"Mom, November is not even here yet and Halloween is in few days." I told my mother over the phone.

"I know, but you know how much I love decorating for the holidays." She said. I heard the clacking of a keyboard in the background.

"But Thanksgiving decorations?" I questioned as I plopped down on the living room couch. "You literally, just put up Halloween stuff." I glanced over to jack o lantern on the coffee table.

"Yes. I'm not putting them up right now. I just want to be prepared. You'll understand when you have a place of your own." A voice on the other end started to speak to her on the other end. "Did they get blood cultures, start fluids and antibiotics?" I heard her ask the person. "Crap. Leah I have to go, get those decorations. Bye, love you." She said in one breath and then disconnected.

I groaned and dragged myself off the couch. The very comfy and welcoming couch.

I made my way upstairs to the empty spare bedroom that held everything an attic would. But we never use the attic.

You ever have one space in your house that just felt, well, off? Like a weird feeling when you're in it or around it? Well, the attic was that space for both my mom and I. We absolutely hated that space.

No one ever goes there and I swear at one point my mom was going to bolt the door shut because of how much she despised it. Trust me, we scoped out the place more than a few times and found nothing to make sense to us hating it. We just do.

And that's why we use this spare room as our 'attic'.

Opening the door, I was met with boxes towering and decorations for every holiday you can think of all over the room. An organized mess?

Or at least I hoped.

I started to rifle through the boxes trusting my instincts on find these decorations.

No luck after a few boxes.

This place was a mess.

Mom, we need to have talk when you get home.

Like why do we have my old science projects and those creepy dolls I absolutely hate? Do we need those three boxes of glitter glue?

Hands on my hips, I tried to plan my next set of boxes to attack.

"Leah! Are you here?!" I heard someone shout.

It was Nate.

"Upstairs!" I yelled back.

I heard the sound of someone climbing the steps. "Where are y-" Nate stopped and stared in awe. "Wow, so much stuff."

I gave him a pointed look. "You're telling me."

"What are you doing?" He asked looking into one of the boxes and pulling out one of the creepy dolls.

"Put that thing away." I directed him. "I'm looking for Thanksgiving decorations."

"But Halloween isn't even here yet." He stated.

"Tell my mother that." I told him as I looked through another box.

"You know what. I shouldn't even say anything. Your mom's decorations are always top tiered."

"If I could ever find them." I muttered. I looked over to Nate. "What are you doing here?"

He placed a dramatic hand on his chest. "Wow, a guy can't just drop by to see how is best friend is doing?" He said acting hurt.

"You should really take some acting lessons. Because that performance was tragic." I teased.

His jaw was unhinged. "You're mean."

"Well, since you're here can you please help me look for these decorations?" I asked moving a box over.

"Oh, now you need my help? Weren't you rude just a moment ago?" He retorted.

"If you help me, I promise to play fair in Mario Kart for the next three times we play." I offered.

Nate looked thoughtful. "Buy pizza the next time and you have a deal."

"Deal." I said automatically.

"Wow, you really are desperate for help." He joked rifling through a box.

"Just you wait and see." I warned him.

Many, many boxes later and Nate sat on the floor defeated. "How?" He said in disbelief. "How can one person have so much stuff?

I laughed. "Apparently, my mother can."

"I should have added more to that deal."

"Too late. You're stuck with it." I told him opening up another box and he sighed sadly. "But I'll buy you lunch today."

"Alright!" He cheered as he sprung to his feet and started to look through another box.

I chuckled. Boys, always swayed by food.

I moved to another box and opened it. I paused the moment my eyes landed inside.

I reached in and pulled out my dad's camera. It was the vintage one that my mom had gifted him. There was a crack on the lens, but looked the very same as the last time I saw it years ago.

"You're quite over there. Did you find the decorations?" Nate asked, but I stayed silent. He walked over curiously. "Isn't that your dad's camera?"

"It is." I told him simply. "I didn't know my mom still had it."

"I'm not surprise she kept it." He said looking at the camera. "It was his most prized possession."

I gave him a small smile. I looked into the box, this was some of my dad's stuff. Photo reels, notebooks, awards, photo albums.

I opened the first album and instantly closed it. "Nope! Not this one."

"What? Why?" Nate asked.

"Don't ask questions." I glared at him.

He gave me a mischievous smile. "Hand it over."

"No freaking way."

"Okay, then I'll just have to." His hands made its way to my sides and started the instant tickles.

I squirmed around yelling at him and ultimately dropped the album. He picked it up and opened it.

"Awww." Nate said looking at the baby pictures of me. "Look how cute you were." He pointed to one photo of me playing with building blocks.

"Were?" I questioned work a raised brow.

"You still are." He gave a smile and I rolled my eyes.

"There's quite of bit of stuff in here." I told him as I look through the box. Until a picture frame stuck out.

I pulled it out the box. "Wow."

I showed Nate. "Is that?" He asked and I understood exactly what he meant.

"It's my dad in high school and it looks like your dad is there too." I pointed out Nate's dad.

It was a picture of our dads and some of their friends. They look about our age in the picture. Arms around shoulders, laughing, smiling with bright futures ahead of them.

My dad was near the center, his eyes filled with joy. Nate's dad was next to him arm around his shoulder. The rest looked slightly familiar, I've seen them around every now and again when my dad was alive. The guy in the middle, something about him stood out and just couldn't put my finger on it. Almost as if I seen him recently.

He feel a bit more familiar than the rest.

"You're dad would love to see this." I told Nate.

He nodded. "Ill show him one day. He'll go on and on about high school and I'm not ready for an all day story time."

I laughed. "You're dad loves telling stories."

Once Nate's dad was telling us about a time he visited a water park when he was kid and it some how led us to a story about traveling to Thailand. I don't know how it led there, but we somehow got there two hours later.

Yes, two hours.

"I think I found it!" Nate cheered. He showed me the box filled with Thanksgiving decorations.

"Oh, thank god." I praised.

"Can we get food now? I'm starving."

"You got it."

He grabbed the box decided he would take it downstairs. "I want burgers and fries."

"Oo greasy food. That's why your my friend."

"Best friend." He corrected.

"You want the burger or not?" I threatened.

"Yes!" He quickly walked out the room with the box and chuckled.

I put the picture frame back in the box along work the camera and picked the box up taking it to my room.

I would love to go through my dad stuff. See all that I'm missing.

To relive his memories.

"Leah, food!" Nate yelled from the stairs.

I rolled my eyes. "Coming!"

I left my room, leaving pieces of my dad behind.

***