28. James
28
JAMES
W e stand outside Bianca's childhood home, the air thick with tension. Bianca's hands tremble as she adjusts her dress for the umpteenth time. I place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, feeling the subtle tremor beneath my palm.
"Relax, Bia," Alex says, grinning. "If your family gets too intense, just tell them you brought three bodyguards."
She snorts a laugh, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. Liam steps closer and grabs her hand firmly.
"We've got this," he says. "You ready?"
She nods, though it's more of a quick dip of her head than anything confident.
The door creaks open as we step inside, and I'm hit with the warm scent of cinnamon and baked apples. A woman who must be Bianca's aunt rushes forward with open arms.
"Bianca! It's been too long!"
"Hey, Aunt Clara," Bianca says, trying to muster enthusiasm.
Clara’s eyes dart to the three of us standing behind Bianca. "And these must be your... friends?"
"Yes, my boyfriends," Bianca replies quickly. "James, Alex, and Liam."
Clara’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise, but she recovers fast, giving each of us a welcoming nod. “Nice to meet you all. Come in, come in.”
Inside, the house buzzes with chatter and laughter. Kids run around with toys while adults sit in clusters, sipping on drinks and catching up. Nobody seems to be paying us any mind beyond polite curiosity.
Liam leans close to me and murmurs, “Seems like we were worried for nothing.”
“Don’t jinx it,” I reply under my breath.
A tall man approaches us—Bianca’s uncle, judging by the family resemblance. He shakes our hands one by one.
“Welcome,” he says warmly. “Make yourselves at home.”
We follow Bianca through the house to a spacious living room where more relatives are gathered. I catch snippets of conversation—someone talking about their latest promotion at work, another complaining about traffic.
We weave through the throngs of Bianca’s family, each step feeling like we’re marching into a potential minefield. Bianca’s grip tightens on my hand as we approach an older couple sitting on a floral-patterned sofa.
"Grandma, Grandpa," she starts, her voice steady but laced with an edge of nervousness. "These are my boyfriends. This is James, Alex, and Liam."
Her grandmother squints at us through thick glasses. "Boyfriends? Plural?"
"Yes," Bianca confirms, standing her ground. "We all used to date in college and recently reconnected."
Her grandfather grunts, glancing between us with narrowed eyes. "Well, as long as you're happy," he mutters, returning to his crossword puzzle.
We move on, greeted by various cousins and aunts who either give us curious glances or welcoming smiles. Most seem unphased as Bianca explains our past and present relationship.
Aunt Clara sidles up to me with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “So, how does this work? You boys take turns doing the dishes?”
Alex chuckles beside me. “We’re more into sharing responsibilities equally,” he quips.
Aunt Clara laughs and pats Alex on the shoulder. “Good answer, young man.”
As we continue our introductions, I notice a few older relatives exchanging whispers and uncomfortable glances but nobody outright objects. It’s clear some are trying to wrap their heads around our unconventional setup.
“Oh, there’s my sister, Aliyah!” Bianca says, pointing.
Aliyah is leaning against the kitchen counter with a knowing smile.
“Hey Bia,” she greets her sister before turning to us. “Hey guys.”
“Aliyah.” I nod.
“You holding up okay?” she asks Bianca quietly.
Bianca nods. “Yeah. So far, so good.”
Aliyah gives her a supportive hug before looking at us again. “I’m glad you guys are back in her life,” she says sincerely.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Liam replies with a grin.
A young cousin runs up to us, tugging at Bianca’s dress. “Who are these guys?” she asks innocently.
“These are my boyfriends,” Bianca explains with a patient smile.
The girl’s eyes widen in surprise. “You can have more than one?!”
Alex kneels down to her level and winks. “Only if you’re very special.”
She giggles and runs off, probably to spread the news to the rest of the kids in the house.
By now, most of Bianca’s family has been introduced to us, and despite a few awkward moments and strange comments, things seem to be going relatively smoothly. As we make our way back towards the living room, I catch sight of Bianca’s mom watching us from across the room with an unreadable expression on her face.
Aliyah sticks close to us all night, like a lifeline. Her laughter and chatter weave a protective cocoon around Bianca, who seems more at ease with her sister nearby. Bianca's mom keeps her distance, skirting around the edges of the gathering, never making eye contact.
"Did you see Aunt Mary's face when you told her about the boyfriends?" Aliyah teases, nudging Bianca with her elbow.
Bianca chuckles. "Yeah, I thought she was going to drop her pie."
