Beams of Love

"O-M-G!"

My exuberant shriek reverberated through the confines of our modest abode, prompting Jackson to rush to my aid, assuming I was in yet another predicament as usual.

"You okay, kiddo?" He regarded me with concern, his initially troubled expression transforming into an annoyed scowl at the sight of my exuberance.

"Look at me! I'm more than okay!" I exclaimed, bouncing on the bed like a jubilant kangaroo.

"You scared me! What hap-" He halted mid-sentence as I launched myself directly at him. Thankfully, my petite frame and his sturdy build prevented my overly excited self from tumbling onto the carpeted floor.

"When will my little sister ever grow up?" He chuckled, carefully setting me down.

"I am a grown-up, dork." I playfully punched him in the gut, though it had no effect on him whatsoever. "You're gonna be so proud of me."

My triumphant grin mirrored onto his face, serving as the icing on the cake for me. His joy always mirrored mine, a fact for which I was immensely grateful. We were each other's sole family, but it was enough. In our small world, we were all we needed.

"I'm always proud of you, kiddo!" He cupped my face. "Won't you tell me what's all this about?"

"You don't have to work extra shifts. We'll share responsibilities. I will no longer be a burden on you. I got the job! I'm a junior research analyst! Oh my god! Can you believe it?"

"You're never a burden on me. Get that straight," he asserted sternly. "Anyway, come here. I'm so happy for you." He enveloped me in a hug. "Did you thank Steven yet? He was the one to give out your reference."

His mention of Steven made me slightly uneasy. Jackson believed I had secured a position in the firm where his friend Steven worked.

"Uh... It's not that firm. It's Fred Incorporations," I proudly announced. It was the largest conglomerate in the entire country, and landing a job there was no small feat.

Jackson had reservations about me working there due to his overprotective nature. He preferred I worked in the smaller firm where Steven was employed, allowing him to keep a watchful eye on me in his absence.

Suddenly rising from the bed, a displeased expression etched on his face, Jackson exclaimed, "Why don't you ever listen to me, Felicia? I gave you permission to work under one condition: that you only work where I allow you to," his voice echoed across the room.

My smile vanished, replaced by a surge of anger and frustration that flooded through me. "You're not in charge of me, okay? I'm twenty-two, for heaven's sake. I can make my own decisions. Besides, I don't need a man trying to control me."

"As if anyone can control you," he scoffed, muttering something under his breath as he exited my room, leaving the door to close with a resounding thud.

"Thanks for the congratulations!" I yelled after him in frustration, though I doubted he heard. "And for dampening my happy mood," I added, sinking dejectedly onto the bed.

All I wanted was his support, for him to stop treating me like a child and finally acknowledge me as an adult capable of shouldering responsibilities. Why couldn't he comprehend the significance of landing a job at Fred Incorporations? It opened countless doors and offered numerous opportunities that the small firm could never provide.

This was about more than just me; it was for him, too. He deserved happiness and the chance to stop worrying about me constantly. The job at Fred Inc. was a pathway to a brighter, more secure life for both of us.

But it seemed he was just as headstrong as Mom, or at least that was what I had been told. I had only seen my parents in old photo albums and known them through stories shared by others. A simple car accident had snatched them away from us, shattering our world in a mere fraction of a second.

At the tender age of ten months, I found myself in the care of our abusive uncle, while Jackson, my elder brother at the time, was nine. It may not be appropriate to use the word "luckily," but our uncle provided us with shelter when everyone else turned their backs on us. Eventually, when Jackson became eligible for custody, we made the decision to move out for good, and from that point on, we've been facing the challenges of survival.

My thoughts were abruptly pulled away from those painful memories when, after about two hours of our disagreement, Jackson barged into my room. He effortlessly flung me over his back like a sack of potatoes and carried me out of the house.

"Jackson! What on earth are you doing? Put me down!" I protested, drawing laughter from passersby who found our sibling antics amusing.

"We need to get you some classy office outfits. Then we're going to indulge in pizza until we have a pizza baby and cap it off with ice cream until we get brain freeze. In short, we're celebrating your new job," he declared, nonchalantly navigating down the slope with me still on his back.

A smile involuntarily tugged at my lips. "I love you so much, big brother!" I exclaimed. "But I'm in a pair of pajama shorts. Let me change at least."

"Won't make you look any less funny," he retorted, and I playfully slapped his shoulder as he finally put me down.

"I take the 'I love you' back," I grumbled.

Upon reaching a clothing store, he theatrically paused, sighed, and rubbed his palms together, feigning horror.

"Shall we begin, kiddo?"

•°•°•°•