Family isn't always easy, they take work and she is worth it. Searching over the heads of people rushing to catch planes " Where is she? " I asked impatiently. 

"She will be here any minute their flight got in 10 minutes ago. Be patient!" my mom scolded. 

Scowling I turn back to search the crowds for my sister. Carly is 23, married, and arriving from Alaska. Her husband, Omar is 25 and he is the reason Carly had to go to Alaska in the first place. The last time I saw Carly was January 2017. That’s three years since Omar took her to the air force base he was serving at. Since then I have either called her or texted her every day. Now the anticipation of seeing her again might kill me.

" Carly!" The sound of my little brother's voice shatters my thoughts as I see him run into our smiling but shocked sister. 

"Hey," I laugh as she hugs him back. 

"Hey," she responds as she hugs me too. " I missed you," she whispered. 

" I bet you did," I joke " but I missed you too" she laughs as she embraces my mom and dad. " Where's your hubbie?" I tease.

" He is grabbing the bags,"

" Noo he grabbed the bags. Hey Omar!"

"Hi Lily," Omar waves in his blue air force uniform just like the one my dad could have been in.

          "Douglas Scuderi, " polite applause erupted as he walked on stage. The high school section hollered and cheered as he walked up. Doug was 17 young for a graduating high school student but his birthday was less than a month away over summer break. Today was graduation day all of the senior students waiting to be called onto stage to receive their diploma. The year was 1983 and the walk up to get his diploma seemed to stretch forever. It was a beautiful sunny yet cool day just warm enough that no jacket was needed. The principal shook his hand as he handed Doug his certificate but little did he know his life was forever about to change.

"Hey Doug," It was not even a hour after graduation and Jeff was already hounding about what he was doing after high school. " come ON Doug!!! You should come to the air force with me, just take the test dude!!".

Doug sighed I will only say yes to him to stop his hounding he thought, "Fine."

" I don’t want to hear no... Wait...What did you say? Is that a yes??"

"Fine, ok, I guess,".

             " Really?" Jeff asked gleefully.

"I will do it Jeff," Doug huffed. Did I really just say yes, to him? Doug pondered mentally. 

Where is he Doug was annoyed that Jeff who was the one making him take this test wasn’t even here and he was taking this test alone now. Here he was next in line to a test that never really interested him a test the he was forced into by daily "persuasion". I'm next Doug stated the obvious. 

"Douglas A. Scuderi from....." As Doug's eyes searched the envelope his eyes locked on the tiny cursive print in the top left corner." The Air Force?!" Shocked Doug turned and ripped open the envelope as he walked up the driveway into the house. "Mom!" He hollered "The mail came!"

"Set it on the counter!!" She yelled back. 

Doug rolled his eyes as he set the mail down and began to read the letter. Dear Douglas... Blah blah blah.... The Air Force decided... you have 15 days to respond...blah blah blah...Sincerely some high officer. Doug skimmed the letter not really paying any attention to the words he was reading. "Nothing exciting then" Doug set the letter back on the counter a went to ransack the fridge for food. Deciding on a can of coke and an orange he plopped himself on the couch and clicked on the T.V. right as his mom stomped down the stairs. She walked to the counter and began to read the mail. After several minutes snorted and questioned "Why did you not tell me that were excepted into the Air Force!" She shouted at him 

"Because I didn't get excepted into the Air Force mom!"

"Really? Because this letter of acceptance says differently!" she argued.

"What acceptance letter?"

"The one in my hand!!"

"Ugh!" Doug jumped up and stomped over to his mom snatching the letter from her. 

"Acceptance letter!" His mom pointed.

"I DID NOT KNOW OK!!!" Doug's rage was boiling, "I opened it and its didn’t register ok?!"

"Maybe if you used that brain of yours..." Mumbling his mom stomped away taking the letter with her. Leaving just like his father.

" Hey its Jeff leave a message at the beep" Doug heard his friends voice switch to the automatic voice machine. "Hey Jeff its Doug just calling to tell you that I made the cut. I have 13 days to respond if I want to join or not. Hope you got good news....bye." As Doug set down the phone he sighed. His friends dream had become his reality. How could this happen. Now I have to choose between my crazy family and leaving them to join the Air Force planning battles! Well that might not be so bad. No little brother, no screaming mother and no little sister. Hmm. 

I HAVE 2 DAYS TO DECIDE!!! WHAT AM, I GOING TO DO? Panicking Doug flopped on his bed releasing a sigh loud enough his dog walked in to see him. "Hey Dasha how are you girl?" Scratching her slim black and fawn head calmed him as it always did. Dasha was his pride and joy. The only one who seemed to understand her. She was a pure breed Doberman Pinscher she had a solid black body with a fawn underbelly, chest, neck, and partially fawn muzzle. She was beautiful at least to him. She nuzzled his hand as he spoke "What am I going to do Dasha? I have less than 2 days to make probably the biggest decision of my life!" Shooting out of bed he made his decision. 

"Soo..Your leaving next week?" Jeff questioned as they walked.

"Nope"

"Sooner?"

"Nope" Doug replied again

"Later" Josh questioned, still very confused.

"Nope" 

"When can't you just tell me when your leaving at least?"

"Nope"

"Why?"

"Because I am not leaving"

Carly has been home for less than a month and we just found out she is leaving in 6 months again. I am silent at first. I am going to miss her, she will be leaving me again to go to Japan! It's going to be really hard to say goodbye this time. I trust her to come back to me. My sister may be difficult but I love her and I will keep trying. Family isn't always easy, they take work and she is worth it.