Page 8
Story: Through the Flames
“Do you get it, baby?””At that exact moment, a soft stream of sunlight shone directly on Amaya, and I couldn’t breathe.
She stood there, glowing, and before I knew it, my hands were on her face. She looked up at me with a question in her eyes, and I could see something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Her eyelashes fluttered, and I knew for sure that I had an angel in front of me.
Her hazel eyes had a little bit of green in them.
I jumped back when someone knocked on the door. What the hell was I doing?
I said, “I think Tessa is here.” My skin turned red, and I scratched the back of my neck in an awkward way. Amaya didn’t move, and I didn’t look at her. That was until I felt her arms wrap around my body to hug me.
Amaya was just too special. I didn’t deserve to have her in my life.
“Come on, let’s go let Tessa in.”
I held her hand as we walked to the door, and she bounced back to her usual self. When I opened the door, my seventeen-year-old sister was standing there, just like I thought she would be.
“Hey, brother!”She squealed and jumped into my arms. This is how I knew Amaya and Tessa would get along: they were both so bouncy.
“Hey Tessa,” I said as I led her into the flat and shut the door behind us.
She looked at Amaya and her eyes said shock. I’m not sure why.
Amaya held out her hand with a big smile on her face, and she felt proud. She was so brave.
Tessa looked at Amaya’s hand, then ignored it and hugged her. Amaya was shocked, but it only lasted a few seconds before she hugged her back.
“You are so hot,” Tessa said, and I mentally facepalmed.
I saw Amaya act shy for the first time since the hospital. Before Tessa could say anything else, I told Amaya to go back to her room and get her coat and tights like I had told her to.
“What’s wrong with you?”As soon as Amaya was out of sight, I yelled at Tessa.
“You didn’t tell me she was that hot? Look at her, I mean. I want my breasts to be that high.
“Oh my God. “I didn’t need that picture in my head.” I held my head and turned away, thinking of hairy butts to get rid of the pictures in my head.
“What? Did you see those things? She’s at least a C cup, and gravity doesn’t even matter. That’s not fair. And her b**t is nice.
“Okay, that’s enough from you, Tessa.” I told them, “That’s strike one.”
She looked up at me with a glare and made fun of what I said. My eye twitched a little, and I felt the urge to strangle her come back.
“You’re a real jerk, Tessa.”
“S**k my d**k, Cartie.”
“Cartie?””Amaya called and we turned to her. “I’m ready.”
Tessa snorted, and I cursed in my head because I knew I would never get over “Cartie.”
I left them alone to talk and went back to my room to get the camera I had bought. I wanted to record everything that happened today because it would be full of firsts for Amaya.
For the first 17 years and 362 days of her life, all Amaya can remember is a lonely flat in Portland and a father who wasn’t there.
She can’t just remember things from when she was a kid on TV. I’m going to help her make new ones.
~ ~ ~
“Oh my God, did you see that, Carter?”Amaya turned to me, and I nodded. Then I raised the camera to my eye and took a picture of her.
A couple of breakdancers on the sidewalk completely captivated Amaya. She and Tessa went to the front of the crowd while I stayed back and enjoyed watching her have fun.
We’ve been walking around Portland for a few hours now, taking the tube to and from our main stops. The most surprising thing about my day so far was when I was having fun.
I have to admit that it didn’t start out that way. Especially when we had to ride the damn tube. But seeing how happy Amaya was on a dirty, rat-infested train really threw me for a loop.
Amaya could find the good in everything. For example, when I saw graffiti, she saw art. When I saw dirty, she saw authenticity. When I saw rats, she saw something called a ratatouille? When I saw rude, disgusting people, Amaya saw diversity. She saw a lot of different people going about their day with their own views.
It was nice.
It was like I was seeing my surroundings in a new way, even though that sounds cheesy. I had always thought of life as black and white, but Amaya showed me the grey area, where the good and the bad mix. Maybe that was the real life.
