After filling myself up at brunch Devon dropped me off at home. Immediately once I stepped out of the car I was hit with many memories I've made over the years here. The time I scraped my elbow on the stone pathway and cried for hours. The time my dad and I would wash the cars outside the garage, and just end up spraying each other with the water hose. The time my mother and I sat outside on the stone path one night and talked about the stars. If only I had known back then that that would've been our last conversation.
After getting all my belongings in with the help of Devon, we hugged each other goodbye before he left.
"Make sure to tell uncle I said wassup okay?" He winked at me and I smiled, nodding my head at him.
I never really knew why but the smell of cinnamon always made my nose scrunch up in a way nothing else would.
I think it's because of how often the scent found it's way into my nostrils, wether from the skin of my mother or our grand kitchen where my dad, constantly used it as if it were the only delightful flavor in the world. It stuck to my clothes, skin and hair until I gave up trying to get rid of it, instead letting it sink further into my belongings. My friends would always ask me why I smelt so good, or why it was always cinnamon, but instead of giving them a locgical or charismatic answer, I would grimace.
And, as I slowly made my way into the foyer, I felt my nose twitching as cinnamon wrapped me in a forced hug. I paused, tried to think of something pleasant and when I fond childhood memeory came to my mind, I continued.
Placing my bags down on the foyer, I could hear my family's chatter before I even reached the living room area, it's becoming louder and louder with each step that I took. Just before I pressed my palm against the tall, black colour door to the living room area, I stopped dead in my tracks. Quickly straightening myself,smoothed down my clothes, inhaled and exhaled a few breaths
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale
"Andre!" The soft voice caught me off guard, my eyes widened when a pair of fragile hands wrapped around my torso. I looked down at the red curly hair with filled colorful beads and smiled.
"Coles!" I embraced my little brother in a hug, swiftly sweeping him off his feet, and into the air. His loud giggles filling the room. "You've gotten big since the last time I seen you boy."
I placed him back down the ground and he grinned up at me. "Well, I'm six now." He playfully rolled his eyes at me, before bending down to his level and extending two fingers for him.
"Andre? Oh my goodness, hey!" A feminine voice sounded off catching me my attention. I looked up to see Clarissa, my dad's new wife standing above me.
"Clarissa, hey." Jumping up from the ground, I was immediately embraced into a tight hug. She smelt of Chanel with a hint of cinnamon, and my nose twist at the familiar scent.
Pulling apart, Clarissa placed a hand over her chest, her sapphire eyes taking me in, and I did the same. She looked the same as the last time I had seen her. Tawny skin that seemed to glitter whenever the sunlight hit it just right.
Pretty was an understatement for Clarissa. She's stunning, eye catching and drop dead gorgeous, but that's to expected from the retired beauty queen. Miss Detroit two years straight, and runner up for miss America back in 04. That's being said, I don't have really have any ill feelings towards Clarissa. She's nice and she makes my dad happy, and honestly that's all I could ever want from him, especially with all he has been through these past few years.
"I thought you would be coming home later tonight," Clarissa said intertwining her hands with clover's before making her way towards the kitchen,. Your father isn't done cooking yet. He just put the roast in the oven."
"It's okay. I'm still full from having brunch with Devon earlier." I told, following behind her. "Where's dad and Brandon anyways?"
"Backyard on the patio. Your father decided to light the fire pit even though the sun is still out," Clarissa playfully rolled her eyes, before making her way through the double doors that lead to the back area of the house.
"Babe, guess who's here!" She squealed finally letting go of cole's hand letting him run down the stone path freely.
I could see my father and Brandon sitting in the patio chairs around the small fire flickering in the fire pit. Brandon was the first to look up, his eyes snatching away from the fire and widening into that bright eye smile of his I've missed so much over the years. "Dre!" He said aloud, before making his way over to me.
"You're still the same size you were when I left. You really need to start eating your greens Brad," I teased wrapping my hands around his shoulder, and he shoved me away playfully.
Actually, Brandon had grown a lot actually. Of course he didn't match my 6'5 but his 5'5 was close. I guess it really hasn't hit me that his not a little kid anymore but a tennager now. We're only four years apart but sometimes it feels like more. Or maybe that's just me not wanting him to grow up too fast, because it seems like everytime I see him he beginning to look more and more like our mom, and always leaves me a little sad.
Out of the three of us only cole and I inherited our father's russet skin and spread nose,while Brandon seemed to get most of his features from our mother. They both had that brown skin that reminded you of honeycomb, and it has always been blemish free. He had her well sculpted nose and almond shaped brown eyes. They even shared the same signature beauty mark; right under the corner of their left eye.