?Austin, Texas.


    Alex and Melissanded 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 rmed. 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 ces, 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 inte, 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 J 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-haireddy, probably in her early 20s.


    "Mother!" Melissa''s first reaction was to go hug J.


    "Whaaaa!" J let out a surprised gasp as she got hugged by her daughter-inw so suddenly.


    "Mel? You? How are you in Austin so suddenly!?" J 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 I,ughed and said.


    "Did she say mother?" I''s ears caught the vital information.


    Hearing I''s words, J turned around and said with a big smile, "Yes. Let me introduce them to you."


    "Oh, please, please." I smiled and said.


    "This is my son, Alexander. You might''ve seen him when he was around six or eight." J said with a smile.


    "My, my, you''ve grown into such a fine boy, Alex." I 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 andplied with his uncle''s wishes.


    "I, this is my daughter-inw, Melissa." J continued.


    "What? Daughter-inw!?" I was surprised. "Isn''t Alex the same age as Nixie?"


    J nodded. "He is, but things happen."


    "My, my…" It was a big surprise for I. She turned to Nix and walking up to her, patted her shoulder and said to J, "…and here I was hoping that Nixie would get a fine man like Alex to date."


    "Ma!" Nix said with slight embarrassment.


    J 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." Nixined.


    I and Jughed at her reaction and made her feel further embarrassed.


    A few secondster, Josh arrived and everyone seated down in the living room.


    There were four couches arranged in a square pattern with a ss 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?" I 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."


    I chuckled. "Don''t worry, I am just joking. You were a small kid when we met."


    J chimed in and said, "Alex, that is aunt I 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 rted to his parents.


    They were just best friends from college and since David and I were of Josh and J''s age, it wouldn''t be proper to call them by their first names.


    J and I 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 I 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.


    I eventually found a job in a multinationalpany 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 J 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 whomented.


    "Indeed. Work and kids got us busy, haha." David said and I, Josh, and J 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.


    Joshughed 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." Imented 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 twodies nodded their heads and went to the car.


    Once both were away from the eyes of everyone…


    "Fi-Chan!~"


    "Mel sis!~~"