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01; Update Wardrobe
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There was always something beautiful about the early hours of the morning. The way the sun shone through the sheer curtains and the soft sounds of rain pattering against the window. The warm enticement of Esther's duvet made her snuggle in further as she reached toward her bedside table for her bible. She silently read its well-worn pages, wishing for the dawn to never break as she enjoyed the hidden stories. The loud ringing of her alarm broke her quiet routine, and she set the book down to see if she would be late again.

"Esther Marie Rose, get your butt downstairs and out the door, or you'll be late!"

"Coming, Mom!"

Esther groaned as she realized her mother was right; she was late again. Caught in her world, she hadn't heard the first three alarms she had set, making her actions swift to try and make up for the lost time. The teen stood from her cocoon, feeling the comforting warmth disappear as she began to prepare for the day. Esther picked up a pair of discarded jeans and an old hoodie, sniffing them for good measure before deeming them barely wearable. Once she was dressed, she glanced over at her mirror, trying to rearrange the mess that was her tangled blonde curls.

At first, she tried putting them up into cute space buns, but they made her look younger than she was. Esther finally settled for a dutch braid down her back with little wisps of hair framing her freckled face. Her hands settled into a rhythm as she twisted her locks, her blue eyes moving to scrutinize her outfit. The blonde tried switching her stained hoodie for a cute sweater to look stylish but quickly reverted to her first choice. Although she would have put more effort into her outfit, high school wasn't worth it.

Once her hair was safely secured, she moved to her vanity to pick up her only accessory, an antique locket. She gingerly lifted the necklace from its sea shell-shaped holder, admiring the dainty piece. The oval locket was beautifully aged sterling silver with engraved roses decorating both sides. Upon opening the delicate clasp, two pictures were nestled inside, one of her friends and the other of her family. Esther had yet to learn the secrets of the piece that her father had found, but it seemed to shine with an untold story.

Closing the locket, Esther tucked the piece underneath her hoodie, taking one last look in the mirror. In the reflection, she saw the state of her room and winced internally. In addition to an unmade bed, dirty clothes, and shoes littered the floor, along with the occasional college pamphlet. Esther knew her room was due for a major cleanup and made a mental note to keep her door closed to avoid her mother's wrath.

The teenager threw together what she needed for her school day, which consisted almost entirely of heavy textbooks and one beat-up old three-ring binder. She swung the bag over her shoulder, her muscles protesting at the weight, and went downstairs. She rushed to the kitchen to pick up her packed lunch and a piece of buttered toast that her mother had prepared. With a chaste kiss on her mother's cheek, she ruffled her brother's hair and flew out the door to meet up with her friends. As she shut the door behind her, she let out a small giggle, hearing Joseph's protest at being treated like a kid.

Outside, Esther was greeted by Sienna Thomas first, a bright and sarcastic high school junior with a tendency for mischief. She was leaning against a large sycamore tree on the front lawn, trying and failing to hide her distaste for the cold. Large red headphones pushed her dark brown back as a long sleeve crop top and sweatpants hung loose on her lean frame. She kept one hand firmly on her duffel bag containing dance gear as she dug her worn-out converses into the muddy ground. . She looked ready to conquer the day with her chai tea latte from Starbucks and one-inch binder at her side.

Beside her was Genesis Jones, the youngest of their group and the world's biggest bookworm, or at least Esther thought so. She was leaning heavily on Sienna, taking a small cat nap while cradling an extra-large cup of coffee. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a lazy bun, her reading glasses holding back her wisps of baby hair. Her oversized staple sweater was a beautiful burnt orange that morning and was slightly damp from the mist. On her shoulder was the most oversized bag Esther had seen yet, and it was a wonder how the bag hadn't unraveled with the number of books stuffed inside.

"Good morning, ladies."

"Morning," Sienna called as she carefully nudged Genesis beside her.

Genesis pouted at the wake-up but took solace in her black coffee before mumbling, "Hey."

"Did you get any sleep last night?" Esther asked as the three began their trek to school.

Sienna snorted as she jutted her thumb in Genesis's direction and answered, "Sleep. This one? I don't think that's possible."

Genesis rubbed her eyes and glared in her friend's direction as she emphasized, "I was up studying for the pop quiz today on The Crucible."

Esther sighed, shifting her bag as she commented, "I never liked that book and never will."

"It wasn't that bad," Genesis said. "It could have been Shakespeare."

Esther visibly shuttered at having to reread Romeo and Juliet. It wasn't that she found the book to be a terrible bore, as most teenagers did. She just didn't like the idea of death being the solution to a continuing love story. Juliet had been so young with a whole life left to live, and Romeo had made a life-altering choice and needed to learn to live with the consequence. The book was less a romance and more exposed why marriage at such a young age was less than ideal.

