Page 4 of Ask No Questions

“No, you’re fine. I’m trying to appear like a responsible adult. I know Diane has her own opinions about Mom and her parenting style, and she’s a supporter of you living with me. I just don’t want there to be anything negative reported back.”

“So, fake it ‘til you make it, right?” He returned my smile as we walked to the elevator that took us to the parking garage.

The Pages’ house was exactly how I remembered it. We parked along the street at the back and walked around to the front door. The entire structure was made of more windows than walls, optimizing their view of the beach. It was set back from the sidewalk, so the pool and hot tub were in the front patio, closer to the ocean. Like Brandon’s condo, the house was white and a modern design of sharp angles and geometric details.

I always loved visiting their house because it felt like a real home. No off-limits rooms, expensive art pieces that must be minded, or staff walking around. It was lived in and full of love. Something that could never be said about my home in Chicago. Most of my favorite childhood memories were visiting the Pages. They always seemed to be having fun together rather than each person isolated in their own rooms.

Before we could consider knocking on the door, it burst open. Mckayla screamed and dove at us, hugging me tight. She too had grown taller since I had seen her last, and her blonde hair was sun-kissed, almost white, and had grown to her waist. She epitomized the ideal California girl, her long tan legs seeming to go on forever before reaching the short jean cutoffs she was wearing.

She held me back, and we smiled at each other like crazy people, lost in the excitement of finally being reunited. She was the same. All my doubts about us getting back to being close disappeared as we took each other in. We squealed in unison before hugging again. Brandon laughed as he passed us on his way into the house.

“I’ve missed you so much! Do you know how happy I was when Mom told me you were moving in with Brandon? I can’t believe you are going to be at my school too! Can this possibly get any better? Wait! Don’t jinx it! You are beautiful! What happened to you since I saw you last? I feel like a bum next to you!”

“I forgot you are the only person that can talk as fast as me. We are going to drive everyone crazy!” I giggled. “I have missed you so much! I couldn’t believe it when Brandon said he lived in the boundaries so I would be going to school with you! And please, you are gorgeous and so tan! It’s not fair, I’m lacking any pigmentation, and you look like you just got back from a month-long tropical vacation! No one should be that tan.” She threw her head back and laughed as she led me into the house, bumping our hips back and forth as we met her parents in the kitchen. Even though it had been three years since we were together in person, we fell right back into place as best friends. I had been worried that it would be awkward or that we wouldn’t get along, but it felt like no time had passed since our last summer together when we were fourteen.

The outside of the house might be similar to Brandon’s condo, but the inside was anything but. The floors were a warm, dark hardwood and the walls, furniture, and decorations were what you would imagine in a picture-perfect beach house. Tans, creams, and cool blues made it seem so inviting and cozy. Mckayla’s parents were making dinner when we walked in.

Diane was chopping ingredients for a salad when she looked up and saw us. My mother and Diane were opposites in every way possible while still being able to claim to be related. My mother had natural red hair that she kept perfectly styled, and she would have never been caught in an outfit her stylist didn’t select for her. In contrast, Diane was a natural blonde, like her daughter, but she kept her hair just past her shoulders. Her friendly green eyes were surrounded with traces of smile lines that made her seem even more open and loving. She was wearing a flattering pair of jeans rolled just above her ankles and a lightweight yellow sweater. She walked over to me barefoot, another thing that set her apart from my mother who never wore anything but stilettos.

“Aubrey! My favorite, most gorgeous niece, I am so thrilled you are here!” She hugged me and whispered, “I mean that even if you are my only niece.”

I laughed as I stepped back and said hi to her before walking around the island to their stove where Steven, her husband, was stirring something.

“Oh hey there, McSteamy.” Steven turned and smiled at the nickname I gave him several years ago, much to the disgust of Mckayla, who was sitting on the counter near her mom pretending to gag.

