The airport was busy in Toronto and he knew he should have been looking for his Sister who was picking him up. But at the same time he couldn’t stop checking his phone and wondering if Evan had landed in Vancouver yet. He knew the flight was an hour shorter. He knew he had already landed. And yet in his brain he couldn’t convince himself that he must not have. Otherwise why hadn’t he texted to tell him he had landed safely.
The obvious answer he didn’t want to see was staring him in the face. ‘He isn’t texting you on purpose. Because you took a step in the direction that was forbidden.’ Sam’s stomach twisted.
“Yo bro, I have been calling you for ages. Earth to Sam!”
Sam looked up into a face that matched his own almost perfectly. She grew out her hair. Finally they wouldn’t look like copies of each other. “Hey Sarah. You grew out your hair. It looks nice.” Sam said.
“Oh, yeah. I forgot you haven’t seen it yet. It's been like this for almost six months now. Megan likes it so much she said she will shoot me if I ever go short again.”
Sam grinned. “makes you look too much like me, huh.” Sam said, wiggling his eyebrows.
Sara frowned. “Ew, but yes, she said it makes me look too much like a boy. Which given the top of me is doing nothing to refute that. I suppose she isn’t wrong. Where is your friend?”
Sam felt his stomach drop, “Oh, he said he couldn’t come.” Sam started.
“Max there you are!” Sarah looked at him weird then ran off to hug Max.
“Oh right, that friend.” Sam sighed. ‘No one knows about us, outside of Max because it isn’t serious.’ He reminded himself.
“I dunno what Sam is on. He made it sound like you hadn’t come back to see your parents for thanksgiving.” Sarah snorted, chuckling with good humor she ruffled Sam’s hair. Sam glared at her.
“I hate that.” He snapped. She snorted again.
“I know, but what are you going to do about it little brother?” She asked, sticking her tongue out at him.
Sam grimaced. “Ew, what are we ten? And it’s only a twelve minute difference.”
Sarah laughed loudly. “Yeah, and those twelve minutes bug the heck out of you, so I am never not going to use them.” She widened her eyes playfully, bouncing her head from side to side.
Sam groaned. “You act like an idiot.”
Max put his hands between the two of them. “Okay, how about I sit in the front seat on the way there.” He said splitting them up so he was standing in between both of them and the three of them walked towards the car together.
“That sounds good to me.” Sarah said.
“Finally something we can agree on.” Sam commented.
↔️
Max was the first one to get out of the car but Sam was a second behind. It felt weird to be standing in front of their family homes after a full two years away. Last year neither of them had been able to make it home. Max was doing a special job at the time and Sam… He paused, he had been dating Rachelle last year and had wanted to spend it with her. He was pretty sure things were about to get serious and had prioritized that. Sam scoffed lightly under his breath. ‘What good that turned into, that was the most serious I had ever let things get before now. Getting serious had ruined both of those things. You really are habitually awful, Sam.’ He thought.
Sarah got out of the car with a groan. Sam got out quickly and slammed the door shut on his side. It shut with a satisfying click. Max got out of the car right after but shut the car door with a bit more decorum.
“Can you not ream on poor Betsy.” Sarah grumbled, pushing on her back and stretching it out with the middle of her palms.
Sam glared at her. “You are acting like you are a hundred years older than me.” He said with disdain.
She smacked her lips together. “Do you want to drive next time?”
Sam smirked. “Sure. Maybe then we won’t die. Because the rest of the world is zooming past the ninety year old in the silver Toyota.”
Sarah crossed her arms. “haha, very funny.”
“Sammy! Sarah! Oh Max. hello!” A voice called.
Hello, they said in unison. Sarah and Sam glared at each other at the same time.
His auntie laughed. “that never gets old.”
Sarah grimaced. “Yeah it does. It’s like hearing an echo all the time. It’s annoying.”
Sam grumbled. “Serves you right.”
Sam turned from Sarah and walked to the back of the car. He popped the trunk and pulled out first Max’s suitcase and then his own large fuchsia hard case and the less agonizing to the eyes, dark forest green duffle.
“Wow, did you pack your whole dorm?” Sarah asked.
“Just enough to do a few quick changes.” Sam protested.
Sarah snorted. “Every hour? A few changes every hour? You do know you have the entire walk in closet in your room. And you haven’t grown at all in a year.
Sam pouted. “Yeah, but I dunno if I would have anything I like to wear left. That you haven’t already borrowed.” He whined.
“Doubtful, she raids that thing almost every day, for what to wear to work.” Megan said. She came up behind the three of them and offered out a hand for the duffle. Sam smiled up at her and handed it to her happily.
“See, I knew you would have stretched half of them with those things.” He said pointing at her chest.
Megan and Sarah started laughing at the same time. “What things?” Sam chuckled too.
“Alright enough insulting each other. You father sent me out to make sure you guys wouldn’t just stand in front of the car bickering for an hour while the sun went down. So shoo, everyone get inside, we live in Canada not near the equator. Who knows what the weather will be like ten minutes from now. Oh Max, do you want to drop your stuff off and see your parents first or pop inside with us?” She asked.
Max smiled. I think I am going to go see my mom, dump off this bag, shower and then I will pop over for the campfire later.” he said.
Sam nodded and waved goodbye. Max headed down the sidewalk to the big house next to his. He watched him go through the giant hedge that blocked off the two properties and took a deep breath. The cooler air filled his lungs with that familiar scent of home.
‘It's nice to be back… I just wish…’ Sam sighed, actually he didn’t know what he wished for anymore. Sam followed the three girls who were chatting loudly amongst themselves up the walkway. Just happy he didn’t have to hold the conversation anymore.
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