Prodigal

~3~

“There’s the birthday boy!” I heard Grandma Liz squeal while giving me a hug from behind. She was standing next to Grandpa Andrew. “Oh I can’t believe you’re fourteen already! Gosh I remember when Luke turned fourteen! And you look just like your father did at that age!”

I was embarrassed that those sort of statements made me as happy as they did but I couldn’t help but crack a smile which lit Grandma’s face up. “Okay, you and your dad, stand next to each other for a picture!” Grandma said while pulling out a fifteen-year-old digital camera.

I stood next to Dad with our arms around each other.

“Oh my gosh you are almost as tall as your dad, Emmett!” Grandma doted.

“I’m still over a foot below him.” I pointed out.

“Oh you’ll be so tall!” Grandma guaranteed. “Luke didn’t shoot up until he was seventeen or eighteen!”

“Mom, I think Emmett models all week, he doesn’t want to do it for you, too.” Uncle Jack said half- jokingly behind Grandma.

“Oh, shush you!” Grandma said back to him. “If you gave me grandkids I could take some of the attention of this guy!” Uncle Jack never married. He’s had at least a million and a half girlfriends, but nothing that’s ever been serious. I think he was the kind of guy that looked for sex and sex only in a relationship.

“How many more do you want?” Uncle Ben said, walking in behind Jack. His wife, Stella, was around his arm and their fifteen-year-old daughter, Sarah ran up and gave me a hug. I was the sort of best friends with Sarah that made us cousins goals.

“Sarah, let’s get a picture with you and Emmett!” Grandma exclaimed.

Sarah was sort of flawless, and I felt super insecure around her. Her hair was always long, brown with blonde highlights and flowed perfectly. She was wearing a white dress and held her iPhone in her hand. I wish I could be that effortlessly goals. Some things aren't genetic, I guess.

Grandma was always doting, but was so kind hearted and such a sweet grandma. Grandpa didn’t say much, but he always seemed a little rough around the edges for me. Sometimes I got the feeling that I was too feminine for him.

I never spent a lot of time with either of my uncles, but they were both always really nice to me. Funny story, Dad almost killed Jack six months prior to my fourteenth birthday for giving me a rum and Coke at age thirteen at a family friend’s wedding.

Ben was always the kind of uncle who would try to talk to me and be friends with me, but we simply had nothing in common. He was athletic and into sports and I was not, so conversation was always limited. Stella was always really nice but we never had any in depth conversations.

Dad always introduced Ashton, Calum and Michael as uncles. Dad has also almost killed them on separate occasions for fun things they’ve done with me. Dad almost killed Ashton when Ashton gave me a ride on his motorcycle when I was nine. Dad almost killed Calum when Calum taught me how to play various types of poker and poker strategies at age age eight. Dad almost killed Michael when Michael offered to buy me a dirty magazine at age eleven. All three always were around and always were really fun. I guess perceptions can be wrong.

Sarah was my cousin, Ben and Stella’s daughter. I told her everything. She told me everything. We would always do little favors for each other. Sarah would drop bad news of something I’ve done (Like breaking a plate on Christmas on the kitchen floor) to Dad and I would give her shout outs on Twitter so that Sarah Hemmings could be the proud owner of six figure followers.

And that day, there was one thing that I had talked to her about.

Notes

Oooh, what will it be?