Page 73 of On Merit Alone

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Merit

Arms bracketed my sides as I sifted through the items in my trunk. I ignored the man they belonged to as he sidled up behind me. This was serious.

“I thought you said you weren’t nervous,” he murmured near my ear. It sounded suspiciously like a muffled groan.

I speared him with a look. “If you don’t want to wait, go inside.”

A hand gripped my hip and squeezed. “Don’t nip, Mer. Just tell me what I’m looking at and I’ll help.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” I asked, waving a hand in front of me.

“That you insisted on driving yourself so that you had room to bring all your earthly belongings?” he asked, the smartass in his voice teasing. It nicked at the corners of my composure, fraying them.

“No.” I turned to him. “I can’t show up empty-handed, but I’ve never met your parents, and you never talk about them in detail, so I don’t know if I should bring in wine because what if they don’t drink?

Or the fruit because what if they’re allergic?

I made this red, white, and blue rice cereal thing, but it has marshmallows in it, and what if they hate those too? And?— ”

My voice cracked, emotion I didn’t know was plaguing me threatening to get out.

“Hey, hey,” Ira said softly. Stepping forward he immediately removed the two different wine options from my grasp and set them down in the trunk behind me before grabbing onto both sides of my face. “Easy, yeah? Breathe with me and calm down.”

I did, feeling his steady chest over mine as he held onto me.

“It’s just my family, Merit. They are going to love and accept anything you bring,” he assured me.

“But—”

He kissed me softly, but only once letting his forehead remain on mine as he pulled away.

“But nothing. Bring every last thing in there, and they will be happy. Bring nothing, and they will be happy. It’s not stuff they want in there, it’s you.

The real you. So I’m going to need you to shake this softy loose and bring back my girl. Alright?”

My eyebrow raised even as my insides did a little happy dance. “Your girl, huh?”

He smiled. “Don’t play. You know?—”

“Ira Thomas King! You better leave that girl alone and bring your behind in here!” a sweet but serious older voice called from the direction of the front door.

I was parked at the very end of the driveway and being half seated in the open trunk, it might sort of seem like we were hiding back here. Or doing something else…

I rolled my lips into my mouth, bugging my eyes in a way that said, “ Thomas ?”

Ira ignored me as he tried (and lost) to fight his smile. Then he called back, “Listen woman , I told her you were patient. Are you trying to make me a liar?”

A beat went by, and then a dramatic sigh filled the air, “I’m sorry! Just get in here soon. Dad wants to start grilling and needs to know what everyone wants.”

I elbowed Ira when I realized she was retreating, motioning quickly to the spread in the back of my car. Not missing a beat he popped his head from around the side of the trunk. “Ma, hold up! Red or white wine?”

“We’ll take whatever you have. You know your brother eats for three. Let’s go kids,” she said.

Back around on my side, Ira raised his eyebrows as if to say ‘see.’ I still wasn’t convinced, but I was a little more put at ease after hearing them talking to each other. Ira was right, they were similar. And if there was anyone I could get along with, it was this guy.

Ira’s parent’s home reminded me a lot of his own. Light warm colors covered the walls. Family photos scattered around showcasing core memories. The smell of clean floors and cooking filling the air.

We left our shoes by the door, something he’d picked up from his mom I guess, and went straight into the brown and white kitchen to drop off my offerings.

On the stove there were a few different pots cooking with different sides and a stone pot of what smelled like chili.

On the middle island there was a large drink dispenser filled with lemonade.

And tucked into a cake holder above the fridge were a couple of different cakes I already couldn’t wait to eat.

Curiously, as I led the way into the room with Ira directing me as he held the bulk of my offerings, there was no one to be found.

I could have sworn the driveway was full of cars when we arrived, but the house was quiet even as we got into what looked to be the main area with a kitchen that was attached to a living room and beyond.

Looking over my shoulder, I caught Ira’s eye. “Where is everyone?”

“You don’t have to whisper, Six. They’re one hundred percent listening either way,” he said. “And I told them not to crowd you. So they’re holding back.”

My eyebrows pinched. “Why? ”

His brown eyes narrowed. “Cause I’m not having you running scared the moment they pounce on you. Now come on, let’s get this hoard you brought into the fridge.”

