“ The cross……it just overwhelmed me mom. Out of everything I feel it show all the love of you all.” I answer to only get dog piled by all the women

They all hug me showing they loved me. After that moment I have Kelsey put the necklace around my neck. She gives me a hug from behind that makes me feel her love.

“ I love you baby brother.” Kelsey tells me with a smile

“ I love you too sissy.” I state placing my hands on hers

The rest of that day was spent as a family, but when school started that was when things started to change. My family started to distance themselves from me. I didn’t know why either because all the sudden I was made to do chores like clean the house, wash clothes, and mow the yard while it was still warm outside. I figured my father would give me some kind of allowance, but was I wrong.

Christmas was my favorite time of year. I was looking forward to the family annual decorating the tree, but this year I found myself the only one to enjoy it. I looked toward my family that at that time were spending time amongst themselves. My sisters hung out with Aunt Sarah while dad and mom spent time alone in their room. I asked my sisters if they wanted to help to only get a no as they were to old to decorate a fake tree. I stood feeling sad as Sarah just gave me a smirk going back to talking to the girls.

I shrugged their answer off to only go back to decorating the tree. I spent the rest of the evening that weekend before Christmas making the tree look amazing. The days went by with me either in my room playing a few games or over at Nick or Adam’s enjoying talks of what we wanted to do with our lives. We were all three smart and quick learners. We all wanted to be police officers following papa George’s footsteps. He started teaching us young to how to survive on camping trips that I was invited to.

Christmas was a big family thing between our families. So this year it was to be at my house. Christmas that year I was surprised for my family who I loved only got me clothes in which was very unusual for them. My godparents were the ones to get me some cool stuff. Momma Susan and Chelsea got me some art supplies. Papa George got me the Call of Duty game in which Nick and Adam stated they already had it. Papa Tim got me a program to help with my art work on my laptop.

Nick and Adam both gifted me a plaque saying best brother. After all the gifts were open and some chatting was down my father asked Papa George is I could stay with them for the rest of the week as my family had plans. I was a bit taken back as my family just looked at my godparents with pleading eyes. My godparents looked at my parents with confusion to only say sure. So at 1 p.m. that day I was asked to pack for the next few days and not to come home until that following Monday.

After that my family changed in a strange way. After the few years went by it was my 15th birthday that my father told me I had to get a job. He stated I was old enough to start getting my own money, but I also had to help out with around the house still. I was shocked as I was still in school, but it was worse as my mother agreed with him. So that summer I did get a job mowing yards with the assistance from Nick and Adam. We saved our money up for the coming school year.

At 16 my family took a trip to the lake while leaving me with my godparents Tim and Chelsea. Their reason was that it was a grown up thing. So I was left with my godfamily for the summer in which I didn’t really protest. For my birthday papa George took Nick, Adam and I out to learn how to drive. That day was way cool as he showed us how to drive normal then how to drive HIS way in which made my two brothers lose their breakfast. He made a challenge to all of us. He said if any of us could run the course in 2 minutes that we would get the cars.

My brothers and I looked at him as if he was joking in which he wasn’t. So I turned to my brothers who just shook their heads no making me the person to run the course. I got in the front car to remember all that papa George had taught me this afternoon. He had me buckle up which was a duh moment for him. I turned the ignition feeling the car rev up. I smirked watching my godfather step over to the curb with his other two sons. The passenger window was down so I could hear him.

“ Ready son?” He asks only to get a nod

“ Matt you sure you want to do this?” Nick asked me as I revved the engine up

“ Yep he is sure bro.” Adam says with a shook head

“ Ready, set, GO!” Papa George yells at the end

With that I floored the gas taking my foot off the brake. I peeled out making my way between the red cones that lined up the course. I shifted the gears from watching my godfather. When I got to the turn I drifted into it. I smiled straightening the car out for the straight stretch before drifting again at the next corner turn. With the finish after the next turn I shifted down to make sure I didn’t hit the cones. Once I made that last curve I saw the faces on my brothers of pure shock. Once I reached the finish I slowed down a bit to stop in front of all three of my extended family members. I looked at them all with a grin to see papa George look at me with a smile. I watched as he handed Nick and Adam a set of keys.

