Liz stepped out of the cab and stood by the door waiting for me to gather my things together. “So this is where you live, eh?” she asked as she looked at the mansion that was my families home.
“No,” I said rather bluntly as I walked passed her. “My home is back in Houston where I live with my aunt. My family just lives here.”
“Oh, right.” Liz followed me to the front door. “Do your sisters know you were coming?”
“No, I thought I would surprise them.” I stared at the door knob wondering if I should turn it or not.
Liz looked at me oddly. “Are we going to stay out here all day or are we going in? Is it locked?” She reached for the door knob and turned it, and it easily opened.
I looked at Liz, then turned back and walked inside. I glanced around the foyer and walked around the rooms downstairs. It hadn’t changed much in the last 3 ½ years; it was pretty much the same.
“Wow,” said Liz as she looked up the staircase. “I don’t see why anyone would want to leave this place. This place is HUGE!”
“Allison is that you?!” a young man’s voice called from upstairs.
Liz and I looked at each other, and then we looked up to see a hot guy at the top of the stairs who was dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt. I gave him a puzzled look. “Who are you?”
“I’m Christian,” he replied in a heavy Spanish accent,
as he came down the stairs. “Who are you?”
“I’m Adrienne.”
“And I’m Liz,” Liz said reaching her hand out to shake Christian’s. He smiled at her.
“Nice to meet you, Liz.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could Allison and Annie walked through the front door with my Mom. Annie saw me first, and screamed out my name and ran to me and threw her arms around me. “Adrienne, you came!” Annie joined the hug.
“I didn’t think you’re coming,” said Annie with a smile. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Me too,” said Allison.
My Mom smiled. “Me three.” I looked over at my Mom and broke away from my sisters and walked over to her and gave her a tight hug.
“I see you met Christian, my boyfriend.” I turned to Allison and I must have given her a quizzical look because she repeated herself.
I looked Allison, and then back at Christian. He must have been at least in his twenties, but I had to be mistaken because my parents would never let my 16 year old sister date a guy in his twenties. Not after the big deal they made with me dating an older guy.
Pushing the idea to the back of my mind, I gestured to Liz and introduced her to my Mom and my sisters.
“How long are you staying for?” my Mom asked me.
“A week,” I answered. She smiled with a nod.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked.
“He’s at the studio with your sisters and JC. If you want you can go over and-”
“No,” I said quickly cutting my Mom off “I’ll wait till he get’s home. I’ll just be upstairs unpacking. Come on, Liz.” She nodded and followed me upstairs.
Annie watched Liz and I go upstairs and disappear around the corner. She then turned her sister and her Mom, a worried look on her face. “I invited JC to our party and as far we know he’s coming tonight.”
“Oh, that’s right,” said Allison.
“Is there going to be a problem with Adrienne being at the party and JC coming?”
Rose looked at her daughters really unsure what to expect. “No, there’s going to be a lot of people there. Let’s hope there won’t be a problem.” The girls nodded. Rose suddenly then remember something and race upstairs.
Meanwhile upstairs I showed Liz the guestroom and went to my old room. I stopped in the doorway and looked around what was once my room, but now someone else’s.
“The girls all wanted their own room. We gave Allison your room. We thought you were never going to come back home. We knew how much you hated this place.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried not to feel hurt by my sister taking my room. “Where do I sleep?”
“You can sleep in Ashley and April’s room. They won’t be able to make it down for the party. They’re in Europe right now for the summer.”
I just nodded and walked down the hallway to Ashley and April’s room. Their room was left just has I remembered, cluttered and messy. I walked over to the nearest bed and put my things on top and sat down, looking around. A framed picture Ashley and JC sitting on the computer desk suddenly caught on my eye. I walked over to it and picked it up. The two looked happy together and seemed to be enjoying each others company.
“I didn’t know one of your sisters is dating JC Chasez. How come you never told me? They look cute together.”
I looked at her and then walked away. “I guess.”
“Do you think JC can hook me up with Justin?” Liz joked. I wasn’t
amused, but she didn’t notice. Liz put the picture down and walked around
the room. “Your family has a pretty nice place here GIRL. I don’t
understand why you or anyone would want to leave this place. UNLESS there’s
something you’re not telling me.” She raised an eyebrow at me.
I looked at Liz and just shook my head. “No.”
Suddenly Annie and Allison came running into the room with a dog at their heels and over to me. They began talking a mile a minute and asking questions about my life. I put my hands up to quite them. Liz laughed. “Hey whoa, slow down.” I chuckled softly and looked down at the dog who put out her paw. I looked back at my sisters. “Who’s dog?”