The Good Hair Family Sitcom

S4 E6.1: Oh, Great Groundhog Day

Wyatt's POV

Hiral stuffs the last tulip into the hand-painted vase in the centre of the table on my back deck. Napkins sit tied with ribbon beside glass plates that she brought from her place. She's got a leaf green bow in her hair today, probably to honour the spring, even though it's not actually here yet. It sort of goes with her dark green wool coat and yellow dress underneath. Then again, I don't know how clothes work together. That's my sister's thing.

"And we are now ready for the guests to arrive," Hiral announces.

"Flowers?" I respond. "But we're outside. Don't we have enough?"

She tilts her head and puts her hands on her hips. "It's February. look around. Do you see any flowers?"

I give the garden a glance. "Huh, I guess not."

The gate creaks as Uncle Marty, Auntie Buffy, and all the kids, minus the one who's already here, come through it. Hiral practically jumps off the deck to go greet them.

"Guests already!" she squeaks.

Hiral drops into a curtsey in front of my family, and they watch her, surprised by her poise.

"Welcome," she says.

"This is Uncle Marty, Auntie Buffy, Brayden, and Cara," I tell my friend.

"I'm so happy to have you here," Hiral says. "I hope you'll enjoy the festivities."

"Yes, I bet we will," Auntie Buffy replies. "We've never been to a Groundhog Day ceremony before."

"Well, that's because it's a family tradition," Hiral explains, "for only my family."

"Why aren't you with your family then?" Uncle Marty asks.

"Oh, my parents are out of town for work, and my older sisters think they're too old for this, but to set an age on excitement is such a sad thing to do."

My aunt smiles at that, amused by my friend. "Well, thank you for including us in this."

"Thank you."

As Uncle Marty steps out from behind Auntie Buffy, Declan becomes visible, and Hiral instantly gasps.

"You have a baby!" she squeals. "He's so cute!"

"This is Declan," Uncle Marty says, bringing my baby cousin closer to Hiral for her to see.

"Hello, Declan," Hiral says.

"Hi," he replies shyly.

That makes Hiral squeal even louder, and after a second of fawning, she recollects herself and back up.

"Okay, back to business," she says. "Um, you can set up your lawn chairs over here." She points to the open grass of my yard.

My family members go do as instructed, and once they're out of the way, the next guests arrive. Walker and Jonah come up to us with Austen toddling between them, holding both their hands.

I start to introduce them. "Hiral, this is—"

"Oh my gosh!" she squeaks. "Another baby!"

She runs up to Austen, kneeling down in front of her, and Austen stares skeptically at my friend.

"I'm Hiral. What's your name? Can you talk?"

"I talk," Austen retorts. "I two, not one."

"Oh my gosh, you're adorable. Do you want to come help me?"

"Hmmm," Austen contemplates. "Okay."

She transfers her hands from her dads to Hiral's, and Hiral walks the little girl up the deck.