Austin, Texas.
Alex and Melissa landed in Austin at around noon and were now in a cab, going home.
"It makes me wonder, what's with the sudden rush home, honey?" Melissa asked, slurping on instant noodles she overpaid for in the airport.
Alex, busy doing something on his phone, said, "security issues."
Melissa understood from just two words what Alex meant.
In fact, she understood the situation even more than Alex now.
'Fi-Chan must've made her move, causing husband to be alarmed. Hmm… it must be the system that notified him,' Melissa thought.
Her thought process was spot on and having her curiosity satisfied, she smiled and continued to slurp on her noodles.
Unknowingly, due to Alex taking her to different food places, she had turned into a big foodie.
The two didn't converse much throughout their cab ride as Alex was busy working on something.
Melissa surfed the internet, watching cute animal videos and memes while resting her head on her husband's shoulder.
In thirty minutes, the cab dropped them off at their home and they were now standing on the porch.
Ding!
Alex rang the doorbell.
"Coming!" The familiar voice of his father, Josh, resounded in Alex's ears and made him smile.
The door creaked open and the tall stature of his father came in full view to Alex.
"Yes— what!? Alex!?" Josh was taken by surprise. "Melissa, you too!?"
"Hi, dad." Alex waved at Josh.
"Hello, dad." Melissa too did the same thing.
"Oh my god…" Being called dad by Melissa as well melted Josh's heart.
He would've passed out from happiness right now but he had learnt better control and didn't.
"Come inside, your mother will be so happy to see you." Saying so, Josh took Alex and Melissa's luggage. "I'll go put them in your room, you go see Janet and the guests."
"Guests?" Alex asked.
Josh didn't reply and speedily made his way upstairs so that Alex wouldn't reject him from carrying their luggage.
Looking at his father dash like that, Alex shook his head with a smile.
He held Melissa's hand and walked inside the house.
As he reached the living room, the first person he saw was not his mother, but a beautiful young cyan-haired lady, probably in her early 20s.
"Mother!" Melissa's first reaction was to go hug Janet.
"Whaaaa!" Janet let out a surprised gasp as she got hugged by her daughter-in-law so suddenly.
"Mel? You? How are you in Austin so suddenly!?" Janet was surprised and turned around.
She got another surprise once she saw Alex.
"You too, Alex!?"
"Hahaha! Look at you guys having a warm family reunion." David, sitting with Isla, laughed and said.
"Did she say mother?" Isla's ears caught the vital information.
Hearing Isla's words, Janet turned around and said with a big smile, "Yes. Let me introduce them to you."
"Oh, please, please." Isla smiled and said.
"This is my son, Alexander. You might've seen him when he was around six or eight." Janet said with a smile.
"My, my, you've grown into such a fine boy, Alex." Isla facepalmed and said with a surprise.
"Little man is big now, hahaha! C'mere Alex, give uncle David a hug." David said and got up.
Alex didn't deny and complied with his uncle's wishes.
"Isla, this is my daughter-in-law, Melissa." Janet continued.
"What? Daughter-in-law!?" Isla was surprised. "Isn't Alex the same age as Nixie?"
Janet nodded. "He is, but things happen."
"My, my…" It was a big surprise for Isla. She turned to Nix and walking up to her, patted her shoulder and said to Janet, "…and here I was hoping that Nixie would get a fine man like Alex to date."
"Ma!" Nix said with slight embarrassment.
Janet chuckled in response and shook her hand. "Sorry, dear. Alex is taken."
"Aunty! I-I have not said a single word about this. Stop setting me up." Nix complained.
Isla and Janet laughed at her reaction and made her feel further embarrassed.
A few seconds later, Josh arrived and everyone seated down in the living room.
There were four couches arranged in a square pattern with a glass table in the middle.
Alex and Melissa sat on one couch facing Nix while his and her parents sat opposite to each other.
"Alex, do you remember me?" Isla asked with a smile, knowing full well Alex didn't remember her.
Alex was honest and shook his head. "I am sorry, aunt. My memory seems to be foggy."
Isla chuckled. "Don't worry, I am just joking. You were a small kid when we met."
Janet chimed in and said, "Alex, that is aunt Isla Parker and that there is your uncle David Parker."
"Hi Alex." Both of them waved their hands. "That's our daughter right there, Nix Parker."
"Hello~"
A proper introduction was finally done and they all began conversing.
From their talks, Alex realized that his aunt and uncle weren't related to his parents.
They were just best friends from college and since David and Isla were of Josh and Janet's age, it wouldn't be proper to call them by their first names.
Janet and Isla were best friends while the same was the case with Josh and David.
David was an Italian exchange student. After college, he went back to Italy and Isla tagged along with him as she was deeply in love.
They visited the states from time to time and since both countries allowed dual citizenship, they didn't have a hard time going to and fro.
Isla eventually found a job in a multinational company that had its branch in Italy. It was a well paid job and she lived there with David, who worked as an automobile designer.
They continued their lives there and didn't get as much time to hang out with their best friends.
Even Josh and Janet didn't get time as they were busy with their jobs too.
The two couples then had children and things just got busier from here on.
They met once when their children were small and it was only now, after more than a decade, did they see each other again.
"Dang. It's been a really long time." Melissa was the one who commented.
"Indeed. Work and kids got us busy, haha." David said and Isla, Josh, and Janet nodded their heads in response.
"Anyway, you kids go hang out together otherwise you'll get caught up in our boring old people talks." David joked.
Josh laughed and said, "Alex, we've upgraded our backyard while you're gone. We can have a barbecue party."
"Alright." Alex agreed in a jiffy. "I'll go set it up and get the ingredients from the store."
"What a good son." Isla commented with a smile. She then turned to Nix and said, "Nixie, help them out, dear."
Nix nodded her head and went to the backyard with Alex and Melissa.
"Hmm, we need to set up the grill and get the ingredients for the barbecue. Do you guys know how to set up the grill?" Alex asked the two.
Both the girls shook their heads.
"Alright. Then, would you mind going to the grocery store and buying the ingredients?"
"Fine by me." Melissa answered.
"Me too." Nix nodded her head.
"Thanks. I'll set up the grill and share with you the grocery list while you're on the way to the store which is just a ten minute ride from here." Alex said.
The two ladies nodded their heads and went to the car.
Once both were away from the eyes of everyone…
"Fi-Chan!~"
"Mel sis!~~"