As I walk through the crowd of families and now official Marines. I scan through, to spot my family. I gently excuse my self through a sea of people. I didn't see them during the ceremony because it was extremely packed.
"Lookin good, Rogers" I turn around, and it feels like I'm looking at a mirror. I bring her into a hug. I know it's only been like 3 months, but it felt like forever. I missed my big sis. When we pull away, I look at her. Her eyes show so many emotions, but under that exterior is someone who holds it in.
"Thought you had a game today? Why aren't you playing?" I ask her, as I hide my emotions. I tip my head down, my campaign hat covering my eyes under the sun. Knowing Adrian is taller then me, she won't see my watery eyes.
"Cause I'm with you till the end of the line"
I shove her playfully, and when she turns around I wipe my eyes. I see my parents make their way to us, I want to run to them but there's so many people around. I don't want to run into someone accidentally. When my parents make it to us, my mom and dad engulf me into a tight hug.
"My little girl" Dad tells me, and he kisses my forehead. My dad is the reason why I started trusting in men, he would do anything. He calls us his everything, and his whole world, and I didn't believe it at first. There was no way, someone who barely knew you, already loved you but then I realize.. that's how parents are when they give life to a baby. They love it like they always knew it. They'd kill or be killed for their children, and dad.. would give his life for me. When we pull away, I walk to my brothers and hug them.
"You look like you can kick our asses now"
"Jake, language" mom tells him, making the rest of us chuckle. "I don't doubt it" I tell them, and I grab brandon into a headlock. I rub his hair while he squirms in my hold.
.................................................
"I'm sorry about Chase" my sister tells me, today Chase would have graduated too.
"Guess it wasn't mean to be" I tell her.
Chase dislocated his shoulder during the crucible and he was taken in, and won't be able to graduate until he heals and gets through the crucible again.
"How's everything going in Uni, mom tells me Sam is going through a lot."
Sam and I are pretty good friends, I'd sometimes tell Adrian to tell her I miss her. We'd communicate through Adrian, and sometimes when I was allowed we'd text.
"She's seeing a therapist, I'm glad she is. Maybe it'll help her, and you aren't going to believe who it is." She tells me chuckling.
"Heather's aunt" she tells me, dang.. it made me think of Heather. I haven't talked to her in a while, mostly because I know she's busy. She attends Standford, man.. I always thought I'd be there with my sister. Guess things don't always work the way we want them too, and that's fine. My sister is doing so good at UNC, and I'm a Marine. There's no going back. Which got me back to My sister, I will only get to see her for today and I'm going back to Orlando with my family for a week or so.
"The world's so small" I tell her, and she nods as we sit in the rental car. On our way to the hotel, they're staying at. We'll be dropping off my sister at the airport in a few hours, gosh time goes by so fast.
"Do you know where you'll be located too?" My mom asks me, and everyone looks at me. "I'll be heading to an Air Force Base in Texas, I'll be doing training for Dog handling." I tell them, and my sister looks at me wide eyed but she looks down nodding. I want to work with the dogs, it won't be so bad.
"Wait.. don't you like.. go with them to detect houses with bombs?" Dad tells me nervously.
"And other things" I tell them lowly.
"And after that?" My sister asks me, and I look at her sadly.
"Wherever they need me and my dog" I tell her, and she looks down sadly. My brother Brandon looks fascinated "that's so cool, they go everywhere with you?" And I nod, and he looks even more amazed. Of course it's after you're assigned a dog, and you have to train it. There's a lot that must be learned, it's a process.
"Can't believe our little sister is a Marine" Jake yells in the car, and it annoys me because he called me little. I'm literally 4 months older then him. I know he does it too piss me off, siblings.
"Shut up Jake" Adrian tells him
"Oh wow, you have your big sister sticking up for you" he teases back, and I punch him in the arm. And he quickly gasps in pain "what the fuck, Mom! Kaydence hit me!"
"And so it begins" Dad says, because we can't last 20 mins without eventually arguing or being loud. These are times I miss though, because we don't really mean the mean stuff we say to each other. Mom turns around glaring at us, it usually works but Jake is making sure he doesn't look at her.
"Jake you still live under my roof, remember that" she sternly tells him, before she turns back around in her seat. I stick my tongue out at him.
"Kaydence"
"Sorry dad" he caught me through the mirror. It feels so good to be here with them, it makes me cherish more of these moments. Good or bad, it's my family. I wouldn't have it any other way.
"Bet you missed this" Adrian tells me.
"Nope, you guys are annoying" I tell her playfully nudging her. She chuckles, rolling her eyes.
.........................................
"Can't believe I won't see you for a long time." I tell Adrian, I'm gonna be gone for a while. Not knowing when I'll be coming home again, and let alone.. she won't be there. People are looking at us, and they even pulled out their phones to record. Typical, and my mom gives me an apologetic look.
"I know right.. today went by too fast. I don't even know what to say" she tells me, and she hugs our parents. Who have also missed her, both their girls are going to be away. When they pull away, she grabs her bags and starts walking to her terminal entrance. Did she just leave without saying goodbye. I run to her, and I pull her by her shoulder.
"Thought you could leave without saying goodbye?" I tell her, and she was already tearing up. It's been a while since I've seen her cry. "Sis you're tearing up"
"You quoted Brian O' Conner, what'd you expect?" she tells me, and she wipes her tears with her sleeves. I hug her, and tighter this time. "I love you, and I'm super proud of you. Know that.. you're my hero" she whispers in my ear, and I gently sob on her shoulder. When we pull apart, she grabs her bag. Looking back at me one more time. "If there's anything you need, I won't be far away" she quotes Tom Hanks before she waves goodbye to our parents and I.
AUTHOR NOTE: Who should Adrian and Kaydence portray? I feel like we need to put a face on the characters. I already have one for Brandon, and Jake.