You couldn’t have the good without the bad, and it was up to you to find and enjoy the good in everything.
I was a philosopher after only two weeks with a bouncy teen.
“Hey Amaya, I think it’s time for us to go get some lunch,” I said, and she came right back to me. She’s been so good today, and I’m so proud of her.
I thought I would spend the day like a soccer mom at the store, yelling at her bratty kid.
She came up to me and held my hand. I ignored Tessa’s teasing look and walked to the edge of the sidewalk to get a cab.
Since I was going to take them both shopping after lunch, I thought it would be best for us to just eat at the mall. We got there about forty-five minutes later, and I found us a table at this cute Italian bistro.
A skinny teenager came to take our order while Amaya and Tessa sat across from me. I rolled my eyes as Tessa started flirting right away. That girl is going to give me grey hairs way too soon.
Amaya was completely unaware of his advances, which made me very happy. When I got tired of his nonsense, I interrupted and stared him down. His macho act quickly faded, and I smirked when Tessa glared at me.
I mouthed “strike two” to her, and she made fun of me again. So grown up.
I secretly filmed a short video of Amaya bravely ordering chicken Carbonara pasta with broccoli.
She said, “I’ve always wanted to do that,” and she smiled broadly. Tessa and I both looked proud, and I reached across the table to hold her hand.
“You’re doing a great job, Amaya.”
I let go of Amaya’s hand and pretended to clear my throat when I saw the look Tessa was giving us.
Tessa started, “So, Carter, how is this little deal going to work out when you have to go to work?””
I said, “Well, I think you’ll be glad to know that I’m on vacation.” I looked over at Amaya, who was busy staring at the people walking by outside the restaurant with interest in her eyes.
“Vacation? Are you really serious? You have never taken a break from work. How long are you going to be on vacation?Tessa’s shock was understandable because this was so unlike me.
“Yes, I am serious, and I am on vacation for an indefinite amount of time.”
“What does that mean?””
“Well, since you said I’ve never taken a vacation before, I told Chief Benneth that I’m taking ten years’ worth of vacation time all at once. I’m on leave.
She stood there, glowing, and before I knew it, my hands were on her face. She looked up at me with a question in her eyes, and I could see something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Her eyelashes fluttered, and I knew for sure that I had an angel in front of me.
Her hazel eyes had a little bit of green in them.
I jumped back when someone knocked on the door. What the hell was I doing?
I said, “I think Tessa is here.” My skin turned red, and I scratched the back of my neck in an awkward way. Amaya didn’t move, and I didn’t look at her. That was until I felt her arms wrap around my body to hug me.
Amaya was just too special. I didn’t deserve to have her in my life.
“Come on, let’s go let Tessa in.”
I held her hand as we walked to the door, and she bounced back to her usual self. When I opened the door, my seventeen-year-old sister was standing there, just like I thought she would be.
“Hey, brother!”She squealed and jumped into my arms. This is how I knew Amaya and Tessa would get along: they were both so bouncy.
“Hey Tessa,” I said as I led her into the flat and shut the door behind us.
She looked at Amaya and her eyes said shock. I’m not sure why.
Amaya held out her hand with a big smile on her face, and she felt proud. She was so brave.
Tessa looked at Amaya’s hand, then ignored it and hugged her. Amaya was shocked, but it only lasted a few seconds before she hugged her back.
“You are so hot,” Tessa said, and I mentally facepalmed.
I saw Amaya act shy for the first time since the hospital. Before Tessa could say anything else, I told Amaya to go back to her room and get her coat and tights like I had told her to.
“What’s wrong with you?”As soon as Amaya was out of sight, I yelled at Tessa.
“You didn’t tell me she was that hot? Look at her, I mean. I want my breasts to be that high.
“Oh my God. “I didn’t need that picture in my head.” I held my head and turned away, thinking of hairy butts to get rid of the pictures in my head.
“What? Did you see those things? She’s at least a C cup, and gravity doesn’t even matter. That’s not fair. And her b**t is nice.