Sienna snorted, agreeing with Esther, "You're too nice for your own good. I just enjoyed the innuendos the football players made when the atmosphere in the classroom became too serious."

"Amen to that." Esther laughed, happy for a change in topic.

School and winter break were among the topics discussed by the three. While Esther knew she would be spending it with her family at home, she wasn't surprised when Genesis mentioned Lake Tahoe as her family's vacation spot. Sienna did nothing to hide her jealousy at the beautiful lake colored in snow. Her own family was heading down to San Diego, as it did every year. Eventually, the conversation fell into content silence, with Esther leading the way and Sienna trailing behind her with Genesis in tow.

The cold winter breeze of December settled around them as the trees lay barren. Sienna and Esther bundled together as they waved Genesis toward Westwood Middle School, a look of irritation permanently etched on her face. Across the street, they groaned as they entered Northridge High School. Home of the knights and the bane of every student's existence, it was okay as far as schools went. If one didn't mind the bathrooms smelling like drugs every once in a while.

Sienna quickly stopped at the locker room to drop off her gym bag. Esther dropped off her supplies in the art room adjacent to her. Her movements were sluggish as she placed her paints and half worked on canvas in the corner of the room. When she turned around, Sienna was waiting for her, appearing more tired than she had previously. The two linked arms as they walked to their first period, avoiding the crowd as much as possible.

"Who thought it was a good idea to force teenagers to learn Calculus in the morning?" Esther asked as she took her seat in the back alongside Sienna.

"I don't know, but they are going to meet one angry mob of teenagers if they claim it was their idea," Sienna replied.

"At least it's Friday!" Esther sang before laying her head on the desk just as the final bell rang.

The school day flew by relatively quickly, and Esther wasted no time racing home to a warm cup of tea. The stairs of her childhood home struggled under her weight as she entered the front door of her home. The inside looked like the Victorian era, and an old western film had a love child with a surfer. It was chaotic. Nothing looked like it belonged, and that was the beauty of the design. The Rose family had a habit of picking up stray miscellaneous items and giving them a new home.

"I'm home!" Esther yelled before dashing up the stairs, tripping on her brother's clothes to avoid doing the dishes.

She knew she would eventually be forced to do her chores, but she wanted some downtime first. When she opened the door to her bedroom, Esther wasn't surprised to find cleaning supplies sitting at the foot of her bed, along with a note. She picked up the Winnie the Pooh stationery and read her mother's message. While she had hoped to get some painting done, it appeared it would have to wait as she did what her mother wanted.

Before starting, Esther made sure to plug her phone into the old speakers on her desk. A good cleaning session began with listening to a good set of tunes. Time passed slowly as Esther began stuffing dirty clothes into her overflowing hamper and shoved her sneakers into the closet. She sprayed for dust and had just started rearranging her desk when she heard someone knock on her door. She yelled for them to come in as she paused her music.

The intruder was Margo Rose, who leaned in the doorway with a pleased look, "It looks better than how I found it this morning."

Esther shrugged, "I'm sure you'll have me clean it again, but at least now you can see the carpet."

"That is always a good start."

Margo seemed to accept her daughter's logic as she glanced at one of Esther's current works. The canvas showed a kingdom teetering off a cliff, its white marble contrasting with the vibrancy of the scenery around it. Margo reached out as if to touch the palace's steps before pulling it back and looking at Esther. The teen had found her mother's actions to be nothing out of the ordinary, for she was known to be a daydreamer in her youth. It seemed to be a phase that she had never fully grown out of.

"You'll want to spray everything down in the morning, and I'll take your laundry now," Margo said in a whisper, almost in a trance. "However, it should look presentable to Sienna and Genesis when they come over tomorrow."

"Thanks, Momma."

"I'll see you at six o'clock for dinner."

Esther closed the door behind her mother and let out a long sigh. Having passed the test, she walked to her bed to lie down and relax on the starry night sheets. She curled up underneath the thousands of pillows and suddenly had the urge to nap, but a knock at the door stopped her. Esther knew without having to bat an eye that it was her brother, Joseph.

"Did mom give you the green light?"

Esther peeked out from under her covers, her blue eyes meeting his hazel ones, "Would I be lying in bed if she had?"

"Good point."

Esther sighed, knowing she wasn't going to be able to nap. She patted the open space beside her on the bed, and Joseph came to join her. Despite their six-year age difference, the two had a strong bond, which only seemed to strengthen over the years. Esther had initially wished for a little sister when her parents had announced they were expecting their second child but was overjoyed to meet her brother instead.

"How was school?" Esther asked, fixing the pillows on her bed.

