Beyond the end

Brenda is back

Brandon had arrived at the airport well in advance. His work required him to chase the news, stale it if that was the case. So when he wasn't working, he preferred to follow his programs calmly, trying to limit frenzy and surprises. The plane would land in minutes and he was already in the arrivals hall. He hadn't seen her sister for several weeks; while it had been several years since he last saw Dylan. He reworked with his memory that afternoon in front of McKay's house, the greeting, the keys flying from the owner's hands to those of his brother friend, the motorcycle moving away towards the unknown. He had heard it sporadically over the phone, before that first call from Ecuador. The information about his life, when available, had been given to him by Brenda. But he felt that the relationship with Dylan had remained solid, visceral, unchanged despite the years passing in silence. Silence and not oblivion. The automatic door opened, Brenda first came out, amused, pushed on the luggage trolley by Dylan shouting.
"Miss welcome to Los Angeles, where do you want to go?" And she laughed out loud and couldn't answer. Brandon was happy to see his sister again, to see Dylan again, to see them again happy together. He was happy for them, he was happy for himself. With a smile in his mouth he went to meet them.
"What about the luggage?"
"Walsh, I'm rich! I paid a gentleman to get them back on the tape and take them out; how are you man?" He said to him smiling and keeping a meter away.
"Happy to see you" and the two hugged each other, closed their eyes, smelled each other, fragments of adolescence and youth passed from one mind to another with an almost visible game of mnemonic references. Brenda was happy to see the two people she cared most about in the world prove in that way that they love each other, that they still love each other, despite the years, the kilometers and events having separated them. The two broke away.
"I have the car out, I rented a limousine for the occasion"joked Brandon "How are you little sister?"
"I've been better," he thought he had done well to go back to Los Angeles. Only those five minutes had paid off the choice to return to California. "I would like to see Sammy, but first it's better to refresh ourselves; where are you taking us? At The Hilton?"
"No, the Hilton is not up to you."
"So what?" Brandon took a bunch of keys out of his pocket and waved in front of his friend's face.
"At McKay's house" Dylan looked complacently first at the keys and then at his friend's face. In time he had bought the house back during his late teens, he couldn't see that place in anyone else's hands. Those walls had too many memories to guard. Kelly kept the keys, he lived there when he came back to Los Angeles, although he spent all his time at Taylor's house, to spend as much time as possible with his son, put him to sleep, wake him up, take him to school. He was anything but a model father, but when he stayed in Los Angeles he tried to work hard to make up for him. He snapped the keys from Brandon's hands.
"These belong to me."
"Absolutely Lord," then put an arm on his shoulder, around his neck "Walsh Walsh, how much I missed you" and smiling they rushed to the parking lot.
", I'm there too," Brenda followed them.
Kelly was nervous, she had tidied up the house, prepared something to eat, dressed Sammy; she was sipping a glass of wine to dilute the tension. About half an hour earlier, he had received a message from Brandon saying "We will be to you soon, please, stay calm" all the mood states he had gone through, except that of tranquility. She had burst into tears a couple of times from nervousness and had to restore the light but present makeup. He went from the baked window to the table to the window. All cadenced by the glass he took and rested on the table. She tried to control herself, she didn't want to lose her lucidity because of alcohol; but the tension was mounting and she didn't mention giving her respite, despite the wine. The headlights of a car lit up the driveway and Kelly felt her heart in her throat. "It's beautiful, it vaguely reminds me of our house!" Brenda said, quite calm, just got out of the car. Followed by Dylan and Brandon. It was a dip in the past. The one who was her best friend, then a friend, later did not know her anymore; the two men she had loved and who still, in a particular and different way, she loved; all in her garden, advancing inexorably towards the door. SHe didn't waited for them to knock, took courage in two hands and opened. "Welcome"
"Hi Kelly" Brenda smiled at her, who seemed sincerely happy to see her. The two women hugged each other; there was definitely less transportation than the one seen between the two boys at the airport, but it was still an affectionate squeeze. So it was Dylan's turn, the most difficult test "Hello Kelly" the man smiled at her, and gave her a kiss on the right cheekbone. SHe smiled at him and replied, "Hello Dylan."
Maybe it was less difficult than he thought. And it was Brandon's turn who followed the other two to the entrance and whispered to her, "How are you?"
"Better, now that you're next to me," Kelly replied. "Daaaaaad" was heard from upstairs; Sammy came like a fury in the kitchen and threw his arms around Dylan's neck "Come here champion!" Another hug that exuded love. Dylan was really happy to hug his son and Sammy was in sight. Kelly felt a hint of discomfort for Brenda and Brandon, she felt she was in a strangely uncomfortable position. Brandon stayed away, silent. Brenda was watching the various actors in the kitchen waiting for someone to introduce little McKay to her.