Georgia Peach

Chapter 3

"It adds to the charm, I'm not making a new sign," He said matter-of-factly.

Craig grabbed two of their bags, one of Cady's and one of her dad's and led them out of the airport to a burgundy minivan.

"Never took you for a minivan guy, Craig," Janis' dad joked as they loaded the bags into the back.

"Of course not, Brandon. I'd never trade my corvette in my life, the van is our dear sweet mother's. She wanted to make sure we could fit everyone and all of your luggage, took my keys and everything. As if I'd let you into my baby to begin with."

Janis smiled, she could hear the smugness in her uncle's tone. As they all clambered into the van and began their trip to the house, Janis found herself relaxing and definitely beginning to forget why she was so worried about the trip at all. Cady was sitting next to her in the backseat, watching more videos from her parents with her head on Janis' shoulder and her freehand interlocked with Janis' between them. Her dad and uncle were chattering on about everything they could think of, how work as been, hobbies, if her dad had been seeing anyone (he hasn't), her dad tried asking about the Secret Fiancee but Craig dodged the question. Instead he just started singing along with whatever country song was playing on the radio and ignoring her dad's questions.

She never said he was good at dodging the questions.

Janis fell asleep for the rest of the ride, only woken up once they'd arrived at the house around noon. No one else met them outside to offer help with the bags, she was both surprised and not surprised. Maybe none of her cousins or her Aunt Leslie or Huggie were even there yet, although the idea of her aunt not being there was an eighth wonder in itself, she was always over there. Cady and Janis barely had time to set down their bags in the house before Craig was ushering them back out the front door.

"Ah, ah, ah! Janis, you know the rules!" He pointed at the top of the doorway where a piece of mistletoe was hug nicely above the threshold of the house with a neat little bow.

Fuck.

Cady was beet red and fiddling with her hands, she was likely trying to think of some kind of apology or something to get them out of the awkward situation. Only Janis knew better, no one got out of passing under the mistletoe as a couple. She lifted Cady's face by her chin and shot her an apologetic look, hopefully she understood the silent apology. It was a short and quick kiss, Cady barely had the time to reciprocate before Janis pulled away. Her heart was beating out of her chest but she couldn't risk her family finding out the truth. Cady would understand.

She made a mental note that Cady tasted like peppermint and vanilla, probably from the coffee she had on the way here.

Craig smiled and nodded, moving out of the way for the two girls to reenter the building. Immediately Janis heard the unmistakable, excited bounding of Rose running through the house towards them. Without missing a beat, Janis whipped around just in time to see the red setter jumping up on her. His fur graying so much he looked like he was wearing a white mask.

"Hey, buddy! Hey! I missed you too!" She was kneeling on the floor, holding the dog tightly, part of her had been worried he'd died between now and her last visit, "Have you been a good boy? Have you?"

She could hear her uncle, dad, and Cady laughing at her baby voice. Cady knelt down next to her, running a hand through Rose's fur. The old dog stopped jumping all over Janis in favor for sniffing the new person and licking her face. Cady giggled with glee, almost falling backwards when Rose shifted all of his weight onto her.

"Hello! How are you?" Leave it up to Cady to talk to animals like they'll respond back, "What's his name?"

"Rose. Janis named him, he's her dog after all."