Captive{ated}

Five: Family Dinner

We were greeted at the door by a younger girl, and though she didn't say a word yet, I knew who she was immediately by the similarities. Your younger sister. "Becca!" You pulled her into a hug. She was a small girl, shorter than me and very bony, but that told me she wasn't done growing yet. She was only 14, after all. You both had the same dirty blonde hair and the same hazel eyes. She was paler than you and had some freckles dotting her face, but she was undeniably your sister.

"It's so good to have you home, Caleb," she said warmly into your hug. I stood off to the side, not wanting to disturb your reunion. While my younger brother would never greet me so happily, I wouldn't want anyone to interrupt us while we teased each other about not missing the other.

"It's good to be home," you answered. It was then that you broke the hug and gestured to me. I felt my heart wanting to break out of my chest when her attention turned to me. She was very pretty with her wide eyes and straight hair held from her face by a ribbon. She was dressed in a floral pink dress and a knitted white cardigan. Her outfit looked slightly dated, but maybe the style was just slightly different up north. You eagerly said, "I'd like you to meet Evelyn."

I did a tiny wave. "It's nice to meet you, Becca."

She looked at me strangely then. I saw a glint of something flash across her features, but I didn't have enough time to decipher it. Was it wariness? Curiosity? Before I could think deeper into it, she smiled at me. "You helped him choose my birthday present, didn't you?" She asked. "I read it all in a day!"

"Yes, it was one of my favorites, too," I laughed. You guided me inside with your hand on the small of my back and shut the door behind me. "He needed some convincing that you would like it."

I looked around the entrance of the house. Faded wallpaper from years of wear covered the walls and the floor was some sort of dark wood covered by an off white, circular rug. An open staircase sat against the wall, and there were three other halls. There was a bit of a musty, rustic scent, but it wasn't unpleasant. Your sister caught my wandering eyes by saying, "Well I'm glad you were there for him. He has a horrible taste in books."

"Tell me about it," I agreed.

You looked between the two of us with confusion and intrigue. "I'm being attacked right now by my girlfriend and my sister!"

"What did you think would happen?" I asked as Becca and I both giggled at you.

You paused, a look of defeat blanketing your face. "Thinking about it, I guess I really shouldn't be that surprised."

"Don't you get too upset," I gave you a quick kiss on the cheek. You smiled while I turned a shade of pink, becoming shy when I remembered your sister was there. I was never one to be affectionate in front of others, but with you, it was natural to overcome.

Becca didn't seem to mind my little show of affection for you. In fact, she seemed happy about it. Normally younger siblings would make a gagging face, but she was much more mature. "Mother, Father, and Noah are already waiting in the dining room. Dinner is just about done."

"It smells delicious," I commented. The air was rich with a scent I didn't recognize, but my mouth was watering.

You placed your hand on the small of my back, guiding me through the left hallway. It was narrow and the wallpaper was a bit faded. "I hope you like lamb," you said.

"I've never had it before." I was used to having meats like chicken, hamburger, and pork.

"Mother makes the best lamb in the entire village!" Becca proclaimed proudly.

The hallway opened into a much bigger room. "She does, doesn't she?" A deeper voice said. My eyes shifted towards its source, and that's when I saw him. Your father was a proud man. Unlike you and your siblings, he had hair the color of mud and a well trimmed beard. There were spots of grey, but it made him appear very wise, humble, and approachable. He was a tall man, and even with being older, I could tell he was quite strong just by the width of his shoulders and neck. His eyes were a light shade of hazel similar to your own, and when he smiled at me for the first time, he had the same dimples as you. He was respectably dressed in a suit with a green dress shirt and a darker green tie.