All in the Family #2
Brandon put a hand on my shoulder and finished introductions. “Garrett and Sho. They’re both coworkers and friends. If shit goes very sideways, and you can’t reach either me or Don, it’s Garrett I want you to call, okay? We’ll make sure you have each other’s numbers before we leave tonight.”
Garrett was not a big man. He seemed dwarfed while standing between two Havili brothers, and Sho was somehow even shorter. Garrett gave a hand for a handshake, smile kind. “Nice to meet you, Gwyn. Now, unlike Don here, I don’t mind ghosts. So if it’s spooky, you can call me.”
Sho piped up with, “And if your tech goes bad on you, call me. I’m used to handling psychics and their touch of death.”
“We will work cases with them sometimes,” Mack reminded even as he moved past me towards the buffet. “Although Don prefers it when we don’t.”
Donovan just sighed, head hanging, as if the memory of something pained him. Probably that haunted tree case. Mack still complained about it and it happened a year ago.
Alani smiled brightly at me and opened her arms wide. “And of course you know me. Now come here, child, I wasn’t able to get my hug earlier.”
“I do.” I gave her a heartfelt smile before walking into her arms. “Thanks so much for helping with my room.”
“Of course, we’re happy to do that.” Alani’s hug was the best hug ever.
So full of maternal affection, or at least, that’s how it felt to me.
Damn near brought me to tears because I wasn’t used to this kind of embrace.
She wasn’t just hugging me, she was accepting me, all of it, without any reservation.
My mother would have made a passive aggressive comment by this point.
“And I’ll take you shopping for whatever else you need, alright? Don’t hesitate to call me for that.”
Kanye came in closer to give a one-armed hug. He was clearly where his sons got their height from. “We’re so happy you got here safely. I know it got hairy scary there for a minute.”
“It really did,” I admitted, but I grinned up at him. Funny, how I could smile about a situation that terrified me at first. But now? Well, now I know that I’ve got backup. It really changed the world for me.
“Last but not least, this is Lauren, Natalie, and Aaron.”
“Hi, everyone.” I knew of them, at least, as they were all related to Jon. Also saw where Skylar got her red hair from. I was admittedly jealous of her hair.
I got hellos back, and felt like as a first meet and greet, I’d been through worse.
“Everyone grab a plate, eat,” Alani urged, and took me in hand. “I made things you probably can’t recognize, so let me walk you through the dishes.”
I paid attention—she turned out to be right, I hadn’t heard of any of the food, although it smelled amazing—and loaded up a plate.
Somehow, I found myself sitting across from Abby and Skylar, with Brandon next to me, and Kanye at the end cap to my right.
The first bite was ambrosia. Oh my god, Alani could cook.
I’d be three hundred pounds if I didn’t watch myself starting now.
Skylar sipped at her drink before asking, “Mack said you had to basically just pack two suitcases and leave? Does that mean you don’t have many clothes?”
I gave a sheepish shrug. “Pretty much. I did manage to go back to my parents house long enough to properly pack, and we did ship a few boxes here, but yeah. I didn’t choose to take most of it.”
“Abby and I will happily take you shopping,” she promised brightly. “We need to anyway, we need pretty dresses for the wedding.”
Ah, right, I needed one too. Mack and Brandon would get married really soon, like in a few weeks. “That sounds great, honestly, I’d love to have shopping buddies. Honestly, I never could shop at a mall before now. Too haunted. Uh…Mack, the mall here isn’t haunted, right?”
“Absolutely not haunted,” he promised me faithfully. “You’ll be able to enjoy yourself.”
“Let’s set up a time and do it, then.” Skylar leaned around Abby to say to her mother, “You can just pass me a credit card, you don’t have to go with.”
Her mother side-eyed her and pointedly sipped her drink without agreeing.
“I would stick to a budget!”
“I’ll take you,” Natalie informed her daughter, clearly not persuaded. “Your shopping math makes book math look like a warm up.”
Skylar grinned but notably didn’t argue. Oh boy, she was apparently interesting to shop with.
That did bring up a good question, though. “Uh, Mack, Brandon? What’s my budget?”
“We got that sorted out,” Mack promised me. “Your grandparents chose to chip in, and I’ve got a relocation expense card that should cover the rest courtesy of the FBI.”
I had a feeling Sylvia had done some wrangling for me, and made a mental note to thank her. Seriously, that woman has gone to bat for me so many times, and I really appreciated it. Without her, I wouldn’t be sitting here now, safe and away from horrible bully ghosts.
Dinner continued, and I ate way too much, ending in a food coma. Somehow, too, the adults all shifted around until I was basically with just Abby and Skylar.
Abby leaned in, elbows on the table, fully focused on me. “Mack said you’re going to be mostly homeschooled? As you’ll be bouncing all over with them.”
“Yeah, that’s the sanest approach. My grandparents are both retired teachers, so they’re taking over my schooling.”
“Gotcha.” Abby rolled her eyes on a long, plaintive sigh. “I wish I could do that, mostly study with Jon. My father insists I have to graduate high school. So does Jon.”
Skylar gave her girlfriend’s shoulder a there-there pat. “And then we get to go to college.”
“At least that’s going to be more in line with my career.”