Down From the Clouds Read Online Free PDF Page A

soap. 
    Matt's older brother, Michael, shook my hand. "Nice seeing you again. Been a while."
    "Yeah," I said. "How's everything going?"
    "It's going."
    His younger sister, Miranda, patted my back and gave me a hug. "Gavin, I can't believe it's been so long."
    “Hey, Miranda. I know. I've been so busy. It's really no excuse."
    "Oh, I go by Randy now."
    "Is that to match your new orange hair?"
    "My hair changes almost weekly. I have to keep it exciting."
    "I can see that. Must take after Matt, huh?"
    "Why do you say that? Matt's about as boring as it gets."
    I laughed. 
    "This is my boyfriend." She pointed to the guy beside her, complete with high-water skin tight jeans and, why yes, it appeared to be makeup on his face.
    I extended my hand. "Gavin."
    "I'm Kennedy." He shook my hand and practically cut off my blood flow. 
    "So, Mira—I mean, Randy. What's with the new name? Trying to escape from the ties of Miranda and turn into a super hero?"
    "Eh." She laughed. "I like to think of it as growing. An adult has strong, huge bones compared to a baby. While they may be the same bones you had since birth, they sure do look different."
    "Interesting. I guess I see the point."
    "Don't strain too hard," she said. "Might hurt yourself."
    Matt walked over with his youngest brother, Max, who stared off behind me as he twiddled his thumbs. 
    “Max, buddy. How's it been?"
    He tried to smile. Made a sound, then jumped up and down.
    "How old are you going to be next week?" I said, noticing the Lion King book in his hands.
    "Tell Gavin how excited you are for your sixteenth birthday," Matt said, knowing as well as I did that Max stopped talking when he turned three and hadn't made a peep since.
    Smiling and putting Simba as close to his eyes as possible, he jumped in place again. I gave him a hug. He accepted, but didn't hug back. The only way Max expressed love was in his smile and the way he jumped up and down or banged hangers together. That meant happiness. Sadness or frustration generally involved banging his head on the nearest hard surface or ripping something into a thousand pieces at a frantic pace. I only saw that happen twice and I felt hopeless. Can't imagine how Mrs. Ryan must have felt.
    She walked back over. "Well, boys. Ready for the big day?"
    Matt smiled. "As long as Gavin doesn't lose the ring, we're good."
    "And that is likely." I checked my pocket to make sure. "You know me well."
     

     
    I stood facing rows of eager faces. They chose a beautiful place to get married. It used to be an old mansion, but someone bought it and turned into an overly romantic wedding ceremony and reception place. The entire ceiling on the top floor was removed and replaced with a glass ceiling, along with glass walls. The star-filled December sky and the Philadelphia skyline was all you could see. I looked around the room, lit only be the soft glow of candles. Amazing how candlelight could warm even the hardest faces.
    Matt's foot shook under his piano bench as the flower girls walked to the sound of my gorgeous Ella playing the violin. She wore deep red down to her ankles like the bridesmaids who came in after the girls. Hair down, curled, and pearl earrings dangling from her left ear. She alway had her hair behind her left ear, never the right. The bridesmaids positioned themselves across from us and Lydia stood at the white and red rose-laden opening meant to be the door.
    She looked like Arwen in Lord of the Rings . Poet sleeves hung to the floor. Long crinkled dress flowed far behind her and followed her as she moved. Wavy hair to her elbows. Smile catching the tears dripping from her eyelashes. I never understood why women spent so much money and time on their makeup for their wedding when they ended up washing it off before they even got to the groom.
    Matt smiled as his fingers graced the keys and his voice echoed through the room.
    I found myself surrounded by darkness,
    and the future looked so grim.
    It was as if someone