| abstract
| - AUTHORS NOTE: Originally and normally, Adrian is 13, Maria 12, and Julia 9 or 8. ^.^ Today was a Saturday, Father’s Day in fact, and I was in my room listening to music. There was a sudden knock on my door. “Come in!” I called and pulled my earphones off. Mom came into my room around 2:00 p.m. with a sad, disappointed face. “Hey Mom! What’s wrong? " I asked. She sat down on my bed. "Adrian, your father has another business trip tomorrow." She said. I sat forward. “Wait, you mean like one of those all day things?” I asked. Since Dad worked at his own company, and because he was the boss, he went on these business trips a lot. “No Adrian,” she sighed. “He’ll be gone till the day after the Fourth of July.” “What!” I yelled. “Did you tell the girls?” Mom nodded. “Yes, Julia is terribly upset. She’s been in her room for a while now. I don’t know what she could be up too.” I sighed. Julia got really emotional over these things. Heck, I couldn’t blame her, it was hard on all of us, and little Julia is only five. "Okay. Is it bad?”"Yes, the girls are sad, but they'll be over it soon." "When's he leaving Mom?" "Tomorrow, first thing." Mom kissed my head, tousled my black hair, then got up and left. I sighed and looked at my ceiling for two hours straight, actually enjoying the peace and quiet of my room. Just as I was starting to accept the fact that Dad wasn’t gonna be home with us this year for the Fourth, I heard a soft knocking on my door. "Adrian?” My door creaked open to reveal my younger sister Maria.“Yeah?” I sat up and looked at her. Maria smiled and played with her brownish orangish hair nervously. “Julia, um,” “Maria? Is she okay!?” I sat up in bed worriedly. Julia may be young, but she means a lot to me. “Adrian, she wrote a song...” She says. I look at her in bewilderment. “Julia?” I asked. Maria nodded. Now this is weird, Julia doesn’t write music, she is usually in the garage helping my Dad build crazy contraptions! She’s earned the title, “Daddy’s little helper, or Builder, or GENIUS.” She’s always optimistic, happy, and go lucky. Until Dad goes on trips, like this one. “She’s gonna sing it to Dad.” Maria said. She took my hand, pulled me off my bed, and dragged me into the family room. In the family room, Mom was sitting on the couch holding the baby, Dad was in his normal recliner, and little Julia was standing the middle of the living room, a small piece of paper in her hands. Maria joined Mom and baby Austin on the couch. "Hey Adrian! Come listen to the song your sister wrote for me," Dad said. I walked over and sat down in front of the couch. Silence. Julia looked at all of us with those great big blue cute eyes of hers. “I wrote this song because-because, Daddy, I just hate It when you leave us at home alone." Julia said, and then she smiled widely at Dad. Then she began to sing very softly. The way her song started made us want to cry. As Julia sang, her sweet voice touched as all. I looked at Mom. She had tears in her eyes. Maria was entranced with it, and Dad. Oh Dad’s face. Tears were welling up in his eyes. My eyes widened. Dad rarely cried, and yet Julia had the power to make him too. Julia continued to sing softly. Maria suddenly got up and headed to the piano, and played while Julia sang the last verse. As Julia hit the last few words, she sang softer. Julia looked up at us and fiddled with her paper when she was done singing.. Maria and I clapped loudly and proudly. "Yay Julia!" We yelled. I’d never heard Julia sing, so I never knew how good she was! I tapped Maria on the shoulder. “Good Job sis.” I said. Maria smiled. Mom teared up, but she didn’t cry. “Oh sweetie.” She handed the baby to Maria and hugged Julia. "Thank you Mommy.” Julia said. Suddenly Dad walked up to Julia. He knelt till he was eye level with her. I took notice that he had tears in his eyes.”Julia honey? You meant that?” He asked. Julia nodded. “Everything Daddy.” “That, was amazing.. Thank you Darling.” Julia stared at him wide eyed. She then ran into his open arms. I watched as he and Julia hugged on the middle of the Family room floor. “I love you Daddy…” Tears streamed down Julia and my Dad’s face. “I love you too.” He replied. Mom looked so happy, until Dad and Julia broke away and Dad said, "I'm gonna go pack for tomorrow," He said. He kissed my mom, and he left the room. Smiling at us. The girls said their goodnights and goodbyes to Dad at around 8:30 p.m., and then we all did our own separate things. Mom put Austin to bed, Julia was in her room, and Maria was reading a book. Me? Listening to music. That and trying to think of what to do tomorrow. After all, Dad wouldn’t be there to give Julia and I suggestions before he left for work. After what I thought was an hour, I looked at my clock. 