Liam leans in. "I think she handled it pretty well. No pie was harmed."
Alex snorts. "Always a good sign when the pie survives."
Aliyah grins at Alex. "You guys are quite the trio. How do you manage without stepping on each other's toes?"
Alex winks. "Years of practice and a strict 'no elbowing in bed' policy."
Bianca laughs, her shoulders finally relaxing a bit. The sound is like music after a tense silence.
"So," Aliyah says, shifting the conversation smoothly, "what's your next big project after this resort?"
Bianca lights up. "I've got my eye on this old warehouse downtown. I think it could be transformed into an amazing mixed-use space."
"Warehouse?" Liam raises an eyebrow. "Sounds gritty."
Bianca nods enthusiastically. "Exactly! Exposed brick, open floor plans—it's going to be incredible."
James chimes in. "I'd love to see your plans for that. Gritty can be sexy if done right."
Aliyah smirks. "Gritty and sexy—sounds like your specialty."
I shoot her a grin. "Guilty as charged."
The conversation flows easily from there, touching on everything from work to favorite TV shows. Aliyah keeps things light, but there's an undercurrent of solidarity that bolsters Bianca.
At one point, Aliyah pulls Bianca aside to get more punch, leaving me with Alex and Liam.
"Think we passed the family test?" Alex asks, sipping his drink.
Liam shrugs. "Hard to say. Her mom hasn't exactly welcomed us with open arms."
I glance across the room where Bianca's mom stands talking to an older woman, both pointedly avoiding our direction.
"She also hasn't thrown us out yet," I say dryly.
"Small victories," Alex replies with a smirk.
Aliyah and Bianca return with refilled glasses and plates of cookies.
"Miss anything good?" Aliyah asks.
"Just discussing our odds of surviving the night," I reply.
Aliyah laughs, but there's a knowing look in her eyes as she glances at Bianca's mom. "One step at a time."
The night wears on, but Aliyah's presence keeps us anchored. She engages us in stories from their childhood, sharing embarrassing moments and triumphs alike.
"Remember when you tried to sneak out to that party and got stuck climbing out the window?" Aliyah says to Bianca, eyes twinkling.
Bianca groans playfully. "Why do you always bring that up?"
Liam chuckles. "Do tell."
Aliyah grins wickedly. "She got caught by Mom halfway out the window and had to pretend she was practicing for the fire drill."
Alex laughs loudly, clapping his hands together. “Classic.”
As laughter erupts around us, I feel a warm sense of camaraderie settle in my chest despite everything else going on tonight.
We might not have won over everyone yet, but with Aliyah by our side and moments like these filling the air, it feels like we’re off to a decent start.
The party winds down, and the soft hum of conversations mixes with the crackling fireplace. Kids curl up on couches, half-asleep, while adults gather in smaller clusters, chatting quietly. Bianca stands beside me, her fingers interlaced with mine, a small smile playing on her lips.
I whisper. “Not as bad as you thought, huh?”
She nods, her eyes flicking to her mom who’s been glaring from across the room all night. “Yeah, everyone’s been... surprisingly okay.”
Liam saunters over, holding a glass of eggnog. “Your cousin Serena cornered me in the kitchen,” he says to Bianca. “Wanted to know if we had a chore wheel or something.”
Bianca laughs. “I told you she’d be curious.”
Alex joins us, his arm draping casually over Bianca’s shoulders. “Well, I think we passed the test. No pitchforks or angry mobs.”
Bianca squeezes my hand. “I’m just glad you’re all here with me.” Her voice is soft but steady.
“We wouldn’t be anywhere else,” Liam says firmly.
Bianca’s cousin approaches us with a plate of cookies. “Want some? My mom made them,” she offers.
“Thanks,” Alex says, taking one and passing the plate around.
As we nibble on cookies that taste like Christmas itself, Aliyah sidles up next to Bianca. “Hey sis,” she says, giving us a conspiratorial grin. “You guys holding up?”
“Barely,” I joke. “I think I’ve answered more questions tonight than I did during college exams.”
Aliyah chuckles. “Welcome to the family.”
Bianca leans into Alex's embrace. "I can handle my mom if it means having you guys in my life."
Liam clinks his glass against mine. "Here’s to surviving the night."
"Cheers," Alex adds, lifting his drink.
We toast quietly, the weight of the evening easing off our shoulders bit by bit. As we gather our things and prepare to leave, I can’t help the sense of triumph that rises despite the night’s challenges. We faced it together, and that makes all the difference.