“ Here you boys go your brother did the course in 1 minute and 45 seconds.” He stated exclaiming to Nick and Adam

They both looked at him then at me through the passenger side. Adam came up to look in at me.

“ How the hell did you learn to drive like papa George?” He asks getting a chuckle from me

“ I watched how he drove. The way he moved his feet and shifted.” I answered to get a wide eyed look

“ You are a damn smart ass you know that?” Adam asked again getting a chuckle

“ Yep, but you love me as a brother though. Now get in your car so we can go get some cake.” I state to him as both Adam and Nick look at each other

They both run to their cars that papa George had given them, because of my quick driving. He told us to drive to the end then follow him on the way home. So that is what we did. The rest of the day was filled with fun. I loved my godparents and brothers, but my mind kept going to my family. Why were they treating me like they were being so distant from me. I shook those thoughts away when my godmothers sat by me giving me hugs saying they were very proud of me. That evening of my 16th birthday papa George and Momma Susan took us all out. In us all I mean my other godparents and brothers to a restaurant for my birthday dinner. That was a nice night as I felt their love for me since my own families love was slowly dwindling away.

That Friday I went to get a part time job at the nearest supermarket. I figured since my family was hardly having anything to do with me I might as well spend time away from them. Maybe me being absent after school and weekends would make them see what they were missing. I got the job the following week which was the last week of June. The manager liked my attitude about wanting to earn my own money that he was going to give me whatever time I needed off since I was still in school. I thanked him after my interview in which I made my way to Nick’s to tell my momma Susan the news.

July went by with me getting my license, and working hard at my new job. I made a few friends older then me. August finally came in which Nick and Adam suggested we join the football team. I thought of their suggestion and agreed as it would also give me time away from my family in who have not once got in contact with me the whole summer not even on the 4th of July.

So the week before school started Nick, Adam, and I went to try out. By the end of the week all three of us were on the team. Nick was second string quarterback, Adam made halfback, while I made running back. I was stoked at knowing I was going to be one of those to catch the ball to make a goal. I always tried to strive for that next level in all I did.

As the next few years go by they are filled with me going to school, playing football during the season, working at my job, and spending weekends at either Nick’s or Adam’s since my family insist. During those years though Nick, Adam, and I have worked out so much that during our second year of high school we were built. Adam Everhart was 6‘1, 223 lbs, with short black hair and brown eyes. As Nick Dakoson was native american 6‘2 243 lbs shoulder length jet black hair and brown eyes.

They were always treated like twins in their families being born the exact same day just a few hours apart. They were cousins in fact first and got along great. They never fussed over me as I felt like a brother to them. They shared a cousin that they never liked so they took it upon themselves to be that first cousin, but more as brothers. Adam’s dad Tim was a accountant plus did the stock market. He showed me at 15 on how to double my money. He helped me by starting me off with 10 grand.

In which it took me three months to pay him back. I learned quickly and invested wisely from learning and watching from him. I think I was making more a day then my own parents. I kept working as in not letting my family know about my money. Like I said I was a smart guy and started to take care of myself since my father was being a douche about my family helping me out.

I had two other friends at this time named Wayne Jeffers who was 18 as was Daryl Flakeson. They were not on the football team, but still hung around gawking over the cheerleaders. Wayne was 6‘3, 230 lbs, short brown hair and brown eyes as Daryl was 6‘1, 215 lbs, short blonde hair with blue eyes. Both of them were like the outlaws of the school, but took to Nick, Adam, and I. We hung out on weekends with them. They shortly became good friends.

It was May and it brought the prom for our school. It was going to be one cool night. We decided to clean up our cars so they looked nice. Both Adam and Nick’s families took me in as their own. I felt a lot more love from their parents then I did mine. My family started telling me I was annoying in every sense of the word. So I began hanging out at my friends then at home a lot more. Their parents I guess felt bad for me as they knew my parents. Susan and Chelsea were what my mother was years before. They would greet me with a hug and ask how I was every time I was at either Adam or Nick’s house. I loved my other family as they actually treated me as one of them.