“Okay, that’s enough from you, Tessa.” I told them, “That’s strike one.”
She looked up at me with a glare and made fun of what I said. My eye twitched a little, and I felt the urge to strangle her come back.
“You’re a real jerk, Tessa.”
“S**k my d**k, Cartie.”
“Cartie?””Amaya called and we turned to her. “I’m ready.”
Tessa snorted, and I cursed in my head because I knew I would never get over “Cartie.”
I left them alone to talk and went back to my room to get the camera I had bought. I wanted to record everything that happened today because it would be full of firsts for Amaya.
For the first 17 years and 362 days of her life, all Amaya can remember is a lonely flat in Portland and a father who wasn’t there.
She can’t just remember things from when she was a kid on TV. I’m going to help her make new ones.
~ ~ ~
“Oh my God, did you see that, Carter?”Amaya turned to me, and I nodded. Then I raised the camera to my eye and took a picture of her.
A couple of breakdancers on the sidewalk completely captivated Amaya. She and Tessa went to the front of the crowd while I stayed back and enjoyed watching her have fun.
We’ve been walking around Portland for a few hours now, taking the tube to and from our main stops. The most surprising thing about my day so far was when I was having fun.
I have to admit that it didn’t start out that way. Especially when we had to ride the damn tube. But seeing how happy Amaya was on a dirty, rat-infested train really threw me for a loop.
Amaya could find the good in everything. For example, when I saw graffiti, she saw art. When I saw dirty, she saw authenticity. When I saw rats, she saw something called a ratatouille? When I saw rude, disgusting people, Amaya saw diversity. She saw a lot of different people going about their day with their own views.
It was nice.
It was like I was seeing my surroundings in a new way, even though that sounds cheesy. I had always thought of life as black and white, but Amaya showed me the grey area, where the good and the bad mix. Maybe that was the real life.
You couldn’t have the good without the bad, and it was up to you to find and enjoy the good in everything.
I was a philosopher after only two weeks with a bouncy teen.
“Hey Amaya, I think it’s time for us to go get some lunch,” I said, and she came right back to me. She’s been so good today, and I’m so proud of her.
I thought I would spend the day like a soccer mom at the store, yelling at her bratty kid.
She came up to me and held my hand. I ignored Tessa’s teasing look and walked to the edge of the sidewalk to get a cab.
Since I was going to take them both shopping after lunch, I thought it would be best for us to just eat at the mall. We got there about forty-five minutes later, and I found us a table at this cute Italian bistro.
A skinny teenager came to take our order while Amaya and Tessa sat across from me. I rolled my eyes as Tessa started flirting right away. That girl is going to give me grey hairs way too soon.
Amaya was completely unaware of his advances, which made me very happy. When I got tired of his nonsense, I interrupted and stared him down. His macho act quickly faded, and I smirked when Tessa glared at me.
I mouthed “strike two” to her, and she made fun of me again. So grown up.
I secretly filmed a short video of Amaya bravely ordering chicken Carbonara pasta with broccoli.
She said, “I’ve always wanted to do that,” and she smiled broadly. Tessa and I both looked proud, and I reached across the table to hold her hand.
“You’re doing a great job, Amaya.”
I let go of Amaya’s hand and pretended to clear my throat when I saw the look Tessa was giving us.
Tessa started, “So, Carter, how is this little deal going to work out when you have to go to work?””
I said, “Well, I think you’ll be glad to know that I’m on vacation.” I looked over at Amaya, who was busy staring at the people walking by outside the restaurant with interest in her eyes.
“Vacation? Are you really serious? You have never taken a break from work. How long are you going to be on vacation?Tessa’s shock was understandable because this was so unlike me.
“Yes, I am serious, and I am on vacation for an indefinite amount of time.”
“What does that mean?””
“Well, since you said I’ve never taken a vacation before, I told Chief Benneth that I’m taking ten years’ worth of vacation time all at once. I’m on leave.