When Iris Meets Wolf

Chapter Six

I woke up just in time for dinner and proceeded to wash my face and pack my hair into a high bun before stepping out to the dining room downstairs.
I heard the distant snickers of Kelsey and Kevin and it didn't take me a second to guess that they are tormenting Kayden again.
I made my appearance at the dining and I received warm welcomes and smiles from my younger siblings while my parents give me a stare that makes me guess that something is on their mind and I'm more likely to hear what they have to say.
"Hello K-cube, how was life without me?" I humored my younger siblings to which they all dramatically replied starting from Kevin to Kayden.
"Oh it was horrible!"
"Melancholic!"
"Depressing!"

Just then, Kayla makes her appearance in the dining as she proceeds to sit on the empty seat beside mine as it was a norm for us and I spare her a glance before greeting her.
"Evening Kayla."
Kayla gave me a weird look and hesitantly answered.
All the while, the table remained silent as the rest of my family watch the short dialogue between us.
After a second of awkward silence, mom breaks the tension by saying:
"What are you kids waiting for, dig in! You too honey" she says as she gave dad a light kiss on the cheek of which the triplets 'eww' at and dad lets out a deep chuckle and feasts on homemade spaghetti bolognese with slightly flushed cheeks.

I'm halfway done with my meal when mom sparks a conversation, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Can you believe it Damian? Our babies are hitting eighteen on Saturday," she says giddily.
Dad flashes Kayla and I a proud smile which I couldn't help but smile back.
"It's a good thing it's on Saturday, which means we get to go out!" Kelsey chimes, obviously excited that our birthday is on a weekend.
"It's not your birthday Kelsey." Kayden retorts.
"Why you!"
"It's the truth duh! You are excited about the cutting of the cakes, aren't you?" Kayden concludes.
"N-no I don't!" Kelsey stutters out.
Kevin scoffed.
Kelsey gasped.
"You're supposed to be on my side!"
"Well he wasn't lying."
Kelsey scowled and proceeded to chomp on her nearly forgotten spaghetti.
"So kids, there has been a change of plans as regarding your sisters birthdays," Dad starts, sparing me a glance which was an indication that he was nervous and what he has to say is related to me.
Most probably about my parents death anniversary.
"So uh Iris, your grandmother called your mother this afternoon and she wants to meet you." Dad says hesitantly as he gives me a slightly wary expression.
Grandma Edna?
"But grandma Edna visited us during the summer, why would she want to meet me?"
"No munchkin, you got it all wrong," mom replies. "Grandma Edna didn't call me."
"It was grandma Josephine, your biological mother's mother." Mother dropped the second bomb of today and this one was much heavier.
And the choking of air began...
Kayla is quick to give me a glass of water which I take and drink its contents greedily as Kayla soothes my predicament by rubbing my back gently.
I suppressed the urge to shrink away from her touch and mumbled a 'thanks' and give her a forced smile and she smiles back at me.
I looked at mother and father and the first thing that comes to my mind is that:
How long have they been hiding this from me?
"And just to clarify, she called me and I haven't seen her in eighteen years so it was a huge shock to me too," mom defended herself.

Grandma Josephine...
I felt a spark of genuine hope of finally meeting a relative of mine and I unconsciously smiled.
My real grandmother.
I can't wait to meet her.
*Me too!*
I know right.
"So... I take it you're excited to meet her?" Dad asks cautiously.
I suppress the giddy feeling in me and answer with a cool nod of the head.
"Yeah."
"Then meet her you shall! She will be here on Thursday as she lives quite far from here so just a heads up when she comes." Dad informs and I nod sagely despite the party horns going off in my head.
"Aww look who's happy to see her granny!" Kayla gives me a soft nudge as she flashes me a smile that would pass for kind.
I pass her a genuine smile as I was actually looking forward to seeing my grandmother and she replies with:
"I'm so happy for you, Iris."
Yeah right.
*Stop with the theatrics Kayla!*
"Thanks a ton sis." I reply instead.
We consume the rest of our food in a comfortable silence as I was in high spirits for the first time in weeks.