The Stars That Night [boyxboy]

The Stars That Night {19}

                "Michigan! Come here!" mom said impatiently.

                Michigan let out a small growl and bit down harder on the large chunk of cantaloupe he'd stolen off the table. Mom let out a sigh and went over, yanking it out of his mouth. He let out another little growl, but had been well trained to never bite a person.

                "Will you please put Michigan upstairs and gate him there? We'll let him outside once everyone eats. I don't want him getting his teeth on someone's meal," mom said to me.

                "Sure. Come on, Mich," I said, grabbing his collar. He reluctantly padded upstairs, whining as I set the gate up. I pet his head. "Hey, at least you get the whole upstairs instead of being caged."

                I went downstairs and outside, where a small gathering of people were already mingling about. It was some of my family and some of my parents' friends, but I knew everyone else would be showing up soon.

                "Garrett!"

                I turned as Akira waved from the side of the house. He came over, his parents following him. I found, realizing Kaito wasn't with them.

                "Where's Kaito?" I asked. Silas wouldn't be pleased if Kaito wasn't here.

                "He's with my brother and niece at our office for the day. He wanted to sit in on a presentation my brother was giving, so he isn't going to make it today," Mr. Riku said.

                "Garrett, where's your father? I want to see how his garden is doing," Mrs. Riku said.

                "He's right over there!" I said, pointing him out. Mr. and Mrs. Riku left me to go greet my dad.

                "Jack's not here yet?" Akira asked.

                "Not yet, but he'll be here any minute," I said, checking the time on my phone. "Everyone should be arriving in the next half hour or so, actually. If Kaito isn't going to be here, Silas will be hanging around us, I guess. Hopefully Jack can manage to behave for one day."

                "You already know that's a lost cause," Akira said. "I'm thirsty. What do you guys have to drink?"

                I led Akira to one of the many various coolers we had set up outside. I could see my dad proudly showing off his garden to Mrs. Riku, and shook my head with a smile.

                I looked around and noticed Silas and Ray coming around the side of the house together. Ray had a pack of beer tucked under his arm, and Silas was scanning the crowd, his shoulders tense.

                "Hey!" I said, grabbing Akira and pulled him over to the two. "Glad you guys could make it." I looked around and motioned at my mom to come over. As she approached, I nodded at Ray and Silas. "Mom, that's Silas, the one whose house I slept over."

                "Ray Edmon, I'm his Uncle," Ray said, finally solving that mystery as he shook my mom's hand. "I didn't want to come empty handed, so I figured beer is always a safe bet." 

                "Oh, you didn't have to bring anything! Thank you, Mr. Edmon," mom said, taking it from him and setting it next to one of the coolers.

                "You can just call me Ray. Thanks for having us," Ray said.

                "I'm Ellie Grimaldi, Garrett's mother. Thank you for letting him stay over the other night. I hope he behaved himself," mom said.