“I’m telling you Aubrey, I don’t see the resemblance, but I will continue to take it as a compliment as long as Mckayla gags when you say it.” There was no way he didn’t see it. He was just being modest. He had light brown hair that was barely starting to go gray near his temples and had a beard he kept trimmed. Around his brown eyes, there was more wrinkling than on his wife, but that had to be due to his morning ritual of surfing from sunrise to the last second before needing to get ready for work. Luckily, his law office was close to the house, so he was usually out there for a few hours keeping him tan and in shape.

Matt, Mckayla’s genius little brother, walked into the kitchen carrying a book and plopped down on the stool next to his sister. “Why is Mckayla being a drama queen again?”

Matt had the same hair and green eyes as his mom and sister but had little tolerance for their humor or inferior intellect. He was obviously the smartest in the family, unless it came to pop culture, and the kid had no chance at excelling at anything athletic.

“Hi, Matt.” Moving around the table, I gave him a quick hug before releasing him. “Okay, when did you get so tall? You’re just a few inches shorter than me!” Matt beamed before returning to his book to tune us out.

Diane clapped twice to get our attention. “I hope everyone is hungry! Steven and I have made our specialty for Aubrey’s ‘Welcome Home’ party. Steak and chicken shish kabobs with wild rice and a chopped salad! Brandon, I’m planning on you helping Steven and Matt keep their promise. We doubled the normal number of kabobs because I challenged them to a food eating contest, but I doubt they will make a dent without you.”

The guys eyed at each other briefly before grabbing plates and loading them to capacity with food.

Diane looked to me then Mckayla as she rolled her eyes. “All right, tonight we are the civilized ones. Let’s eat out on the patio since it’s still warm out.”

We each made our plates and met the guys outside. They were already downing the food on their plates, Steven and Brandon must have declared a race since they were barely chewing before their next bite.

This was the most barbaric and entertaining meal ever. I took in the scene and thought about the last dinner I had with my family. Mom forced us all to dress in formal wear, even though it was just the four of us, for Neil’s birthday dinner. The events of his party earlier in the week had forced my mother to call the previously invited dinner guests and cancel. I was beyond relieved that no one else would be showing up, but my mother blamed me for embarrassing her and ‘forcing her’ into making the inexcusable decision to uninvite the VIP guests from our family dinner. We sat silently through each course that was served, despite Neil’s attempt to relieve the tension. The second it was acceptable, I asked to be excused so I could pack, and Peyton followed me out of the dining room and upstairs to our separate rooms without speaking one word.

Shaking the memory, I smiled at the people in front of me who I felt I could now consider my family. We finished dinner and sat together in the living room. I sat back as they caught up on the happenings in each other’s lives. It quickly became apparent that Brandon was close to each of them. He seemed to fit in a way he never did back in Chicago.

Brandon asked Matt about his upcoming classes. It seemed like he actually knew Matt’s schedule. Steven mentioned that his law practice was continuing to grow since he added a new partner but focused more on how the surf had been lately.

I tried not to feel jealous of the relationship they all had with each other since I’ve never felt like I belonged with my family. I suddenly realized how badly I wanted to fit in with the Pages, too.

Diane scooted Mckayla over so she was sitting next to me. “We’re all so happy you’re here, Aubrey. It might take some time to get comfortable, but I want you to know that we’re all here for you.” I offered her a smile, and she wrapped an arm around my shoulder in a loose hug before continuing. “Let’s catch you up.”

She looked to Mckayla, who jumped in. “Mom’s pottery business has been getting a lot of notice from some local magazines, and next summer she’ll have her own booth in one of the art festivals down south!”

I craned my neck to face her. “That’s incredible, Diane! I noticed some pieces around your house, but I didn’t know they were yours!”

“Yeah, but I’m not the only one with big news. Has Brandon told you about his business?”

Brandon heard her and shrugged. “It’s not that big of a deal. We just have another app we recently developed that sold.”