Syverson

Chapter 24

Five months later

Syverson

"Stop chewing your nails, Victoria." I scolded.

"I can't help it. I want a smoke so bad." Vix wined. She looked up at me with a pouty bottom lip. Vix so rarely looked nervous, but she was adorable when she was.

Covering her hand with mine, I brought it up to my lips and kissed it. "Don't be nervous, Sweet Pea. They're going to love you."

The reason Vix was so anxious was that we were standing outside my sister Caroline's house. Vix was about to meet my family for the first time. She had also quit smoking five days ago and had been moody all week. Meeting both my Mom and my sisters was making her mood swings worse. Knowing Vix and my family as I did, Vix will be fine after ten minutes.

I had wanted Vix to meet my family sooner, but the time had gotten away from me since working again. I felt a little shitty that it took me three months to organise it. Well, I didn't organise anything. Caroline had gotten pissed off that I had been stateside for so long and hadn't visited, so she insisted we come for the weekend. Once I had agreed, she got Mom and Brooke to come along too.

Despite all the moving around we had done as kids, Caroline and Brooke had ended up living in the same city. Mom had followed them as soon as the babies had arrived, and as far as I know, she had stopped chasing men and settled into life as a grandmother. Caroline had offered for us to stay with them, but I wasn't going to sleep with Vix on an air mattress in the middle of my sister's lounge room. I opted to get an Airbnb instead.

Vix didn't want to show up to Carolines empty-handed and had thought for days about what to bring. I came home from work late last night to Vix wearing an apron and making lamingtons. She looked real cute baking, and she had to threaten me with a wooden spoon to get me to leave her alone to finish. The minute she was done, I had hoisted her over my shoulder and carried her to the bedroom.

"What are you smiling at, Noah?" Vix asked in a voice that suggested she knew exactly what I was thinking about.

Before I could answer, the door swung open, and a very heavily pregnant Caroline answered the door. She squealed and pulled me in for a hug. I had to chuckle because her little arms could barely reach me past her huge belly.

"My God, Noah, I missed you!" Caroline said.

I kissed her on the cheek. "It's good to see you too, Caroline," I said. I put my arm around Vix and introduced her. "Caroline, this is my Vix. Vix, my baby sister Caroline."

"Oh my gosh, look at you! You're as pretty as a peach." Caroline put her arms out, and smiling, Vix hugged her.

"How you going? Thanks and Congratulations." Vix said. Then she thrust the box of lamingtons into Caroline's hands. "Here, I made some dessert."

"And that accent!" Caroline gushed. "Well, come on in and meet everyone. Everyone is excited to meet you." Putting her arm around Vix's shoulders, Caroline led her into the house. Caroline turned around and gave me a sneaky thumbs up. Laughing, I followed them into the house.

When we stepped out into the back yard, Vix and I were met with squeals from Brooke, hugs from Mom and handshakes from my brothers-in-law.

I realised just how long it had been since I had seen my family when Caroline introduced her youngest, Della, to Vix. She was three years old, and I still pictured her as a baby. The last time I saw her, she was crawling around in diapers, and now she was proudly telling Vix she goes to potty all by herself and always washes her hands.

I sometimes felt bad that I wasn't in my family's lives more. I hardly knew my sisters as adults. When I enlisted and left for training, Caroline still had braces. I know that part of the reason I didn't stay in close contact was to protect myself from missing home. Now, I was used to it. I still loved my Mom and sisters and always would despite the distances. I do regret not having a strong bond with my nieces and nephews. I would have liked to have played with them or at least hugged them, but most of them were scared of me. I didn't blame them. I know what I look like, and I'd have been scared of me too.