Finding Kimber

Kimber stood in front of her vanity, smoothing out her dress. After spending three hours fixing and re-fixing her look, she still didn’t like how she looked. She’d never been this nervous in her life.

“Kimmy, Mom wants you up stairs when Beth gets here…. Weren’t you wearing your choir gown like, twenty minutes ago?” Jacob asked, falling back into her oversized chair.

“I’ve changed about twenty times. And get out of my chair.” Kimber slapped him with a plushy pillow. “I’m just so nervous something will go wrong. That’s the last thing I need right now. Think Mom will be okay with this dress?” She stood in front of her mirror, examining her knee-length, half-sleeved light purple dress.

“You look fine, I’m sure Mom will be okay with it. Calm down, it’s a friend over, not a date.” He stood up and hugged her. “Now, come on before Mom kills you.” He pulled her up the stairs.

“You look beautiful, Allison.” Andrew hugged his daughter as she entered the living room.

“Thanks Daddy.” She kissed his cheek before checking with her mother in the kitchen. “Need any help Mom?”

“No Allison. Go wait for your friend to get here. Dinner has been postponed due to company. We will be eating at 7:00. Now, go on, get out of here.” Theresa shooed her daughter as the bell rang.

“Come on Kimmy, I mean Allison. Let’s get the door.” Jacob looped their arms together and led her to the entry way.

“Hello Beth. Welcome to our home.” Kimber curtsied after Jacob opened the door.

“How… Proper. It’s cute.” Beth followed them through the entryway.

“Our mother started the traditional twin door greeting when we were about six. Never got out of it.” Jacob said, falling back onto the sofa.

“Jacob Robert, sit on the couch properly so the guest may sit down. Hello, I’m Andrew, Allison and Jacob’s father. Pleasure to meet you.” He bent down and kissed her hand.

“Thank you for allowing me to come by in such a short amount of time.” Beth smiled and followed Kimber into the kitchen, which was full of people.

“Beth, I’d like you to meet my youngest brothers, Albert.” Kimber gestured to the cute little boy coloring at the breakfast table. “Samuel, and Matthew.” She then pointed towards the two boys trying to sneak out the candy bag. “And Christian.” She patted the back of the quiet boy reading at the island. “And, last but not least, my mother. Theresa.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Williams. All the family actually. You look like a wonderful family.” Beth looked around before saying, “No pets? Not even a dog?” As she spoke, Matthew screamed and ran from the room.

“I’ll explain in my room. Come on.” Kimber led her to the basement door.

“You live in the basement?”

“There are four bedrooms upstairs. One has a door connecting to my parent’s room, for Matthew and Albert. Then there’s the larger bedroom, its Jacob’s and Christian’s. Then the smallest room is Samuels. So, they had the basement finished and turned into a suite for me. Complete with a full bath, and lovely sitting room.” Kimber fell into her oversized chair.

“Oh, I guess that makes sense… So, why did Matthew react like that?” Beth asked, sitting on an ottoman by Kimber.

“Lemme get my diary, It has a recap of the incident.” She ran over to her bed grabbing a book with ‘Kimber Chronicles’ written across the front. “Okay… hmm… When he was three, I was about 10 then; he was playing out in the front yard when a person with their dog came by… The dog attacked him. He still has arm and leg scars. It’s also why he sleeps so close to my parents. He got moved back into the connected nursery at the old house after the attack.” Kimber closed her diary and fell back into her chair.

“Oh… Oops.. I didn’t know.” Beth shook her head. “By 10, you were already going by Kimber? Or, did you recently put Kimber Chronicles?” She asked as she reached for the book.

“Wrote it on my last birthday. When I was given this one. My mom saw my old one was falling apart and getting full. So, she got me a new pretty, bigger one.” Kimber laughed as Beth opened the book. “What are you doing?”

“Reading… I wanna see if you’ve written anything about me in it…” Beth goes to the last page of the diary.



“Wait. No don’t…” Kimber reached for her diary.

“You, you like me don’t you?” Beth closed the book, looking up at Kimber.

“Yes…” Kimber blushed and looked down.

“Oh, Kimmy… Don’t be embarrassed.. I like you too.” Beth rubbed Kimber’s shoulder.

“You do..?” Kimber looked back up at her.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I? You’re beautiful, funny, and not afraid to be who you are. Even though your mom doesn’t like it. Plus, who doesn’t like a bad girl?” Beth leans down and gently presses her lips to Kimber’s, causing Kimber to jump back. “Sorry…”

“There… There’s no need. Just surprised me…” Kimber leaned up and kissed her again.

Kimber had never felt as happy as she had when she kissed Beth. It was like fireworks going off in her heart, or was that just her heart beat? She felt weightless. She felt like the world had stopped moving.

“Dinner’s ready… Whoa!” Jacob yelled as he walked into the sitting room.

“Jacob!” Kimber turned to see her brother at the bottom of the stairs.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt…” Jacob eyed them.

“Jacob… Let me explain…” She patted her oversized chair, meaning for him to sit down. “I’ve never been able to tell you that I liked girls… I mean. I like guys too, I guess I like both… But, I’ve never been able to tell you. And it’s been killing me… But, I guess you know now… And, as you probably guessed… That’s why I’d been so nervous about Beth… Forgive me for keeping a secret?” She held her arms open for a hug.

“Of course Kimmy. But this means you don’t get to hold Rachel over my head anymore…” He teased her as he hugged her and moved towards the stairs. “We should hurry before Mom gets mad.”