eyes on fire

“Yeah you should have seen me trying to talk my parents into it. But really Nova had us all wrapped around her fingers.”

“I think that might just be a thing for girls in most families. Not that my brother ever would’ve done dresses for me, though. He’d think it would give him cooties or something.”

“My sister loved tea parties, and so to be a supportive brother the best way I knew how I went out and bought a dress that fit so that she’d have someone at her tea parties.”

“Oh, my god.” She laughed, shaking her head. “That’s sweet, though. And quite the mental image, actually.”

“I am absolutely certain, my dear. Otherwise I would keep my mouth shut and never offer it to you.”

“Okay, yeah fair enough. Thank you, though. Seriously.”

“It’s an imposition if offered it to you. I would love to be around for you if you need me.”

“Only if you’re sure. But it would be nice to have someone to go to if I needed it.”

“Okay the first thing you need to know before the story is that there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for my baby sister.”

“In true big brother fashion. So what’d you do?”

“I’m always up for adopting another child if you need that figure in your life.”

“I mean, it wouldn’t hurt. My parents have been gone awhile, Nicola’s all I’ve got. I wouldn’t want to impose on you or anything, though.”

“Except you’re not actually pathetic you’re just wearing rose colored glasses.”

“Okay, you might be right. But I think I was promised an embarrassing story.”

“Oh I’m a huge loser. I just put a good front on for you.”

“I’ve been calling myself pathetic for like, ten minutes, there’s no reason for a front.”

“Honestly feeling needed is plenty in return for me.”

“Well, my niece is all I have so that could be an actual possibility.”

“You’re absolutely fine, darling. If you ever need advice or to vent though I can give you my number.”

“I might take you up on that. And you can return the favor, you know, it’d make me feel less crappy about complaining so much.”

“I mean I’m far more lame than you’d ever be and you don’t question that so I can make you feel better about yourself.”

“I doubt you’re that lame.”

“She has you, trust me with everything my nieces and nephews have gone through I wish I could have given them that much. But she’s going to be grateful to have you.”

Rosalyn took a deep breath, nodding to herself, “thank you. Sorry, I didn’t mean to go all moody on you, I try not to do that.”

“I can always make you feel less lame by telling you fun stories.”

“I’m not sure I’ll ever feel less lame, but yeah please, go for it.”

“You’re probably doing way better than you even realize, my dear. And I’m sure she does appreciate what you do.”

“I hope you’re right. Sometimes it’s hard not to worry I’m only going to make things worse for her.”

“Aren’t they always something special though?” Samuel asked her shaking his head, “But that doesn’t sound lame at all.”

“Alright, you might have a point.” Rosalyn agreed, shrugging. “I don’t know, it feels lame. But it might just be me, I wouldn’t know.”

“He’s a special kind of man then,” Sam assured her in amusement, “I’m Sam. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“He was crazy, but he was something special.” She nodded, smiling to herself as she thought of her brother. “Yeah, you too. It’s nice knowing people older than seven still exist, as lame as that sounds.”

“I can only imagine what it’s like. I always said the older that Nova got I aged at least five more years.”

“I’m pretty sure her dad started aging backwards after she was born, I feel cheated I got the opposite.” She shook her head, letting out a weak laugh. “Rosalyn, by the way.”