“Hi everyone,” Lindsey gives Ian and me a hug.  Her and Jack had met Ian last winter when they came out to New York.  “It’s good to see you guys.”

“You too Lindsey.  You look relaxed considering you’re promising yourself to this guy in a week.”  Laughing, I put my thumb in Jack’s direction.

“That’s why I am so relaxed, your brother has magic hands you know?”  She walks over to Jack snuggling into his arms.

“You tell her baby.”  He kisses her head.

“Barb, let me help you.”  Lindsey walks over to my mom grabbing the vegetables to start cutting up.

“Thank you Lindsey.”  My mom puts her arm around her shoulders.

Lindsey looks up to my mom and smiles back at her.

“So, are you guys ready for the week?  This is no vacation.”  Jack takes a big gulp of his water.

“What is the plan brother?”  I ask.

He looks at Lindsey they smile at each other and he turns back to us.  “Softball game tonight, dress fitting tomorrow, Great Adventures on Wednesday, BBQ and B-ball on Thursday, Bachelor and Bachelorette parties Friday and Wedding Saturday.”  He smirks at me.

“Jesus Jack.  Do I have to go to everything?”

“Yes, you are a bridesmaid.”  He turns to Ian “you are expected to be there too.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”  Ian turns up his lips into a huge smile and I stick my tongue out to him.  “It will be fun Maddy.”

I raise my eyebrows and sulk down into my seat.  “Who is all involved in these plans?”  I ask Jack.  He knows specifically who I want to know.

“All the groomsman and bridesmaids along with a couple others…” he pauses because he doesn’t want to tell me.

“For heaven’s sakes Jack just say it.”  I yell at him.

“Trent got in last week Maddy.”  He looks guilt stricken.

My heart jumps in my throat.

Chapter 5 – 15 years old

I never heard from Bryan again after my move, Trent and I wrote a few letters back and forth and Mackenna and I wrote every day and called every week.  Soon the letters and calls got further apart and eventually stopped all together.  I made new friends in Michigan and I assumed a new girl took my spot.   When Jack would come home he would fill me on tidbits he heard from their Bigs but other than that Bryan, Trent and Mackenna were out of my life.

My parent’s marriage was great right after the move.  We all drove Jack up to college and my mom and dad seemed to bond over sending their oldest off to college.  They started having date nights and my dad stopped traveling as much.  When my dad traveled my mom didn’t go out like she used to.  That didn’t change the fact that she never made me dinner and I had a list of responsibilities around the house to finish every night.  Just knowing that my parents were happy and staying together was enough for me.

I missed Jack so much and was always eager to spend time with him when he would return home for holidays.  I cried when I found out he decided to go down to Florida for his spring break this year instead of coming home.

Not that I blamed him but that seemed to be when our parents relationship took another turn for the worst.  My mom started drinking more and going out.  My dad was rarely home during the week and made excuses to go out on the weekend.  This left me alone most of the time which I started to prefer.

The last straw was when Jack announced he wasn’t coming home for the summer.  He was going to stay at the Basso’s and work at some dairy farm in the town next to Belcrest.  My mom lost it and my dad exploded.  Unfortunately, Jack was an adult and since he had a scholarship to State my parents had nothing to hold over his head to make him come home.

After I finished my freshman year my parents sat me down and told me they were getting a divorce.  I can’t say I was surprised they couldn’t make it work.  It was hard when both of them were probably seeing other people.  I was surprised when my mom told me I would be moving with her back to Belcrest while my dad stayed in Michigan.  They assured me I would see him often and we would still get together for holidays.  I still missed my friends in Belcrest but I was nervous to go back after three years.  I had changed so much and I was sure they did too.  Thanks to my full fledge hormones in bloom, I was dying to see how Trent looked.

Two months later my mom and I pull up to a small three bedroom ranch a few blocks from downtown Belcrest.  The outside looks like it’s been here since the town originated.  The grass is overgrown with patches of dandelions.  The shrubs are so long they cover the walkway.  Paint is chipped on the side and the brick seems stained.  I can’t imagine what the inside looks like or why we are going to live here.

“I know it looks a little rough on the outside but just wait.”  My mother says while pushing a branch to the side walking to the front door.

I look around the neighborhood, the other houses are kept up really nice.  Their yards are all mowed and the landscape looks nice.  I wish it was one of ours.  Before I have time to think about it or go inside.

“Maddy!”  I hear a girl’s voice screaming down the street.

I turn and the red head is hanging out a window of some black truck.  When it stops in front of my house she hops out running towards me.

“Maddy, I am so happy your back.”  Her arms wrap around me.  She pulls away putting her hands on my shoulders.  “Why didn’t you call me or write me?  Why did I have to find out from Trent, who found out from Gabe who found out from Doug?”  She exclaims.

Trent knows I am back.

“Hey Mackenna!  I see some things don’t change.”  I nod my head towards the guy in the black truck.

Mackenna has grown up to a gorgeous teenage girl, not like I ever thought she wouldn’t.  Her red hair is long and wavy making her green eyes pop out.  She is slim and petite and her breasts have gotten bigger if that was possible.

“Oh yeah.  Do you remember Billy Cummings?”  She waves at him in the truck and he waves back.

“Didn’t he used to be…awkward and play that wizards card game?”  I question skeptically.

“Oh Mad, the boys you remember have turned into men, just wait.”

I can’t help but picture Trent.  I wonder how tall he is, how his chest looks, his eyes, his hair.

“I am sure everyone is different than what I remember.”  I add in.

“Just wait.  So, I will meet you outside the office tomorrow morning before first class, ok?”  She is already walking back to Billy’s truck.

“Um…Ok” I yell towards her.

“Just wait Maddy, we are going to have so much fun.  I’m never letting you leave me again, ok?”  She climbs into the truck and it speeds away with her waving out the window.

The next morning my mom drops me off at Belcrest High School.  I wore a yellow sundress with a pair of flip flops.  I didn’t want to look too underdressed or overdressed.  I haven’t been through these halls since Jack’s graduation.  I am nervous because I don’t know this school.  I stop at the main office to pick up my schedule and am thankful the town is so small.

“Hi Maddie Jennings.  I haven’t seen you in years.  Welcome back to Belcrest.”  The lady behind the desk hands me my schedule.   I know I know her from somewhere but I can’t remember her name.  “Oh there’s Mackenna Ross waiting for you.  You two were always together.”

“Thank you Miss.”  I say.

“Ms. Gilbert.  Peter’s mother.”  She fills in for me.

“Yes, thank you Ms. Gilbert.”

“Have a good day dear.”

The door shuts behind me and my ears fill with sounds of noisy kids in the hallway.  Mackenna is dressed in a pair of plaid shorts with a cute tank top and flats.  She looks adorable like always.

“I love the dress.”  She hugs me tight.  “Sorry, I still can’t believe you’re back.”

“I know, I can’t believe it myself.’

“The boys are going to flip out.”

“I thought they knew.”