We grab our bags from the trunk, then head up the couple of steps to the front door. Wes knocks a few times, then, without waiting, he throws the door open as he calls out, “The prodigal son has returned! You can come out now!”
I snort.
“What?” He frowns, then leans in and steals a quick kiss. I suck it up like a glimpse of sunshine on the first day of spring. Eager footsteps soon close in on us.
“Hello, hello!” An older woman comes rushing, engulfing Wes in a hearty hug. “Wes. Good to see you.”
“G-ma!” Wes laughs, and they sway from side to side as they hug for several seconds until a woman, a shorter carbon copy of Wes, separates them.
“M-y t-urn, M-Mom,” she says, then hugs Wes. She’s only around 5 feet tall and completely disappears in his embrace.
“Mamasita!” Wes grins, squeezing her. “I missed you.”
“Mmmissed you t-t-oo, hhhhoney.”
An older man, whom I assume is Wes’ granddad, lingers in the background, shaking his head fondly. He eyes me, then holds out his hand. “It’s like this every gosh darn time. You have topick a number. I’m Robert, but just call me Rob. Good to meet you.”
I shake his hand, warm and calloused. It’s a good handshake, solid, like he means it. “Jett. Good to meet you, too, sir.” My mouth’s dry, and I swallow a couple of times. “Nice place you’ve got here.”
Rob taps the wall with his knuckles. “Still standing. It’s a good house. They built them well in the 40s. Not like these modern concrete horror shows.”
I nod. I know what he means. “Yeah, I like older houses too. More soul.”
“Exactly.”
Wes joins us, grinning, his cheeks flushed a pretty pink. “Oh, good, I see you’re old friends by now.” He leans over and hugs his grandfather. “Hey, Granddad.”
“Hey, kiddo. Good to have you home.”
“Thanks.” Wes is exactly how he always is, completely at home in his own skin. I see where he gets it from because I instantly feel the warmth in the house and from the people who live here.
“Everyone, this is Jett.” Wes eyes me quickly, then continues. “My boyfriend. Jett, this is my mom, Evie, and my grandma Brenda.”
Brenda holds out her hand right away. “Jett! Welcome. I remember you and that sweet mother of yours.”
As always, when I meet people who know my parents, I don’t know what to say. On the outside, my family is the picture-perfect image of the middle-class nuclear family. But that’s not how I remember the years in Cannon Beach.
“Nice to meet you,” I murmur. “And for inviting me for Thanksgiving.”
“Of course,” Brenda chirps. “It’s been a while since our Wes brought someone home, so we’ve been mighty excited.”
I feel Evie’s eyes on me, but she hasn’t said anything yet. I hold out my hand. “Hi, nice to meet you.”
She tilts her head, then accepts it. “J-Jett. Wwwwelcome.” Wes has told me about his mom and her accident. He’s never made it sound like there’s anything wrong with her, and now I see why. Evie radiates the same kind of fierceness as Wes, like she knows exactly who she is.
“Thank you. It’s a beautiful home you have.”
“And something smells amazing!” Wes licks his lips, inhaling audibly. “G-ma, did you make your world-famous banana bread?”
“Sure did, sweetie. C’mon. Put down your bags, then let’s go out back. It’s nice and sunny today.”
“For once,” Robert grunts. “Been wet all darn week.”
“No fishing then, huh?” Wes pats Robert’s shoulder, then grabs my hand and pulls me with him inside the house.
“Nope. Maybe we can head out while you boys are here.” Robert looks at me over his shoulder. “You fish, Jett?”
“Uhm, not really.”
