Past And Present

san

years

yell, knocking on the do

alright. I'm ready, let's go." She says with a big grin, her righ

ust at her mid-thigh, brown wedges, a brown belt around her tiny waist, and a denim

a small smile pulls at her l

ys from the key rack that hangs just to th

runt, frustrated with the lack of tim

forgot something!" Tarra yells

y minutes left to get to my graduation. I cross my arms and start tapping my

ter skimming over the pictures of our parents, smiling and happy, my eyes land on the round wooden dining

ng the day Dad made it. He had been in a hurry to get to work. He had finished drinking his cup of cof

avorite table,"

repair it since this small s

holding something wrapped in what looks like Christmas

hing my brow and removing

op rolling your eyes

ated papered gift that rests on my sister's lap. I glance

umidity drapes the atmosphere and I already feel myself sweating. I turn up the air conditioning to help the sweat and

ght? So no more speeding, Missy." Tarra mocks, poin

box and giving it a small shake, "is for you. But y

. Can't I get a hint?" I giggle as I turn into

I call her Darth Vader. I like to say I got her because I can do more with it in the desert, but in reality, I think I got this truck because of

e, nope. Must wait, you shall. Impatient, you are." She laughs,

rs, of

hop out of my truck and make Ca

mongst the chair and revealing her underwear, or lack thereof

amn truck instead of my car. Mine is much more accommod

I need a ladder." My hand raises and I point my index f

d out to straighten my tie. "So, y

reath, close my

s t

our new sense of purpose and accomplishment. This badge symbolizes all of the blood, sweat, and tears that we have had to

r tasered for that matter, but that's something we had to do in order to carry a firearm and to know how to properly use it if the situation should ever occur. Luckily, I already h

ession. I have earned this. Ever since that dreadful day of my freshman year in high school, I w

ought me home and I drank hot tea to sulk my sorrows. For days I didn't eat or talk. At first, my dad f

d having the ground beneath me cave in, sucking me whole. I t

by her evil crush and his cruelty, promised to never cry in front of those people again. I promised myself to be a

y uniform pants when I realize that I'm next. With the thundering ovation roaring in the auditorium, each cadet

peech... in front

My fellow cadets all anxiously waiting to be called upon to earn their

graduates today at the top of her class." Our instructor

t as I scan the sea of people before me. I really only know the cadets I graduate with today that live out of town, with their families filling all of the remaining

My eyes land on her as her big, goofy smile widens. Somehow she got a seat

ersuasion,

m nerves, hold the same position and my eyes analyze everyone. Instead of looking into waiting eyes, I fixate on the audience's eye

member though, is what comes with this title. You may have situations where you will need to protect

, including the instructors,

here are people out there who will tell you they don't like you because of the piece of metal that we will now carry, our badges...our shields. But, we should be pro

om an eating disorder, and weighing two-hundred and fifty pounds. Granted, my height never budged, but after being bullied, I stopped being a victim. I lost a hundred

n occasion after it's missed. Three, time after it's gone. Four, trust after it's lost. And lastly, a life once it's

n be. Congratulations my bro

itement, honor, and accomplishment pour out of me as I grasp onto the piece of

lly another Officer Porsse i

e air. "Can I have my present now?"

owingly. "Uhm, can I ge

other and she pulls

in my ear, "Dad would be

n front of anyone, including my sister. Even though our parents are always a touchy subject, I

day. Why I made the choice to

t the same reindeer wrapped gift she

She giggles, brings both hands

Tarra." I snort. "Only when I'm pulling yo

r eyes and folds her arms over her

I tear the decorative paper

e pranks where it has several

back the tape, open the flaps of the

nd death, crosses the face, along with the small quote, 'Heroes don't wear capes, they wear police uniforms' in white lettering. I flip it over and run my index fi

ere going to be here o

My voice cracks and I look down, my eyelids rapid

tch around my wrist, she sa

ly that we still call each other Sissy. But, given what has

ithout saying the words I already know are in her thoughts, how sh

need to celebrate." She offe

diately answer with a

ne is mu