Senior: Janelle (Hilllsville, VA)

The sun shone, yes.  But it didn’t help at all.  The bitterness of the December cold lingered, along with every breathe she exhaled. That winter sun especially couldn’t even poke a hole in the bite of the day after a snowstorm.

Three boys stood armed at the edge of the clearing.  They’d just walked down the hill through a snow lined forest, through one clearing and down another wooded path.  Their hodge podge of shovels were their weapon of choice and they were more than ready to tackle the afternoon’s project.

It only took a few minutes.  Surprisingly few.

Before Janelle could say “I love my three brothers”, the three brothers had wacked, smacked, and cleared the ice. Gone. Kapish. Poof. It was no more. Janelle’s one request on that snowy, icy, bitterly cold  day — the ability to sit down on her favorite benches at her favorite campfire circle at her favorite summer camp — was solved by the simply clearing of a few layers of ice.

Her brothers made it happen.

They’ve spent years teasing their poor sister. Years.
Just as many years have been spent bickering with her, trying to hide how much they love her.

But somewhere along the way, it changed.  Oh, they still tease her (what brother can help it?). They definitely bicker still (its only natural). But at least now they don’t (always) hide how much they love her and are happy to help her.

She’s one incredibly well protected sister.