10:00 p.m. It read. I gasped. That late already? I thought. Suddenly I thought I heard very muffled and silent sniffling. I climbed out off of my bed, and followed the sound. I creaked open the door to Julia’s room to see Maria in her Pj’s, standing by Julia’s window. “Maria?” I asked. Maria jerked around and gave a small shriek. I immediately placed a finger over my lips. “SHHHHH!!!! Austin’s sleeping!” I said. Maria gave me a look. “Adrian Jacob Flynn!” she exclaimed. “You’ll be lucky if I don-…” I placed a finger over my lips again and walked to the window. Maria crossed her arms and followed. “I thought I heard crying.” She said softly. “I was wondering if it was-...” I nodded. “Julia? Probably.” I said. I opened the window as quietly as possible. Maria gasped. “What are you doing?” she demanded.”That’s dangerous! Mom told us not to go there Adrian!” I shot her a smirky smile. “Look, if a five year old girl can get on the roof without getting hurt, then I think I can manage.” I pulled myself out the window, and started climbing up the ladder that dad had put there. Seriously, if Mom didn’t want us on the roof, why is there a ladder RIGHT next to Julia’s window? I sighed and kept climbing in the warm summer air. When I reached the top, I looked around. No sign of Julia ANYWHERE... “Where would she go?” I said aloud to myself. “To Dad’s lab most likely.” I heard a voice answer me. I turned to see that Maria had hesitantly followed me onto the roof. “That’s where she always goes when she’s upset.” She said softly. I looked at her.”Always. Julia loves Dad the most out of all of us.” She said. I nodded. “I know.”Maria grinned. Suddenly something occurred to me. “Wait, Maria, weren’t you scared to come up here?” I asked. “Sure I was, But Julia’s my sister just like she is yours.” She said. “Okay,” I grinned. “Let’s go to Dad’s lab.” We climbed over our roof till we found the top of dad’s obseroFERBatory, as he often put it. I climbed up higher then we intended, and looked through the MASSIVE lens. “Found her.” I whispered. Maria climbed on the lens with me. As well looked through, Julia was huddled by the window, staring at the above stars in the night sky. The light from the moon reflecting a night glow across her face. She was quietly crying. Suddenly I felt sad. It bothered me to see Julia this way. Maria and I exchanged looks. “I’d been scared to go in there.” Maria commented. I watched Julia silently, my heart breaking. “You should talk to her.” Maria said quietly. “She needs you.” I looked at Maria. She looked really serious. “Adrian, you’re the guy who’s REALLY popular with the girls, Outgoing, Strong, Adventurous, Courageous, Kind, and Loving!” She exclaimed. “Anytime she and I have been bullied by Jet, You’ve ALWAYS stood up for us! Plus you know how to be funny, to make her laugh.” I thought about this for a second. “Right now, you need to give her that, “Brotherly Assurance.”” She told me. I sighed. “Okay. Thanks.” I said. “Oh and Adrian? Julia said all those sweet things about you.” She smiled. I stared at her. “I slid onto the massive glass lens and opened a latch. I placed a finger over my lips to signal Maria to be silent. She nodded in understanding. I gently began to climb down the ladder as quietly as possible, so I wouldn't scare her. When I reached the bottom, I quietly made my way over to her, trying my best to be quiet. I wouldn't want Dad to hear me. Julia sniffed and buried her face in her little nightgown. I scratched my ear nervously. "Hey squirt." I said softly. Julia jerked around and faced me. "It's pretty out isn't it?" I said. Julia nodded quietly. I made my way over to her and sat next to her on the hard cold floor. "Hey um, why don't you tell me what's wrong." I said. Julia looked at me with her tear stained eyes and shook her head no. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked at the sky. "Hey Julia." I said softly. "Look up there." I pointed. She reluctantly pulled her head up and looked. "See the sky?" I said.Ohhhh man, here' I go. I thought."Did you know, we all look at the same sky?" I told her. She looked at me with question in her face. "Yeah." I nodded. "Wherever you are, or DAD is for that reason, we all look at the same sky and stars. He Can see what you see." I said. "Everyone!" I stretched out my arms and pretended I was holding something large. "AS long as you remember them Julia, they'll Always, ALWAYS, be with you." Julia stared at me with her deep blue eyes. Before she said anything, I was enveloped in a massive hug. She clung to me as if I was leaving. "I love you Adrian." she told me. I looked at her, and then returned her hug gratefully. When I looked up; I could see Maria smiling at me through the glass. She gave me thumbs up. Then motioned to me. I nodded at her then glanced at Julia. “Hey squirt?” I said. I pulled her away and looked at her. Julia dried her eyes and looked at me. “Bedtime.” I grinned. “Aw Adri-..” “Don’t AW me!” I laughed. I began to tickle her. “AH!” Julia screamed and laughed. She scrambled away from me and tried to get out of my lap. I grinned and reached for her. “Julia Marie! You-..” I suddenly froze when I saw the door to Dad’s massive lab open and a shadow emerge upon us. “Shoot.” I muttered. Julia’s eyes got wide. “Adrian? Julia?” Dad. He stepped in so he could see us. “Kids? It’s 10:30 at night! What are you doing?” He asked us. Julia got off of my lap and ran towards him. “DADDY!” she squealed and hugged him. I sheepishly scratched my ear and stood up. Dad looked at me. “Hehe, um, I can explain Dad.” I said. “He was telling me about the stars Daddy!” Julia spread out her arms as wide as possible. I laughed till Dad looked at me. “Really?” “Heh, yeah. Look Dad, I really didn’t mea-..” Dad raised his hand. “It’s okay bud.” “Really?” I asked. “Really?” Julia repeated me. Dad laughed. “Really really guys.” He laughed at us. [
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