"Hello?" Pt. 2

Family Affair

"Do you think they'll like the wine I picked?" Daniel asked, not for the first time. His hands tightened around the steering wheel as he followed my hand gesture and indicated to turn. Rolling his shoulders, Daniel peered out the window and squinted to make out the surrounds. It was already dark, but I knew this road like the back of my hand. "Where are we now?"

"Almost there," I promise. "Another three hundred yards and then it's the entrance on the right-hand side."

Even thought Daniel had briefly been to my parents' house before, his recollection of the directions was shoddy. That said, he was soon driving up the long driveway that would finally bring us to the end of this death-defying journey. 

"Thank God," I mutter to myself as I unbuckle the seatbelt and practically throw myself out of the car. Not caring enough to wait for Daniel, I jog the distance to the front door and push it open. "We're here! Alive, too, might I add!"

"Ha bloody ha," Daniel's gruff voice spoke from behind me. I levelled a look on him that told him not to argue with me on this point and then pointed to the coat cupboard where he could hang up his jacket. Taking mine off, I handed it to Daniel and then kicked off my shoes. Daniel frowned. "Why are you taking your shoes off?"

"Because I'm making myself at home," I answer, shaking my head slightly in amusement. "You can take yours off, too."

It took a few minutes of deliberation but eventually, Daniel positioned his shoes next to mine before venturing barefooted further into the house. As we made our way to the kitchen, following the smell of the food, I pointed out a few rooms and waited for Daniel to catch up as he stopped to look at the various photos on the wall. One he found particularly amusing was a family photo where Charlotte, Emme and I were all dressed identically. Poor Lucas was also similarly dressed, making him look more like a girl than a boy. 

"When I next see your brother, I am so mentioning this photo to him," Daniel promises. 

I laugh, but say nothing, instead taking the lead as we finally enter the kitchen area. The smell in here was amazing, making my mouth water as I familiarised myself with the different aromas of each spice and herb that made up my mother's secret recipe. Mum, like her brothers, is an amazing chef. Just don't ask her for recipes because her style of cooking is to throw everything into a pot, put it in the over for a few hours, and hope that it tastes delicious. So far, she's never failed to produce anything less than delectable. 

"Hi," I greet my parents, both of whom are stood around, putting the final touches to the table decorations. The plates had been set, and from the looks of it, we were about to devour a four-course meal. There was a large plate, topped with a smaller plate, and a bowl to finish the stack. A soup spoon was placed on the table, along with cutlery for a starter dish and a main, and then a dessert spoon and fork was placed perpendicular to the other utensils. Water glasses and wine glasses adorned the table, as well as a candle as a centrepiece. I frowned as I counted the number of settings. "Why is there six place settings?"

My answer didn't come from either of my parents, but instead from the noise of Charlotte arguing with someone that sounded very much like my brother. The pair burst into the kitchen via the boot room, each looking a little dishevelled as they shouted over one another. 

Charlotte was furious about something, her hands gesticulating wildly as they yelled at each other in French. I kept up with most of the shouting, but it was hard when the two of them seemed to be battling for the Loudest Voice Award. My eyes, however, were fixed on Lucas and the way that words tumbled from his lips fluidly. Ever since his transplant, Lucas has been gaining confidence is utilising his voice, no longer needing an oxygen tank to sustain him when he spoke.