Chapter Text
“Gods! Why is it so hot today?!”
In fact, it was the hottest day of the summer here in Maine!
Wiping the back of her neck, sitting at a red light, a curly blonde haired Emma Nolan, sporting a cute blue v top and a jean skirt, quickly picked her phone up to text her mother back.
Message from Mom
The door will be unlocked for you Em.
Nice! I’m only like 15 mins away. SYS <3
Placing her phone back in the passenger seat, Emma sighed as she pressed the gas as the light turned green. Riding with one hand on the wheel and the other hanging out the window. She tapped along the hood of her truck to the beat of “I Wanna Feel” by Secondcity.
She sighed driving down the long familiar dirt road, jamming along to whatever shuffled next in her playlist. The blonde couldn’t help but smile as the memories came rolling in, passing by certain points along the way to her grandfather’s house and farm.
That huge rock that sat just near the cliff she and her brothers, Shane and Harper, would jump off of while riding their bikes. Mom hated that! The huge red oak tree that was sat in an open field, she and Uncle Daniel would race their horses too. They may or may not have carved some choice words into the root of said tree. She and her brothers spent so many summers out at the farm, helping their grandfather with his cattle. So many amazing memories were made on this land.
But she hadn’t really been back in about 11 years. And it took her grandfather dying to finally get her back to this town. As soon as she turned 18, she left for college and never looked back!
Pulling her truck up into the long driveway, Emma turned down the music as she slowly came to a stop and put the truck in park. Feeling the wind blow across her heated cheeks and over her shoulders she looked at the big lavender gone grey house in front of her.
It was a Victorian style home, with a beautiful wraparound porch, painted white pillars and white windows all over it. 3 floors, 5 bedrooms and only 2 bathrooms. Big white fence, a big shed on the left side of the house that her grandfather built to match.
She remembered being about 7 or 8, being outside early one breezy summer morning painting the shed with her dad, Uncle Daniel, and her grandfather. She could remember her Uncle picking her up and moving her around like a noodle before he placed her up on his shoulders to get her up higher to paint.
She could remember her infectious laughter from feeling the cold paint brush the bottom of her foot from his paintbrush. The way she placed one hand right over his face for balance; and folded her leg up to put her purple painted foot right over the side of his face!
“There Uncle Danny! Now you are a work of art!”
She only had one front tooth, a speech impediment that didn’t let her form her “R’s” all the time. And short blonde hair; because that was the same year Harper and Shane thought it’d be a good idea to play barber shop while mom was out shopping and Daddy was outback tending to the yard.
“Oooh! I’m gonna get you little girl!”
She remembered climbing down his long back like a monkey. Laughing and shrieking as she ran away, across the yard, leaving tiny spaced out purple foot prints. She looked back over her shoulder, her short blonde curls blowing in the breeze. She remembered his mischievous smile and deep blue eyes shining in the sunlight as he chased after her.
She remembered…
“BAAM!”
“Holy Shi-!”
Quickly jerking to her right side, almost trying to climb out the seat. Emma yelped before she just as quickly realized it was just her idiot of an older brother.
“Shane!” Emma growled and rolled her eyes as she finally started to get out of the truck. Quickly rolling the windows up and turning the engine off.
“Oh my goodness! HAHAAA!” Shane clapped and laughed deep from his belly. “You should have seen your face little sister! Oh that was too good!”
Taking a second to calm her heart, Emma sat in her seat watching him as he went on and on, she could still hear him even though the windows were up. Squinting her eyes at the over 6 foot fool, bending over on his knees because he found himself so funny.
Emma sucked her teeth before she quickly swung the driver’s side door open purposely meaning to hit him in the head.
“Ow! Hey!”
Shane stumbled back but caught himself before straightening up his stance.
“Oh I’m sorry Shane.” Emma said insincerely as she shut the door. “I didn’t see your fat head right there. Let me see, you alright?”
She touched his head but he quickly swatted her hands away when he saw she was just going to pull his ears.
“Hey, hey! Back off woman I’m fine.” Shane huffed.
“Big head you got there man. Almost put a dent in my door.”
Emma turned to look at her driver’s side door and pretend to examine it for damage.
“Oh ha ha. Very funny.” Shane rubbed his hand over dirty blonde curls. “That really hurt, Em.”
“Oh the poor baby. Come here.”
“You swung it open really hard!” Shane pouted.
“Oh I did not.” She definitely had.
Emma went in to hug him and he accepted, wrapping one arm around her while the other still rubbed his head. She should’ve known it wasn’t a good idea to get close after taking a jibe at him. Next thing she knew she was wrestled to the ground!
“Shane! Shane don’t!”
Shrieking and laughing as she hit the ground, Emma tried to wiggle her way out from under him.
“Little sister! Oh I missed ya! So so so so much!”
“Shane!” Emma laughed swatting her hands wherever they could reach. “Get your fat ass off of me right now!”
“I take offense to that!” He gasped. “I’ve lost a few pounds!”
Hearing foot steps rapidly approaching, Emma tried to hurry and maneuver out from under him. She knew what was coming next as the foot steps got closer and another hearty laugh filled the air.
“Oh no! No! Shane seriously! Get off m-!”
“Oh yeah! Duck Pile!”
“Harper! No!” Emma shrieked before she let out a hefty “Ooph!” feeling the air leave her body as another over six foot oaf jumped onto Shane’s back.
They wrestled on top of her, careful not to put too much weight on her. Engulfing her in a big bear hug until they finally settled in the grass.
“Oh. My. God.” Emma huffed as her hair was just in her face.
“Hey Em. How ya been?” Harper cheesed “Op! No you don’t.” He tightened his grip around his brothers shoulders as Emma started to wiggle again.
“It’s too hot for this!” Emma shouted.
“Your cool big brothers are here to help with that little sister.” Shane smiled.
“Oh god. I may actually vomit on you.” Emma cringed.
“BOYS! Get your sister off the ground and come inside.”
She heard her mother’s voice echoing through the yard.
“Come on now. It’s too hot for all that! Help her up!”
“Yes mama.” They both said in unison as the laughed trying to maneuver their big limbs over each other and over her.
Remembering she had on a skirt Emma tried to keep her legs crossed. Sittting up in the grass she huffed again and fretted over her hair.
“I can’t believe you two blundering baboons just did that to me. I just showe- Woah!”
Emma yelped as she was suddenly pulled up from the ground and onto Harper back.
“Harper!” Emma laughed and swatted at his butt as he started to walk away.
“Shane grab her bags will ya?” Harper huffed as Emma wiggled and flailed over his shoulders. “God damn girl what’ve you been eating?”
“Harper James Nolan, you put me down! MAMA!”
“You had a long drive little sis. I gotcha!” Harper chuckled as he smacked her butt.
Looking on from the porch, her mother could only laugh and shake her head before turning to go back inside as they followed.
Eventually exhausted, Emma just let it happen. Thankful for the cool air touching her heated skin as Harper finally put her down. Slightly pushing him away as he chuckled lightly at her disheveled hair.
Oh. It was just…So so good to be back home.