The Reality of Now

Nine

I walked back to the kitchen, fighting the blush in my cheeks.

My dad was just finishing loading the dishwasher, and he smiled when he saw me. "So those were your friends?"

"Those were my friends."

He leaned against the counter. "I'm glad you have them. You seem so much happier."

I nodded, though I loved them all, I could only see Jules in my mind's eye. "I really am."

"That was an eventful evening," Dad said, laughing a little.

"Definitely," I replied, thinking back to when we all got to my house a few hours earlier.

_______

"Nice place, Saya," Dan commented, hopping out of the van.

"Yeah," Cash noted slowly, staring up at the house. "It's big."

"Thanks, it's alright." I shrugged, heading up to the porch.

I pushed the front door open and held it for all of my friends. "Saya?" My dad's voice came from upstairs. "Is that you?"

"Yeah Dad!" I called. "We're all here."

In just a few seconds he was coming down the stairs, eyes wide at my friends.

"I thought there would only be a few of you..." He muttered.

"We can make Isir eat in the van," Dan joked, nudging his best friend. Isir elbowed him, rolling his eyes.

"No, no," Dad insisted. "It's nice to have you all here."

"So," I said, stepping back, "everyone, this is my dad. Dad, this is Jules, Dan, Isir, Cash, Ruby, Sapphire, and Jack." I gestured to each of them.

Dad blinked a few times. "Which of you are the Amber kids?"

"Amberley, sir," Ruby corrected him politely. "And that's me, her, and him." She pointed out her siblings in turn.

"Ah, alright. Just don't call me sir. My name is Raiden, you're welcome to use it," Dad told them. "Now, come in why don't you? I understand you own a restaurant?"

Jules nodded eagerly as Dad led them into the kitchen. "Our parents had us start working there when we turned thirteen. It's a great place."

"Been around for a long time too," Jack put in.

"Ruby, wasn't it our great grandparents that opened it?" Sapphire asked her sister.

Ruby nodded as Dan started looking through the cupboards. "That's right. Dad and Grandpa both worked there when they were young."

"I've never been," Dad remarked, looking apologetic.

The Amberley kids shared a look, then smiled at each other. "Well," Jules prompted, "you're going tonight." He turned to our friends. "Assistants, let us cook!" He announced.

Everyone cheered, I laughed, and Dad looked mildly alarmed.

Within minutes the oven was preheated and food was covering every counter top. Jules was half humming, half muttering a song I recognized, but couldn't place.

"Honey," Jack said, walking over to Sapphire.

She looked up. "We don't need-oh. Oh you meant-"

Jack laughed and grabbed her hand. "You always forget to take this off when you're cooking," he told her, sliding off her engagement ring and slipping it in his pocket.