Chapter 61: Family Ties and First Impressions, Part Two

Saturday, October 1st, 2005:

Dorothy’s kitchen was a symphony of aromas—roasted meat, caramelized garlic, and the unmistakable sweetness of freshly baked goods. She moved with practiced efficiency between the stovetop and oven, the controlled chaos of dinner preparation unfolding seamlessly. At the counter, Josh methodically arranged golden-brown rolls on a tray, stealing a glance toward the living room where Jareld and Larry were sprawled, absorbed in a classic western.

Larry, beer in hand, let out a chuckle. “Now, this here’s a flick. Ain’t none of that fancy stuff they pump out these days.”

Jareld, eyes fixed on the screen, nodded in agreement. “Ain’t nobody makin’ ‘em like they used to.”

Josh smirked at their banter. Seated nearby, Katie observed quietly, her expression composed but attentive. Though she seemed at ease, Josh could sense the underlying tension—meeting family for the first time was never simple. Meeting them for the second time is unexplainable.

A firm knock at the door disrupted the flow of conversation. Josh wiped his hands on a towel and strode to the entryway. Opening the door, he found Joel and Beth standing on the porch. Joel’s stance was casual, but his sharp gaze swept the interior, scanning for the subject of his curiosity.

“Well, look who decided to show up,” Josh said, stepping aside.

Joel clapped him on the shoulder in passing before his attention shifted to Katie. His expression darkened slightly, brows furrowing as he turned back to Josh. “Wait ... this is the girl Mom was talking about?”

Josh nodded, maintaining his neutral tone. “Yep. This is Katie.”

Beth stepped forward, offering Katie a measured smile, her eyes flickering with curiosity as she tilted her head slightly, as if trying to gauge Katie’s personality, before extending her hand. “Nice to meet you. We didn’t get much detail—just that Josh was bringing someone important.”

Katie shook her hand firmly. “Hopefully, I live up to expectations.”

Joel crossed his arms, his gaze scrutinizing. “So, how long has this been a thing?”

Josh sighed, bracing for the inevitable interrogation. He had expected Joel’s skepticism, but there was a part of him that found it slightly amusing—like a script he had rehearsed in his head, knowing exactly how this conversation would unfold. “Long enough.”

Beth shot Joel a pointed look before turning back to Katie. “Ignore him. He thinks he’s Homeland Security.”

Katie’s lips twitched into a smirk. “I get it. Older brother protocol.”

Joel tilted his head slightly, assessing her response. “And you’re serious about this?”

Katie met his gaze, unwavering. “Completely.”

After a beat of silence, a slow smirk tugged at the corner of Joel’s mouth. He extended his hand at last. “Alright, welcome to the madhouse. Hope you’ve got thick skin.”

Katie clasped his hand with equal firmness. “Good thing I can hold my own.”

Joel’s brow lifted, intrigued. Katie caught the shift in his expression and wondered if he was genuinely impressed or just sizing her up. Either way, she refused to let any uncertainty show. “We’ll see about that.”

Beth nudged him. “Would you quit it? She’s clearly not intimidated.”

Joel chuckled, stepping back as he gestured toward the couch. “Fair enough. Might as well get comfortable.”

Katie accepted the invitation, settling in while Beth joined her. The conversation shifted, the initial tension diffusing into something more natural.

From the kitchen, Dorothy’s voice carried through the house, firm yet affectionate. “Josh, be a dear and come help with these dishes!”

Josh glanced at Katie. “You want to join me?”

She shook her head, smiling. “Go on. I’ll stay and chat.”

He hesitated briefly, taking in her composed demeanor. The way she engaged so naturally with Joel and Beth reassured him. With a satisfied nod, he turned and headed toward the kitchen, passing Larry and Jareld, who remained absorbed in the old western playing on the television.

The kitchen was warm and familiar, filled with the rich scent of slow-roasted meat and buttered rolls. Dorothy worked methodically at the stove, stirring a pot with practiced efficiency. She barely glanced up as Josh entered.

