Before the Morning [BEING EDITED]

04 | Rock, Paper, Scissors

Nolan's lips twitched again.

Nora sent a smile his way as they slowed to a stop near the gate, by a few other waiting families. "Thank you for coming," she said. "I know it's probably a little awkward, especially since you don't know her."

He shrugged. "It's fine."

She smiled, then gasped. "It's time!"

He turned. People were pouring out of the gate, into the waiting area? Despite not having any idea what Willow looked like—except for that, odds were, she was Filipina like the rest of her family—Nolan searched along with everyone else, as though he would actually find a familiar face.

Nora squealed and catapulted forward. "Willow!" she shrieked.

A short girl in the crowd perked. "Nora!"

They collided. Nolan's eyebrows shot upward as they nearly tumbled to the floor. The crowd put as much distance between themselves and the excited shrieks as possible, discreetly staring, smiling, or frowning as they passed by. Huh. Maybe he should shriek more often.

"They do this every time," Andy told him.

"One time, they fell over," Max added.

"Yeah, and you dog-piled them," Erin said.

"Hey, when the opportunity arises for a dog-pile, you dog-pile."

Nora and Willow raced over to them. "Hey!" Willow said, grinning from ear to ear. She tightened her straight, brunette ponytail, shifted her side bangs out of her face, and held out her arms. "Who's first?"

Rosamie was first. "I missed you so much!" she cried, hugging Willow tight. Willow squeezed her just as tightly.

Mr. Sison was next, then Faith, then Daniel. Daniel's hug was polite, but definitely not the suffocatingly affectionate embrace the rest of her family had delved out. Willow grinned and ruffled his hair. "Missed you, dude."

He grimaced. "I missed you a little less now," he grumbled. She laughed, and he smiled.

She noticed Caleb and Sam. "Hey, guys!" They ran into her arms, and she hugged them both. "Couldn't wait to see me at the barbecue, huh?"

"Told you," Mr. Sison said. "Straight to her head."

"You talking smack about me, Dad?"

"Of course not. You're the apple of my eye. I could never."

"Then what am I?" Rosamie asked. Everyone but Nolan laughed.

Willow let go of Caleb and Sam. As she straightened, her eyes landed on Nolan. "Hi," she said with a polite smile. "I'm Willow."

She held out her hand. He shook it. "Nolan," he said.

"Nice to meet you."

"Nolan's my brother," Caleb said, as though his presence needed explanation. Which, to be fair, it kind of did.

"Oh," Willow said. "That's cool."

"Not really," Sam said.

Nolan's expression flattened.

"Sammy, Sammy, Sammy," Mr. Sison said. "Let's be nice."

She giggled.

"On that note, who's ready to grab Willow's bags and then go eat some food?"

Willow sagged. "Yes. Another hour, and I'll legitimately eat you all. It'll be disgusting, and I'll puke, but I'll do it."

"You wouldn't eat me, right?" Nora asked.