-TO BE TAKEN DOWN-
Katy Thomas is best known for her booming bakery shop, Katy Cakes, that has desserts as sweet as she.
Her new neighbor, Gage Rivers, is best known for being bitter and closed off from others.
The only thing they really have in com...
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And there she was. After months of avoiding her out of her own protection, my sweet smiling sister somehow managed to slip back into my life so effortlessly. I couldn't really be surprised. Violet has always been this way ever since she was little. But still, it's not the most opportune moment.
It hasn't been that long since I last saw her, and here she is looking more and more like an adult. I allowed myself a moment to register her features, everything from her long, light blue hair, to her big blue eyes that matched mine, all the way down to the laces on her black boots, until I finally decided to speak.
"Violet," I tried to control my surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Her small smile curved a little more. "Isn't it obvious? I wanted to come see you. I mean, it's Thanksgiving and we always have Thanksgiving together," her smile dropped slightly as if she realized something. "Unless . . . you don't want me to--"
"No! No, no, that's not what I'm trying to say," I backtracked quickly. "It's just that . . . you know what I told you before you left. You should only come over here--
"When it's an emergency, I know," she sighed and crossed her arms. "But this is Thanksgiving. A time to be with family. Shouldn't that be an exception? We have never been apart on this day before and we shouldn't now. Regardless of what happened, we are still brother and sister. Isn't that enough?"
I wasn't sure how or when it happened, but before my eyes, the little girl I grew up with became a full-fledged woman overnight filled with defiance, wisdom, and humility. I knew this was happening months ago, but now I truly see her maturity at play now. Where did the time go when she was chasing me around begging for cookies? Or when she would crawl in my bed during a thunderstorm? What happened to that little girl who needed her brothers? Because now, standing before me, was a woman. When did time take away that little girl?
Realizing there was no sense in arguing with her, I let out a long sigh. I did all of this for her, but maybe just one day will be okay.
"Yeah . . . it is," I gave her a small smile. "Sorry. It's been a rough few months."
"I know. It's been that way for me as well." She had a faraway look in her eyes for a moment before she added, "That's another reason why I came. I didn't want you to be alone."
"Oh, well, you really don't have to worry about that," I adjusted the turkey in my arms. "I won't be alone."
Her black cherry lips turned down into a frown. "Who will you be with?"
