Looking For Space // Josh Kiszka

XIX

I just had to get through my family's Christmas party and then I could celebrate Christmas with Josh, Jake, Sam and Danny, plus Danny's birthday. I was more nervous than I was ever going to admit to Josh, not because I was worried about what lasting impressions he might make, but simply because I'd put off him being indoctrinated into my family for so long. I had to give him props for being so patient with me--I'd staved him away from my family for almost all of the 8 or so months while he'd almost immediately thrown me into his tribe.

Josh knew my sister and that was about it. I'd had him officially meet my parents once and he'd encountered them a few times beyond that, but whenever it happened I was always rushing the moment. It was easier to not get family involved. I didn't care about their opinions, frankly, but with the party in motion I knew that I would have actually benefited from easing us both into the family dynamic more gradually.

My aunt's house was strung with white Christmas lights and a large wreath with poinsettias and red ribbon hung on the door. Cars overwhelmed the driveway and the street outside, especially with the added volume of the snow, so we parked down in the cul-de-sac, and my cheeks were flushed with cold by the time we made it to that door.

Josh turned to me and rubbed my shoulder. "You ready, darling?"

"Are you ready?" I asked with a slightly nervous laugh.

"I'm ready for some of those snickerdoodles," he replied with a grin.

"They're good," I assured him. "I'm sure they'll pair nicely with all the wine I'm about to drink."

"Keep your wits about you, darling," Josh told me. "And I'll keep mine."

"Deal."

When I opened the door and we stepped inside, the smell of roasting meat, cinnamon and fake pine assaulted me, as did the cacophony of voices and laughter from all the rooms. I hung my jacket and Josh hung his, carefully hanging onto the bottle of wine we'd brought as I juggled the small cheese tray I'd brought. I was sure it would be entirely glossed over, but I knew we both needed to make some sort of good impression.

"Thank god you're here," Kirsti said as she rushed up to us in the foyer. "Ben's already done two shots of vodka."

"One of our cousins," I said to Josh. "He's a mess. But a fun mess, right Kirsti?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to engage in his antics tonight."

"Who's doing shots with him?" Josh asked.

"He's doing them alone," Kirsti said. "And really insistent on changing the music, which I'm cool with."

I caught the glimmer of mischief on Josh's face. "We're keeping our wits about us, Josh."

"Ah, right," he affirmed tilting his head back.

"Where are mom and dad?" I asked.

"Last I saw, in the dining room," Kirsti told me. "And last I heard, mom had complained that you guys were late."

"We had to get ready," I said, holding my arms out, which Josh mimicked, putting both of our outfits on display. I was in black and red; Josh was in silver and red.

She laughed a little. "You guys look good. I feel overdressed, actually. It seems like our family's given up."

"You look great," Josh told her and gestured at her torso. "You have all that glitter, it looks like tinsel."

"We're all sort of matching, actually," I noted.

"We look like playing cards," Kirsti said.

Josh and I both looked at each other, grinning, and I hit him on the arm. "Off with their heads!" I exclaimed, and he laughed.