Page 48 of Cloudless
Before I get the chance to knock, the door flies open to reveal a smiling Jasper clad in bright red swim trunks and a white t-shirt. His tight grip on my hand forces the frown from my face as he yanks me inside. “Hey, Tank. Are you guys ready to head to the beach?”
“Lulu and Posey are still getting ready. They should be done soon. Do you want to see my room?”
I shut the door and twist the lock as my laugh grows. His grip on my hand tightens as he pulls me through the house. “Sure, Tank. I’d love to see your room.”
My eyes are on a constant swivel as he drags me through the living room and down a slender hallway. Family photos lining the hall show a history of the Sullivan family. A young Lila sits between a man and a woman in the first photo. I would assume the image was of Posey if I didn’t know better.
The family grows as I continue down the hall. Two babies lay cuddled together in the middle of a blanket.
Lila smiles as she holds two crying toddlers in her arms, her blue teeth proudly on display. A birthday cake with blue and white icing sits partially eaten in the background.
Lila’s voice travels to us from a room at the end of the hall. “Jasper! I told you not to answer the door unless I told you it was okay.”
Her hair billows around her shoulders as she steps into the hall. The strap of her white dress falls down her shoulder as I trace the outline of a pink bathing suit underneath. Her pink tipped toes sink into the light green rugs as she walks.
Jasper groans as he comes to a stop in front of his sister. “I knew it would be Kam. You told me he was on his way.”
As she crosses her arms, her dress rides up to reveal a few extra inches of her thigh. I force my eyes away from her to examine more of her family photos as she argues with Jasper.
A slightly younger Jasper and Posey stare back at me. They each hold signs in front of them displaying stats for their first day of kindergarten.
My name is Posey Anne Sullivan!
First Day of Kindergarten at Monroe Elementary
I am 42 inches tall.
I am 5 years old.
My favorite color is pink.
My favorite food is chicken nuggets.
I want to be a Princess when I grow up.
My name is Jasper James Sullivan!
First Day of Kindergarten at Monroe Elementary
I am 45 inches tall.
I am 5 years old.
My favorite color is red.
My favorite food is popcorn.
I want to be a Hockey Player when I grow up.
The rising panic in Lila’s voice has me snapping my head in her direction. She’s squatted down in front of Jasper. Her fingers dig tightly into his shoulders. “Promise me you won’t answer the door like that again, Jasper.”
His eyes turn glassy as he nods his head. His voice is barely a whisper. “I promise, Lulu. I’m sorry.”
She pulls him into a tight hug as her voice softens. “It’s okay, Jellybean.” Her eyes lift to mine as she draws slow circles on his back. “It’s okay.” She forces the worry from her eyes and a fakesmile onto her face as she pulls back from her brother. “Why don’t you go see if Posey is ready to go?”
His smile returns as he nods. His bare feet thump against the ground as he runs to the room Lila appeared from earlier.
Lila’s smile falls as he disappears around the corner. She closes her eyes and lets out a deep breath before she stands. “Sorry about that. I’m just so afraid it’s going to be a stranger or the social worker that’s at the door. I don’t think she would be happy about him answering the door unsupervised.”