"Same as always," Joseph answered while playing with one of Esther's stuffed animals.

"Did Jackson bully you again? I swear, I've been meaning to have a less-than-friendly chat with him."

Joseph laughed, "As entertaining as that would be, I need to find my way of handling him."

"Alright. The offer still stands, though. Just name the time and place."

Joseph nodded before hopping off the bed to make his way to Esther's desk. Among all the brushes and paints was a nearly finished sketch of a statue surrounded by various trees and roses in a palace courtyard. It was the companion of the larger canvas sitting on her easel, but Joseph seemed more intrigued by the smaller piece. It was Esther's first attempt at drawing a more expansive landscape, and she was pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

"This looks good."

"Thanks, buddy."

Esther watched as he stared at the sketch, almost entranced by the lines etched into the pages. He left just as quickly as he came, claiming he had a high score to beat on the new Legend of Zelda game. The girl laughed, knowing her brother was better at solving puzzles than actually beating monsters. She took this last hour before dinner to continue the sketch, the hours passing by in a blink of an eye. She had just finished the drawing when the familiar sound of her dad's beat-up old truck pulled into the driveway.

The teen's lips curled into a wide grin as she set her pencil down and raced out of her room. Joseph was slightly ahead of her in their little race, but she soon passed him, sticking her tongue out. The taunt only resulted in a shout of protest from her brother as he stayed hot on her heels, but she had always been faster. The two came bounding down the stairs as fast as they could right into their Dad's open arms.

It was a game the two had developed ever since Joseph became old enough to walk. Whenever they heard their father's truck, they would race to see who could hug him first, with the loser being at the mercy of whatever chore needed. When Joseph was young, Esther stayed to help him, but the odds always favored Esther until recently. Margo never complained about the tradition and looked forward to which child would be doing the dishes later that night.

"Hey, sunshine! How was school?" Wesley Rose asked as he placed a kiss on his daughter's head.

"Same thing as always, boring!" Esther answered with a smile.

Wesley returned the smile before letting go of her to catch Joseph in his hug. Esther watched her dad and brother with an amused look, finding the height difference between her family members funny. While Esther was considered slightly tall for her age, Joseph was almost two heads shorter than her. While the doctor said this was normal, the family had no doubts he would catch them before too long.

"I win!" Esther sang while she pumped her hands up in the air.

"Not fair!" Joseph argued with a huff. "You have longer legs."

"And your bedroom is close to the staircase, giving you an advantage."

Wesley let out another chuckle, diffusing the bickering as he put both children in a headlock, "Come on, you two."

Wesley led his children into the kitchen, where Margo had begun to flip through the mail. Esther smiled when her father released them to give his wife a quick kiss before wrapping her up in his arms from behind. Esther envied their love. She had seen many families crumble throughout her life, including that of her close friends. Her parents were a breath of fresh air, making her want a love like theirs in the future.

Joseph scrunched up his nose in evident disgust, "Gross!"

"You know that will be you someday, right?" Esther teased, winking at him.

Joseph shook his head and stomped as he claimed, "I'm never getting married!"

Esther's belly laughed at her brother's childish antics. It didn't surprise that a young boy would find the idea of love disgusting; most did. She leaned back on the counter, watching as Joseph set the table, part one of his chore for the night. Margo began singing the lyrics to Walking on Sunshine quietly in the kitchen as she scooped the homemade pasta onto clean dishes. Wesley made himself comfortable at the dinner, pulling the chair beside him for Esther to join him.

She told her dad more about her day at school as dinner commenced around the table. The family cracked inside jokes and told stories as they ate while Margo filled everyone in on the plans for the busy weekend. When the evening seemed to be rolling to a close, Wesley pulled out the keys to the truck and shook them, causing everyone to look at him. Esther knew he only did that when he was getting ready to go somewhere. It was a little quirk of his.

"Where are you going?" Margo asked with confusion written on her face.

"I have a bit of a surprise piece waiting back at the store. Thought I might give Esther a sneak peek, seeing as her furniture is due for an upgrade." Wesley answered, sending Esther a wink.

"What is it?" Esther asked, intrigued.

"You'll have to wait and see!" Wesley called as he raced towards the door.

Esther quickly went to grab her coat, Joseph following behind her as they went to wait by the car. Margo cleared the dishes, with Wesley popping open a can of soda before joining them. Esther's dad held open the car door for his daughter and wife, determined to show chivalry was not dead. Once they were settled, they were off, and Esther could hardly contain her anticipation at what was to come.

Their family antique shop was located twenty minutes down the road. A staple in the neighborhood with its cottage-like exterior of aged stone and faded blue shutters. Esther knew it was full of exciting treasures. Wesley opened the shop, and the family of four stepped inside. The walls were covered in various nicknacks, leaving little room for customers to walk.

