Page 29

“Julia, I thought you were down at the beach,” my dad said as he instantly removed his hand from under my mom’s shirt.
“I just came back to get my sketchpad. If you’re going to have sex, please do it in your room with the door closed. You have no idea how much you’ve scarred me. To think of my parents having sex is just gross!”
My mom started to laugh, and my dad stood there and looked at me in shock. I began to walk away and heard my mom yell, “Just you wait, young lady. You’ll find out what it’s like to have the love of your life and want to make love to him every day.”
“Ellery, don’t tell her that,” my dad said.
I smiled as I grabbed my sketchpad from my room and stopped in the doorway of the kitchen. My parents were kissing and smiling at each other. As I quietly watched them, I prayed what my mom said would come true for me one day. As I made my way back down to the beach, I sat on the sand, brought my knees to my chest, and placed my sketchpad on them. I began outlining London’s face. She would come to the beach house every summer with us, and we would sit together on the sand for hours. I looked up as Collin walked over to me and sat down. He was soaking wet, so I threw him his towel.
“Thanks, sis. Whatcha drawing?”
“London. I’m drawing a portrait of London.”
“I know you miss her, and so do I. Can I talk to you about something?”
“Sure. You can talk to me about anything,” I said as I continued to draw.
“Hailey and I had sex last night.”
My pencil stopped on the pad as I slowly turned my head and looked at my almost seventeen-year-old brother. “And?” I asked.
He smiled as he looked down and started drawing in the sand. “It was amazing.”
“How did Hailey feel?”
“She loved it. You know, it wasn’t her first time.”
“Yeah, I know.” I smiled as I bumped my shoulder into his.
“Where did you guys do it?”
“Her house.”
“Ah. While Peyton and Henry were out to dinner with Mom and Dad.”
“Yeah. We knew they’d be gone forever, so we weren’t worried.”
“I hope you used a condom?”
“Of course, I did. I’m not stupid.”
I put my pencil down and hooked my arm around his neck. “Congratulations, baby brother on successfully losing your virginity and thinking it was amazing.”
“Please don’t tell Mom and Dad.”
“Are you kidding me? I would never tell them. Anyway, they’re too busy having sex in the kitchen to notice what’s happening around them.”
“Ugh, again? Those two never stop.” Collin laughed.
He got up and returned to the house while I finished my drawing of London. A while later, I walked up to the house, and when I stepped into the kitchen, all I could smell was Italian food. It was the aroma of my favorite Italian take-out place called Tivoli’s. They made the best pasta and sauce on the face of the Earth, and their garlic bread was to die for.
“Oh, honey, I’m glad you’re back. Could you set the table, please?” my mom asked.
“Is it time to eat now?” I asked as I grabbed the plates from the cupboard.
“Yes, and we ordered your favorite.” She smiled.
As I set the table, my mom picked up my sketchpad and looked at it. “This is beautiful, Julia.”