Families.

I might sound like a broken record at this point, but I still find it weird to think how I went from a friendless shut-in to hosting lunch at my own house for… Uh… 1, 2, 3…

…

Oh, god there’s 20 people in here right now, what the fuck?

I guess I probably shouldn’t count my girls because they’re hosting this with me, but that still makes this lunch for 21 people if I include myself. I believe this was my second time in this sort of gathering, meaning one where I knew everybody. The first one was my birthday not too long ago, but now half the people here are adults. It makes things different, and more difficult.

We set the table, sat around it and served everyone. And the thing about having lunch with so many people is that, well, you can’t really talk to everyone. I ended up sitting at the head of the almost comically long table with Grace and Isabelle to my left and right while most of the adults were at the other end of the table with their kids in between.

“I… don’t want to prod an old wound, Grace, but are you okay?” Isabelle asked the busty brunette.

“You mean because my parents aren’t here?” Grace asked. Isabelle nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m…” She groaned softly and shook her head. “Look, I’ll admit that I wish I had a normal family like all of you, that my parents got along and didn’t ditch me for work or pleasure all the time,” she said with clear bitterness, yet I knew she was allowing herself that because, well, because it was us she was talking to. “But I don’t, so if my parents were here, I’d be stressing out hoping that they didn’t start fighting or something.”

Grace looked along the table and we followed her gaze. Mr. West and Mr. Summers were having a lively conversation across from each other with Sarah and Noelle by their sides, while my mom, Diana and Mrs. Aliev talked about… I think I heard something about wine. Mrs. Summers, Mrs. West and Mrs. Knight were having a lively chat as well, leaving Mila to make sure the younger kids ate everything on their plates, or at least didn’t make a mess of it, her own little brother being the biggest threat there. Mr. Aliev ate quietly while Alice and her dad talked in lower voices across from him.

“I do sort of envy all of you,” Grace said. “But I think I’m happier that you didn’t have to go through some of the bullshit I did.” She grimaced. “Then again, your dad passed away really early, didn’t he? Sorry, I didn’t mean…”

“Nah, don’t worry,” Isabelle said. “I don’t mean to be cruel, but… we don’t remember a lot about dad. We have a few vague memories, some images. Even then I think I remember more than Oliver.” I nodded at that. I really don’t remember much about dad. “But because of it, it doesn’t really feel like we’re missing something. Mom made sure of that.”

I caught Robert trying to give the pleading huskies some of the meat on his plate, and I had to call it out. “Robert, no,” I said, speaking up but not yelling. The boy flinched. “They’ll get used to it and cause trouble for my sister and my mother.”

“S-Sorry…!”

“It’s okay. Just don’t feed them, alright?”

I think I caught Cole flinching, too. He was definitely going to give one of the dogs something. Maybe give something to Cake.

Grace smirked at me. “My family might be a bit broken up, but I am looking forward to starting a new one here.”

It was my turn to flinch.

Isabelle laughed. “Come on, at least wait until you graduate university!”

“I know, but if I get pregnant after graduating, I won’t find a job until after a year or more, and I’d like to have something stable at least…” Grace sighed. “But I’m probably not high in the priority list, right? I mean, I was here earlier, but I’d still argue Diana should have priority. If she wants to, at least.”

“Oh, yeah,” Isabelle agreed, understanding where Grace came from. “If you wait even four more years, Diana will be in her 30s by then. That would be the right time for her.”

“And it’s super early to tell, but Fernanda is also older than us,” Grace said. “Though marginally so, so maybe age shouldn’t play a part there.”

I rubbed my face with both hands. It happened every once in a while. The girls would start talking about having children like it was a matter of when, not if. I suppose I’m happy that they’re as serious about this relationship as I am, but the thought of having my own kids still numbs my brain.

“Relax, brother. You’d be a great dad,” Isabelle told me, patting my shoulder.

“I don’t know if I agree,” I said. After all, taking care of a cat and talking to my girlfriends’ siblings wasn’t enough proof to be sure of it.

“You’re never going to get enough proof that you’d be,” Grace told me. “Hell, I doubt ‘proof’ even exists. But you give off good vibes, and that’s more than some people can say.”

My ears perked up to another conversation, though. Alice suddenly raising her voice ever so slightly made me pay attention to her.

“Dad, I really I’m fine here, really.”

“I’m not saying you have to leave them,” her dad insisted. “Just… come back to see them every once in a while, like you would with us. Hyogen is not the best university for you.”

“It’s good enough for me. If it’s not enough for you, then I’ll drop out and do my own thing.”

I saw Mr. Knight grit his teeth as he groaned. “Alice…!”

They were a bit too far away from me to interject without raising my voice, and that would draw everyone’s attention. I was about to stand up and ask Mr. Knight if we could speak in private… but someone got ahead of me.

“Give it a rest, Frank,” Mr. Aliev said, calling Mr. Knight by his first name.

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