Snowflakes In Autumn (A Novella)

Eleven

Faith turned her phone off before her brother could call back and attempt to convince her to return home before all hell broke loose. She did so because he had this way of manipulating her and saying all the right things to get her to do as she was told, and Faith would not give him the chance this time.

She was done being the obedient one. The invisible one. The controlled one.

Noah sat down by her side and pressed play, allowing the screen to come to life.

"Noah! Noah! Come watch me spin!" Faith squealed as she turned the swing she sat on around and around, then stared directly into the camera.

The camera came closer and closer to her. "I'm watching, little snowflake," A young Noah's voice spoke from behind the camera. "And... Go!"

Faith lifted her feet from the ground and the swing spun, then jerked her back into place.

"I'm hungry. Will you make me a grilled cheese with double cheese?"

"Not today, kiddo!" A mans voice yelled out to her before coming into view of the camera. "Your mom's been cooking all day for your birthday. You don't want to let her down by having a full stomach."

Her father had such a beautiful, warm smile that caused one to build on her own face. Faith touched the corners of her mouth, taking in her father's larger-than-life appearance on the small television.

"Mommy!" Young Faith jumped from the swing and the camera followed her every movement, all the way to her mother who stood on the front porch. "Give me a birthday braid!"

"I'm on the phone," her mother scolded before leaving the steps and walking out of view.

Faith's enormous smile on the screen vanished.

"You get your brush and your hair ties. I'll braid your hair, little snowflake."

The smile returned, and Faith ran inside to retrieve the items.

Her father's deep chuckle sounded out of view.

"What?"

"Nothing," her father said. "Just find it funny that you're a five-year-old's bitch, is all."

There was a lengthy pause before Noah responded. "I would  argue with you, but there's not much of a point."

"Breaking News! Noah Scott, unable to debate."

Faith ran back out of the house and to the camera, which shuffled about before ending up in someone else's hands to free up Noah's.

As soon as the brush landed against her hair, a calm took over adult Faith. She could feel the brush cascade down her own hair and it felt like heaven.

"Can you pause for a second?" She asked Noah.

He grabbed the remote and pressed pause and Faith trotted out of the room, down the hall to the guest bedroom, grabbing her brush and hair ties from the surface of the dresser. She crept back through the hallway until Noah came into view.

"Are you still my bitch?" Faith asked hopefully, hoping it didn't come across as too crass or offensive.

Noah's features relaxed, and lips turned upwards. He spread his long legs apart and patted the cushion between them.

Faith accepted the invitation and sat in front of Noah, who pressed play before taking the items from her hands.

He started at the ends, brushing the dark brown waves, then worked his way upwards, her head swaying at his every movement.