A Different Slice

32.1 - Meet the Family (Kieran)

Kieran stood at the front door of a two-storey house with a brown brick façade and an attached garage. Three rectangular windows at the top of the wooden door offered a view of a grey wall, but after Naomi rang the doorbell, footsteps and barks sprung to life. The jingling of a pet collar arrived first, accompanied by a howl, which turned her lips into that cute smile Kieran loved. Would her parents answer the door or her nephews?

He was armed with a dozen mix-and-match craft beers he enjoyed or Naomi had chosen because of their labels featuring animals, airplanes, or hockey players. She held a box of specialty cinnamon buns with customized toppings for each family member, showing she knew them well.

A woman who appeared to be in her late twenties approached the window with a grin. As she opened the door, Kieran noted her oval face and dark brown hair were similar to Naomi's. A cocker spaniel darted to them, with its long ears swaying and covered in wavy hair. They stepped inside.

"You came!" the woman turned to him, still grinning. "You must be Kieran. I'm Jodie, Naomi's big sister."

"Nice to meet you, and thanks for the invitation."

"Of course. How could I not with how sweet you sound?"

She turned to her sister, who was scratching the dog's beautiful coat of golden fur while juggling the box with the other.

"Ooh, cinnamon buns. You know this is why my kids love you more than me." Jodie grinned.

Naomi chuckled. "Trust me, with extended time together, that sentiment would change. I got vanilla Oreo for Jason and sprinkles for Leo. Hope that's alright."

"I will eat it if it's not. I adore those things." She held the door open wider. "Come inside, enjoy some air conditioning. You both look flushed unless something else caused that." That playful grin remained on her lips, convincing Kieran tonight might be fun.

Naomi tucked her hands in her pockets. "No, we spent the day outside at Fort Whyte. It's sunburn."

"I'm just bugging you. It's been a while since I've had an opportunity." Jodie nudged her sister's shoulder. "Mom's outside with the boys, and Peter and Dad are watching the game."

Kieran didn't follow sports other than hockey closely enough to know which one she was referring to. Naomi and Kieran kicked off their shoes, and she showed him where to tuck them away in the hall closet as her parents' dog, Baxter, still liked to play with them.

"You couldn't train it out of him?" Kieran teased.

"It's an instinct for some, especially if there's leather in the shoes."

He squeezed her hand. "I'm teasing."

She sighed. "Between you and my family, it'll be a fun night."

Had he made a mistake in inviting himself to this barbecue? Her first response had been to decline, and perhaps he should have listened. "Are you okay doing this? I can invent a family emergency. Jake won't mind."

"I am. It just feels weird."

"How so?"

Naomi shrugged. "I've never moved on this fast, and I don't know what they'll say or how they'll treat you."

He wrapped her slender frame in his arms and stroked her hair. "Nothing they say matters to me. Only you."

She nodded and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Are we moving too quickly for you?" he asked.

"No, it's all amazing. I thought it'd take longer to open up to someone again."