Extra Ordinary

12.

There were four vehicles currently parked on Asa's aunt and uncle's driveway. The old Ford, a motorcycle, a pink bike... and a typical married couple's minivan. 

Asa's aunt and uncle were home. 

He must've forgotten to tell me when he asked me to come to his place, or purposely didn't tell me because I would've ran for the hills instead. Imagine facing an actual adult with part of Asa's genes set. Terrifying.

The door opened before I could ring the bell. A woman who didn't look like Asa stared down at me. 

She had a friendly face; round and with a wider chin than Asa's, which was more narrow and sharp. On the bridge of her nose rested a set of square glasses, and together with the bun in her hair she somehow reminded me of a school teacher. The good kind. 

If only she didn't regard me with clear suspicion, which made me nervously smile. 

"Hello ma'am," I said, sticking out my hand for a handshake. "I'm Gabriel Hill. I'm here for, uh, Asa." 

"I know," the woman replied. She shook my hand for like a millisecond. "I'm Mrs. Jennings. Come in."

I had half expected her to not invited me inside. She didn't seem to want me here, and Asa's uncle, Mr. Jennings, was even worse.

"Gabriel's here," Mrs. Jennings announced when we walked into the living room. 

"Good," Mr. Jennings said. He slowly looked up at me with a blank expression. 

Unlike Mrs. Jennings, he did look like Asa. Well, like an older version of him with greying hair, a bit more chub, and a fuller face like people tended to get as they aged. He still had the sharp eyes, though. And the sharp tongue. 

  "I was starting to wonder if you were going stand in our driveway all afternoon." 

"Yeah, well, no, I uh," I sputtered, cheeks heating up. 

Mr. Jennings stood. "Want some tea, Gabriel?" 

Sure, if you don't poison it. I coughed. "Yeah, thanks." 

Mr. Jennings disappeared into the kitchen, and right after there was thundering noise on the stairs. Cindy came running into the living room, sliding to a halt on her socks in front of me. 

At least someone was happy to see me. Cindy grinned broadly. 

"Gabe!" she called out. Apparently, I'd been upgraded to nickname level of familiarity now. "Oh my God, I so, so want to come with you and Asa tonight. Kick all of their asses! Make videos!" 

Cindy turned to her mom before I could reply. "Please, Mom? Can I please go? I promise I'll put the dishes in the dishwasher for a month!"

"That's already your chore to begin with," Mrs. Jennings replied with a stern look over her the rim of her glasses. "We already discussed this. You're too young and it's far past your bedtime." 

Cindy pouted, and Mrs. Jennings turned to me. 

"Well, go on. Sit down," she said, gesturing at a chair. 

Of course, I did as told, gingerly lowering myself on the edge of the chair. I didn't want to sit, though. I wanted Asa to hurry up and come downstairs already. What the hell was he doing anyway? Where was he? 

"Uhm, where is Asa?" I asked Cindy. 

"Oh, he's still in the bathroom." Cindy shrugged, seemingly oblivious about how awkward this situation was, especially when Mr. Jennnings came back with the tea and sat next to his wife.