An Exchange

Chapter Twenty-Five - Christmas

Penny

After Giles and Ryan left, Jonas' sibling began to arrive. First was his brother Levi—the oldest—and his little family. Levi had played for BYU while he was in college, and as a result, he was solidly built across the shoulders like Jonas, and the same height as him, too. But unlike Jonas who bore a strong resemblance to his father, Levi looked more like their mother with the lighter brown hair and hazel eyes. Levi also showed signs of being very happily married and no longer working out as much as he sported a slightly over-sized belly.

Despite being ten years older than Jonas, they were the best of friends, and grabbed each other in a wrestling hold the instant he stepped into the house. Levi's wife, Millie, greeted me as she entered behind him dragging their two small children with her.

I lifted the baby car seat out of her hand so she could manage their three-year-old easier. She was four years younger than Levi, and had married him when she was eighteen. Jonas informed me the night before of their story as he filled me in on all the “important details.”

“Levi met her at his first football game after his mission when she was a freshman cheerleader,” he told me, pouring a packet of chips into his mouth while he hid in my room. “He says she was the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen, but I think she’s just old.” He swilled a can of soda. “When he told us he wanted to marry her, Ruth and Esther flipped out. They’re both older than her, you see, and she was barely eighteen. It took them forever to get over it, and I think Esther is still none too pleased about it.”

But I liked Millie right away. She had short blond hair, green eyes, and a gentle smile. She was assertive with her three-year-old son, but not harsh, and happily talked to me.

Next to arrive was the middle of the three sisters, Esther. At twenty-two, she was only a couple of months older than Millie. She was within the first year of her marriage still, to a tall, lanky man with a large hooked nose who was two years older than her. I could tell she didn't want to like me from the second she laid eyes on me.

“Esther hates pretty much everyone,” Jonas informed after explaining Levi’s story. “She thinks she so smart and so superior, but she’s not. She’s a hag.”

“That’s not very nice,” I responded with a frown.

“You’ll see.”

Esther scowled under her thick glasses, her dark eyes narrowing as she looked me over. I shuddered.

Then the oldest sister Ruth arrived. She too was dark haired and dark eyed like Jonas and Esther, but she looked frazzled as she dragged in a screaming twin on each arm and had a round pregnant belly, while her husband pulled their bags into the house. She smiled at me graciously as I plucked the little boy off her arm and carried him through the house despite his kicking and screaming.

Much later, as we sat for dinner, Naomi, the youngest sister, arrived. She looked almost identical to Jonas, and if I hadn't known she was four years older than him, I would believe them twins. She was the prettiest of the three sisters. She kept her hair long—down to her waist—and wore her make-up perfectly painted onto her face so her skin looked like it glowed.

As she entered the room and sat by the table, Jonas shifted closer to me. He tugged at my sleeve for me to lean closer so he could whisper, "Ten bucks she monopolizes the conversation about her current boyfriend."

"Be nice, Jonas," I whispered back.

"I'm being honest. She's the worst." He made a gagging noise and Naomi's glare flashed to him.

"Little Jonas, as delightful as ever," she said sarcastically.

"I'm way more awesome than you, Naomi." He pointed his fork at her, spraying food across the table.