First, a home visit.

The day we’d be going to the park, I was waiting in the living room with Cake on my lap while Isabelle played fetch with the dogs in front of us. I kept glancing from my phone to the window and back at my phone.

“Relax, brother. They’re kids. They don’t bite,” Isabelle told me.

“You bit a classmate once when we were six,” I told her.

“WHY do you remember that!?”

“It was funny.”

“Fuck you, now the shame of that memory is gonna keep me awake for who knows how long…”

“Point is, kids bite but that’s not what I’m worried about.”

“Obviously. It was a manner of speaking.” Isabelle sighed. “You don’t need their approval to move in with Sarah.”

“No, but it’s important to her. And to me. I want her family to like me.”

Isabelle frowned and scoffed as she tossed two balls for Mint and Chip to chase. “My boyfriends never cared.”

“And how did that end up?”

“That’s what I’m saying!”

“Her parents have always been good to me, too, so I have to do everything I can.” I sighed. “I think I know what I want to say to them, but…”

“But?”

“But they’re kids. I don’t know if anything I say will get through to them.”

“You’re not giving kids enough credit.”

“It’s not that I think they’re stupid, okay? It’s that I wonder how much they understand about relationships at that age.”

“How much did YOU know about relationships at that age?”

“I didn’t know shit until a year ago,” I told her.

“See? Just say what you have to say, try to have a good time with them, and if it doesn’t work out, they’ll understand eventually.”

“I suppose…”

Just a bit later, my phone buzzed and I got a text from Sarah, first saying she was close to my house, but also asking if it would be okay if her siblings met Cake, Mint and Chip.

“Um… Do you mind?” I asked Isabelle.

“No, I say let them.”

“Thanks.”

I texted back, telling her to bring them, and a few minutes later, Sarah’s SUV was parked outside the house.

I went to get the door with a lump in my throat, but remembering I was opening the door not just for the kids, but for Sarah as well calmed me down.

“Oliver!” Little Robert, the youngest of the four siblings at seven years old, greeted me cheerfully with hands high in the air.

“Robert!” I kneeled to this height and raised my hand as well, greeting him with a two-handed high five. Robert giggled and carefully stepped into the house.

“E-Excuse me…” he said.

“Don’t worry, come on in,” I told him, giving him a soft pat on the shoulder.

Next was Violet, the second youngest at nine years old. She was just a bit taller than Robert, but I still didn’t need to stand up.

“Violet! Oh, neat bow!” I told her, looking at the blue bow that held her chestnut-colored hair in a ponytail. I also raised my hands for her and she met the two-handed high five with a giggle and a little jump.

“Th-Thank you. Mom picked it for me,” Violet said. “She said loose hair would get in the way on the rides.”

“See, your mom is smarter than me. I wouldn’t have thought of that. Come on in, the dogs are in the living room.”

Violet went into the house excitedly, looking around and quickly finding the living room, rushing in when she saw the pets.

I turned to the third sibling, Cole, and I stood up to greet him as he was a fair bit taller than the other two. Cole was 11 years old and was, as Sarah had told me, going through something of a rebellious phase. He didn’t look too happy to be there. Hands in his pockets, furrowed brow, generally annoyed.

“Hey, Cole. What’ve you been up to?” I asked him, smiling and offering him my fist.

He grumbled under his breath, but still fist-bumped me. “Nothing much…”

“Really? Nothing during summer vacation?”

“...I’ve been taking guitar lessons,” he said, looking down.

“No shot! Seriously? Come on in, tell me more.”

Cole came in, if reluctantly. Behind him, Sarah was eyeing him with arms crossed and a faint grimace. Our eyes met and she smiled apologetically at me. When Cole went into the living room, where we heard Isabelle already having lively chatter with Robert and Violet, we said hi with a very innocent and quick kiss on the cheek.

“Sorry. I told them you have a cat and two dogs, and since we can’t have pets, they really wanted to see them.”

“That’s fine. You didn’t tell me Cole was learning guitar.”

“He asked me to keep it a secret, from you specifically…”

“Ouch.”

“Please don’t take it personally.”

“I won’t, but ouch.”

Sarah chuckled.

We went to the living room and my sister, being the social butterfly that she is, was already all buddy buddy with Robert and Violet, letting them play fetch with the dogs.

“Eeeew, it’s covered in drool!” Violet said, giggling as she picked up the ball.

“Don’t worry! You can wash your hands later with soap. Just toss the ball and they’ll chase it. Oh, but don’t wipe our hands on that cool shirt of yours!”

Violet giggled. “I won’t!”

“So, Cole, how are those guitar lessons going?” I asked him, standing next to him.

He shifted uncomfortably. “They’re fine.”

“What guitar are you playing?”

“Um… I don’t know. It’s made of wood and hollow inside,” he said, voice soft.

“Oh, acoustic? Those are cool. I’ve been wanting to get an acoustic guitar. Are you liking it?”

He shifted again, making an uncomfortable face. “I don’t know. It’s hard.”

“What are you having trouble with?”

“...My fingers don’t reach some strings.”

“Oh, yeah, that happens. Actually, can you come with me for a moment? I’ll show you something.”

I knew I was being a bit pushy. Thing is, I can’t read the minds and emotions of kids like I can with other people. I can’t do it at all, actually. Might have to do with the nature of the magic and the fact that these are, well, kids. So I was really in the dark and was practically gambling here.

Here’s hoping I don’t make things worse.

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