bags and the wagon.

Sean reached the door and saw Sean loading up the wagon. Skipping to him, he peered around the van door at Jack.

“Heyo boyo,” Jack said cheerfully. “There’s my help. I hear someone has a birthday coming soon.”

He put one more bag in the wagon. Sean gave a smile and nod of his head. “March 8th, me and Cara turn 12. Would you come?” Sean said an edge of innocence glistening in his eyes.

Jack thought for a moment rubbing his chin and smiled. “I’d like to Sean, but I don’t think your father would like that too well.”

Jack handed the wagon handle to Sean. “Want to pull that in for me, please?” he asked.

Giving a brief pouting look, he took it thankful that Jack had asked for his help.

“I do have other news for you,” he said placing another bag on his shoulders and used the closing of the van door as a noise distraction. “Grampa and Grandma love you both much and can’t wait until they can see you again.”

Sean nearly jumped for joy, but realized where he was and his smile extended beyond his face A new glow ebbed on his face. Jack mussed up the younger boy’s hair. He paused for a moment, then straightened it back up. Both exchanged looks as they each gave a shiver.

Sean took his as his nerves, but an odd look crossed Jack’s face. He quickly hid his expression as he hefted the wagon one-handed on the porch. Sean watched as Jack seemlessly lifted it up. He was awestruck by the other guy’s strength. He continued pulling the wagon into the house.

“Ah, there you are,” said Nina rushing to grab the bag from Jack’s shoulder. “Is this it?”

“It is the special item, ma’am,” he said casually. “I have more in the van, this is but the first load. Me and my man, Sean, have it under control.”

Nina smiled as Cara joined in on unloading the wagon. Nina put a box in the freezer making sure that the twins didn’t pay her any attention. Jack had them preoccupied by organizing the bags for cold and panty items. With the first unloaded, he and Sean headed back outside for the next round.

Jack opened the back door and hefted Sean up into the van. He’d point for this or that and Sean would retrieve it. It didn’t take long for them to have the wagon filled.

“Sean, I have a question for you,” he asked. Sean looked up to him and nodded.

“Ok?” he replied.

“Do you have any cats here?” He asked with a questioning look.

Sean shook his head, no.

“No strays cats?”

“Nope. That would be cool though.”

“Hmm, ok. Let’s head in.”

“Okay.”

Jack lifted the wagon again onto the porch. It didn’t take long with the four of them to unload the last load.

With everything inside, Jack collapsed the wagon and carried it out. Sean followed He gave a deep sigh and tossed a note in Jack’s seat before he got in.

“See you in a few months, again?” Sean asked, hopeful.

“Hope not, Sean,” he said. He opened the door and noticed the note placing it in his pocket to view later. “I’ll see what I can do to come when another order is placed here. Happy birthday to you and your sister.”

He got in the van and headed out. Sean watched as Jack backed out and vanished down the street. Sean returned to the house and went outside, Cara followed with a look of anticipation. He spoke up as soon as they were out of hearing range.

“He did talk to them. They miss us and love us.” He said confidently. Cara jumped for joy regardless of who paid attention. “Is he going to talk to them again?”

Sean shrugged. “Maybe, I don’t know. He did ask me something weird.”

“What?” she asked.

“If we had a cat.”

Cara gave a similar shrug. “Weird.”

Nina called out from inside the house for lunch.

The day of the kids birthday and private party, their father showed up. Nina had gotten a bag ready after their cake was eaten and presents open. Erick had gotten two tinted SUV’s and told everyone, including Nina to get in.

The kids reluctantly loaded into the vehicles. As they backed out and headed opposite what direction Jack usually goes. They have to travel through a gated entrance with a policed entrance. As they kept going, they came to a small beach area and access to the ocean.

The rest of the day, the family played in the ocean, built castles, and ate the remaining part of their birthday dinner. The twins played hard and fell asleep on the way back home. It was the first time since they left California, that they had been outside their own yard.

Erick carried each kid inside the house and put them to bed before leaving the next morning before they woke up.