AllFreeNovel
Share Us
There’s a party going on in between Mrs. Winslow’s building and the community center, with plenty of music and tables full of food.
“Welcome to one of the many community building block parties we have going on throughout the year!” Alex says, enthused.
He parks the car, and we wait for a second until the security guards have paired up with us to climb out.
Those men ask no questions, they simply follow, and that’s good enough for me. Though I wish they would smile a little…
“Alright, let’s tackle the party from the edges…” Bella says, pointing to the sidewalks.
“I’m on it!” I open up my camera case and get ready to work.
A phone rings, and it’s Alex’s ringtone. He picks it up after making a face of surprise, and his reaction to the caller is shock.
“Oh my God, Lilly…” he says a hand over his mouth. “I’ll be right there.”
He hangs up and doesn’t wait for the phone to be in his pocket before letting us know the news. “Plans canceled, girls. We need to go back.”
“Why?” Bella and I say at the same time, me with some relief, her extremely annoyed.
“Harlan took a spill on the stairs and opened a gash in his forehead. The paramedics said he will be okay, but he’s on his way to the hospital now and I need to be there,” he says, already heading back to the car.
I follow him, but I don’t get even halfway there when I notice that Bella hasn’t moved at all.
“Bella, we’re waiting,” Alex says, half of his body inside the car.
“No!” Bella says with defiance. “We’re already here!”
“Bella,your nephewneeds me,” he says, quickly getting angry.
“Exactly, he needsyou.Liv and I can stay here with the security guards.”
I can see Alex fuming through the nostrils. If he admits he doesn’t find the protection of the guards enough, he’ll be admitting that he made a poor choice.
Getting out of the car again, Alex calls the security guards close.
“You!” he says to the bigger of the two, a man with a buzzcut and a square jaw. “What’s your background?”
“Six years in the Marines, sir,” the guard replies.
“And you?” This other is slightly shorter, stocky with light brown hair.
“Three years with the SWAT. Also, we are both armed, sir.”
“Excellent,” Alex says, hands tucked behind his back, as a general talking to his troops. “Listen now, you have here two of the most precious people in my life. You better not screw this up and fail me.”
“Yes, sir,” the two reply in unison.
Alex comes to kiss me, and looking into my eyes, says, “Take care of my dumb sister, okay?”
“Okay!” I laugh and let him go with a confident smile to assure him that he’s doing the right thing, even though I don’t believe in it myself.
He goes, and the guards approach us. “Where to, ma’am?” the second guard asks.
“She decides,” I point to Bella, who receives the offer full of contentment.
“Follow me!” Bella says, gesturing with her hand.
I photograph Bella and photograph our security men while she doesn’t stop anyone. In the end, I’m just taking pictures of the decorations and other general details, because most people still don’t want to be photographed.