“How’s she doing out there?” she asked, her tone carrying just a hint of amusement.

Josh set the tray she handed him onto the counter. “She’s holding her own.”

Dorothy chuckled, wiping her hands on a towel. “I figured she would.”

As Josh continued setting the tableware, Dorothy glanced over. “Oh, and grab an extra set. William’s bringing someone.”

Josh frowned, momentarily thrown. “William’s bringing someone? I thought today was about introducing everyone to Katie.”

Dorothy smirked. “Seems he had a similar idea.”

Josh exhaled as he grabbed the additional set. He wondered which of William’s many girlfriends it would be. In their first life, his younger brother had cycled through quite a few by this time, though Josh had never paid much attention. Before he could dwell on it further, another knock echoed from the front door.

He moved to answer it. Standing on the porch was William, his usual self-assured grin firmly in place, with a young woman beside him. Josh recognized her immediately—Amanda. In his first life, she had been William’s most significant relationship, though they had never married.

“Josh,” William greeted, stepping inside. “This is Amanda.”

Josh nodded politely. “Nice to meet you. Come on in.”

Hearing voices, Katie walked over, curiosity flashing in her expression. Josh quickly made introductions. “Katie, this is my brother William and Amanda. William, Amanda—this is Katie.”

From his spot on the couch, Joel smirked, never missing an opportunity to needle his younger sibling. “Well, well. Looks like William’s officially off the market. Amanda, congratulations on accomplishing the impossible.”

Amanda laughed, her confidence evident. “It wasn’t that difficult. He’s not nearly as smooth as he thinks he is.”

Beth grinned. “Oh, I like her already.”

The three women drifted toward the couch, their conversation quickly turning lively. Amanda and Katie exchanged easy smiles, and within minutes, the three of them were immersed in animated discussion, laughing over shared anecdotes about high school drama. Meanwhile, Josh, Joel, and William remained standing, watching them for a moment before Joel chuckled.

“You realize what this means, right?” Joel crossed his arms, amusement playing in his expression. “The three of us are officially off the market.”

William scoffed, leaning against the counter. “Speak for yourself. I’m still negotiating my contract.”

Josh rolled his eyes. “Uh-huh. Sure you are.”

Joel shot him a sideways glance, his smirk widening. “Honestly, we had bets on you, Josh. Thought maybe you were secretly into guys.”

Josh arched a brow. “Oh yeah? Well, joke’s on you. I was betting on you two ending up alone. Looks like I lost that one.”

William laughed. “Don’t worry, man. I’m sure you’ll win it back somehow.”

Josh shook his head, smirking. “Oh, I’ve got more surprises for you guys. But we’ll save that for dinner.”

Joel leaned in, intrigued. “Now I’m really curious.”

Before Josh could respond, Dorothy’s voice rang out again. “Alright, everyone, food’s on the table! Come eat before it gets cold!”

The brothers exchanged glances before heading toward the kitchen, where Dorothy had arranged the meal in a cafeteria-style line. With so many people gathered, there wasn’t enough space on the table to set out all the food and still have room to sit comfortably. The women continued their lively conversation as they moved to serve themselves, the atmosphere growing even warmer. Josh grabbed a plate and took his place in line, glancing over at Katie, who was already deep in discussion with Beth and Amanda. A sense of contentment settled over him—this was his family, loud, teasing, and unfiltered. And tonight, Katie was truly becoming a part of it.

Everyone waited as Dorothy grabbed her plate first, followed by Amanda, Beth, and Katie. Once the women were served, it was the men’s turn. Josh went first, carefully selecting his portions while mentally calculating the calories in each dish. William followed, then Joel, Larry, and Jareld, each piling their plates with enthusiasm.

Once everyone was settled and enjoying their meal, small talk filled the room, mostly comments about how good the food was. Then Josh set his silverware down and cleared his throat. “Alright, everyone, if I could have your attention.”