I rolled my eyes but suppressed a smile before directing Ira on how to carefully set the things I brought into the conveniently open space right in the front of the fridge. We were just shutting the door when the sound of little feet barreling toward us got my attention.

I didn’t have to wonder who from, because the sounds were quickly followed by a screech. “Uncle Ira!”

Ira winced, leaning into me and murmuring, “The lungs on that one, Jesus.”

But just like the good uncle he was, he crouched and waited for what was sure to be a solid impact from the little girl.

Only, when little Olivia came around the bend of some hallway—all decked out in a red, white, and blue sundress and a big blue bow on the top of her ponytailed head—she halted in the doorway.

Her eyes went from Ira to me and her face split into a huge gap-toothed grin.

“Ms. Merit!” This screech was even louder and I barely had the time to set my phone down on the table before I was catching a flying child in my hands and lifting her up to my hip.

As soon as she landed, she wrapped her arms around my neck in more of a stranglehold than a hug, but a sweet gesture all the same. “I missed you, Ms. Merit.”

“Oh my gosh,” I said, wrapping my arms around her and scooting her up my hip. “I missed you too, Liv. And you’re so strong!”

Rising, Ira rubbed a hand along Liv’s back before leaning in and saying, “Loosen up, kid. You’re hurting her.”

“Sorry, Mer-it,” she whined, loosening her hold on me and leaning her torso away so she could look at me. “How’s your boo-boo?”

Making a show out of “looking at my forehead,” I said, “All healed. What about yours? ”

Liv slapped two hands to her forehead and smiled wide. “All better! We should play again.”

“Maybe later, Liv,” Ira cut in. “Where’s your grandma?”

“Grandma, Grandpa!” Liv screeched. “Come and see my friend!”

“Alright,” he said with a fake grumble as he reached over and all but plucked Liv out of my arms and tossed her on his back like she was nothing more than a toy. My heart leaped as the little girl flew through the air.

Rationally, I could see that she was laughing and that Ira had control of her the whole time, but that didn’t stop me from worrying when he played with her like that.

I shot him a dirty look when she landed safely on his shoulders.

I was just about to scold him about being more careful when another familiar face came around the corner.

Well, another two faces.

“Hey, Merit,” Iris said as she sauntered into the kitchen with little baby Maddox on her hip.

Without hesitation, she came right in and wrapped her free arm around me.

Surprised, I returned the hug and then tickled Maddox’s tummy when she pulled away.

Smiling sweetly, she said, “How have you been? Recover from that fall you took?”

Heat filled my face and I looked at Ira just as he “coincidentally” glanced away.

Ducking my head, I said, “I didn’t think Ira told anyone about that.”

“He did better than tell me,” Iris snorted, and under that expression I could see past the niceties we were still dancing around to the girl underneath.

The oldest sister in this family of lighthearted, joking, goofballs.

I realized then that she might be just as much trouble as the guy at my side.

Leaning in, she whispered, “Video evidence, sweetie.”

My mouth dropped open and I stared at Ira. The two of them just laughed while Liv asked what ‘evidence’ meant in the background.

“Iris, whose side are you on?” Ira snickered, giving her hip a gentle bump.

“You know she’s on whichever side is the most fun,” another voice said as it came around the corner.

An average-height woman with long curly hair and sun-kissed brown skin came right up to Liv and scooped her up by her arms, setting her about her hip.

Coming to stand by Iris she gave me a bright and friendly smile.

“Hi, I’m Leah. Liv has been trying to tell me about her new friend, but I think sometimes she gets Merit and Kermit mixed up. ”

I guffawed, my gaze landing on the little girl on her mom’s hip. Liv ducked her head into Leah’s shoulder while covering up the sweetest giggle. I smiled at the woman in front of me and extended my hand. “Nice to meet you. I go by Merit most of the time, but for Livy, you can call me Kermit.”

Her eyes beamed. “Nice to meet you. Thanks for taking care of my little girl when she fell. You guys smacked that glass pretty hard.”

My face fell. “You’ve seen it too?”

Biting her lip, she nodded. I immediately whipped around to face Ira. He grinned.

“I want to see that video.” I shook my head, holding out my hands for the goods.

I needed to see the thing that was apparently making the rounds enough that it was preceding me and giving me a reputation.

I was determined enough to even reach in his pockets and grab it if it weren’t for the sudden voice that came from around the corner.