All Your Firsts Without Me

by L.M. Terry

I remember the first time I heard April speak without me being in the room. She’d been living with Kade and I for a few months and we had all settled into a new routine. April was studying at the kitchen table. I had convinced her to enroll in online college courses. I figured it was better than her not going at all. I would’ve liked for her to experience the normal college life, like I had. Sometimes circumstances don’t allow for that, so online was the next best thing. Anyhow, Kade was a freshman in high school. He came into my office after school and said a quick hello before rushing out to find April, wanting to fill her in on his day. One thing about April is that she is an incredibly good listener. Sometimes I would feel bad for talking her ear off, until one day, she told me how much she liked listening to our stories. She said all she had was her own voice for four years. To hear others was a luxury for her. After that, neither one of us ever held back. Kaden yelled, “Boo.” April squealed, which wasn’t so much a surprise, but what came next was. “Kaden, seriously, why do you have to constantly scare me? I peed my pants, butthead!” Then she stomped down the hall, slamming her bedroom door shut. Kaden came running into my office. “Did you hear that?” he said excitedly. “She spoke to me and you weren’t there! I knew I could get her to do it. I just knew it! She even called me a butthead!” We both went to her bedroom. I knocked on the door. “What?” came the angry reply...