The conversation died down as eyes turned toward him. Josh gestured toward Katie, who stood up beside him and extended her hand, revealing the ring on her finger. Up until now, no one had noticed it—Katie had discreetly tucked it away in her pocket so they could surprise Josh’s brothers and Beth. Amanda, of course, hadn’t been expected, but her reaction would be just as telling.

Beth, Joel, and William all stared at the ring, then at Katie’s face, then at Josh, then back at the ring. Joel was the first to break the silence. Looking Katie square in the eye, he quipped, “Are you sure? With him? I mean, he’s my brother and I love him, but you can do better.”

Laughter erupted around the table. Joel had always been the one to dish out relentless teasing.

As the laughter died down, Katie smirked and met Joel’s gaze. “Even if I had two lifetimes, I couldn’t find anyone better.”

Josh caught the double meaning instantly, his lips twitching into a knowing smile as he winked at her.

Beth leaned forward, curiosity evident. “So, when’s the big day?”

Josh glanced at Katie before responding. “That’s still up in the air. We have to wait until Katie turns sixteen first.”

The room fell silent.

William frowned, his fork pausing mid-air. “Did you say turns sixteen?”

Josh nodded. “Yeah. Katie’s fifteen right now.”

Katie simply nodded, confirming it.

William turned to their mother, his expression incredulous. “And you knew about this?”

Dorothy gave a calm nod. “Yes, I do.”

Joel’s eyes narrowed as he looked back at Josh. “I knew she looked young, but I didn’t realize you were hitting up the high schools. I don’t know about this ... it doesn’t sit right.”

William nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I gotta admit, this is weird.”

Beth looked between Josh and Katie, her expression shifting from curiosity to concern. “Josh, you do know this could land you in jail, right? She’s underage.”

Josh glanced around the table. Apart from his mother, every single person looked uncomfortable—some even upset. Before he could speak, Dorothy intervened.

“I’ve already talked with Katie’s parents, and they support this relationship one hundred percent,” she said firmly. “It took some convincing on Josh and Katie’s part, but they understand how serious Josh and Katie are about this.”

Joel, William, and Beth exchanged uneasy glances. Joel scoffed, shaking his head. “Josh, man, I don’t know what’s going through your head, but this isn’t normal. You’re nineteen. She’s a kid.”

“That’s not—” Josh started, but William cut him off.

“No, seriously. This is insane. You’re dating someone who can’t even drive yet. How does that not seem wrong to you?”

Josh clenched his jaw, struggling to get a word in as his brothers continued talking over him. Joel barely finished a sentence before William jumped in with another point. Beth, though less aggressive, was clearly in agreement, her concern written all over her face.

“You know how this looks, right?” Joel pressed, his voice edged with disbelief. “I mean, Jesus, Josh. You’re talking about marrying a girl who still has curfews.”

“And what happens when the cops get involved?” William added, his tone hard. “Because they will. Doesn’t matter if her parents are fine with it. The law isn’t.”

Josh’s fingers curled into fists against his thighs. He tried again to speak, but Joel steamrolled over him.

“I just don’t get it, man,” Joel continued, exasperated. “You could date anyone—someone your own age, someone who isn’t still in high school—”

“She’s not just someone!” Josh snapped, his voice rising in frustration. “She’s—”

“A kid!” William interrupted, slamming his hand on the table. “And you sound fucking insane right now!”

Josh’s heart pounded in his chest. The noise, the judgment, the refusal to let him explain—it all crashed over him like a tidal wave. His patience, already stretched thin, finally snapped.

He shot up from his chair, slamming his palms onto the table with a force that rattled the silverware.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP FOR A MINUTE AND LET ME SPEAK!!”

The room went deathly silent.

Josh’s breath was heavy, his hands trembling slightly. Every eye in the room was locked on him, some wide with shock, others wary. He had never raised his voice like this before. The weight of his outburst settled over the table like a thick fog, thick enough that for a moment, nobody dared to break it.