Esther bounced on her toes in anticipation, barely containing the excitement that threatened to take over, "Where is it? Come on, show me! It's cruel to keep your only daughter waiting!"

"I see you told her about the new arrival."

Esther sent an annoyed look toward Elijah Samson, her childhood friend turned high school jock. While he hadn't lost his wonder for antiques, he had grown out of the treehouse stage. His ROTC uniform jacket lay on his arm as the boy leaned against the front counter with an old rag. She could see the tip of his backpack on the chair behind the register as he sent a smirk in her direction, enjoying making her squirm.

"I told you she couldn't resist it." Wesley said, chuckling at his daughter's evident excitement, before pointing toward the back of the shop, "It's over here."

Esther followed him until he stopped before a giant piece of furniture was shrouded in a white cloth. She reached forward, looking back to receive an okay from her father before pulling the fabric off to reveal a giant wardrobe. She was stunned by the intricate patterns that littered the sides of the dark wood. The focal point of the front panels was the detailed carvings of a lion, tree, crown, and even a castle. It looked like something out of one of her paintings.

"It's beautiful!" Margo exclaimed with a soft smile.

"It's alright," Joseph said, wiping off some dust.

"The guy that brought it to us said it had been in his family for a long time. He said his grandmother's family first purchased it in 1949, after the end of World War II. Before that, it had been owned by a famous professor, but little is known about him now." Wesley explained.

Wesley detailed the piece's history, but Esther felt it getting harder and harder to pay attention. She was too busy admiring the wardrobe in all its glory. The hinges were smooth as her fingers ran along the edges. The inside revealed markings paired with eligible writing. It looked to be counting the height of a small child. The fantasy-like quality was rarely seen on the market; it was just her style. She already knew she had to keep this artwork for herself.

"Esther?" Margo called before she waved her hand in front of her daughter, successfully snapping Esther back to reality. "Honey?"

"Please tell me I can take this home!" Esther cried in excitement, hugging her parents.

Wesley cocked his head as if to ponder before nodding with a chuckle, "Alright, let me call Elijah and see if he'll help me get this to your room tonight."

The wardrobe was much heavier than either Wesley or Elijah had anticipated. Although Esther had at first been uncomfortable with Elijah back in her bedroom, she found satisfaction in seeing him sweat. When he finally left, he winked in her direction, trying to get a rise out of her, prompting her to slam the door on him. She refused to let him get to her as she returned to the magnificent wardrobe again. It was a work of art, and Esther could only guess at the history it had seen.

The wardrobe looked even more prominent once it was in Esther's room. In many ways, it dwarfed her other furniture, but at the same time added to the cozy vibe she had going. It looked regal and grand as she finished hanging up her formal dresses and oversized winter coats inside. It was indeed one of a kind. When the door to her room opened again, she turned to find her parents in the doorway.

"How's it coming, honey?" Margo asked, moving to sit on Esther's bed.

"It looks amazing. Thank you so much!" Esther answered, hugging both her parents.

"We are glad to hear that you like it, sunshine," Wesley responded, ruffling her smooth hair.

"Daddy!" Esther cried as she tried to keep her hair from turning into knots. "You know my hair gets tangled easily!"

Wesley chuckled, "My little Rapunzel."

Margo and Wesley kissed their daughter's head before leaving the room, but not before Margo added, "Don't stay up too late!"

"It's Friday!" Esther exclaimed, looking over at her mom with mock disbelief.

Margo just laughed and told her she was joking before finally leaving the room. Esther rolled her eyes at her mom's tease before she changed out of her street clothes and into comfortable pajamas. The mismatched ensemble consisted of her fleece-coated gray and white checkered pajama pants with her favorite short sleeve white t-shirt. She shivered as she tried to strip quickly, her distaste for the cold of winter coming back as her fingers struggled to grip the fabric.

Once dressed, she crawled into bed and snuggled underneath the covers, waiting desperately for her body to warm up. As soon as she was satisfied, she grabbed her sketchbook and started sketching one of the carvings. Esther immersed herself in her art for over an hour, trying vainly to keep the sleep from her eyes. In the end, she began to submit to the pull of her dreams. She set the book down on the bedside table before snuggling up once more to preserve what little warmth she had obtained.

Esther shivered from the slight draft in her room as she pulled her sheets up to her chin.  She clutched her locket before looking at the wardrobe one last time. The room went still, almost as if time had stopped, the only sound being the wind rustling through the old sycamore outside. As Esther slowly drifted off into the land of dreams, she swore she heard somebody whisper three strange but comforting words.

"Close your eyes."