We both jump back, startled as we turn our attention to the driver’s side window. I roll my eyes when I see my brother standing there with a bowl of something in his hand. He munched on the contents as he waited for us to exit the vehicle. Raine comes around to my side of the car, and I take her hand in mine.
“Y’all out here sucking face while a nigga is inside trying not to starve,” he complains before popping another cashew into his mouth. “Ma kept saying we had to wait until you got here to eat, so I’ve been throwing back these cashews like nobody’s business. You know I hate these shits.”
“Don’t look like it, seeing as the whole bowl is damn near gone,” I reply, shaking my head. “Now, move back so I can take my girlfriend inside out of this cold.”
“Damn, you ain’t gon introduce her to your favorite sibling first?” He asks with a smirk.
“Who are you, sir?” I joke, raising an eyebrow. He smacks his lips and tells me to quit playing. I chuckle. “Alright, okay, I’m just joking. Dom, this is my girlfriend, Raine. And Raine, this is my dumb ass brother, Dominic. He’s the middle child who craves attention.”
“Nice to meet you,” Raine giggles as she gives him a small wave.
“The pleasure is all mine,” he smiled before cutting his eyes at me. “And don’t listen to this bald-headed wanch. She loves me real bad.”
“Oh, I know,” Raine replies, before I can disagree. “She talks about you and Devin all the time. She doesn’t play behind y’all.”
This brings a devious smile to Dominic’s face, and I groan, rolling my eyes at him. He squeezes between us and slings an arm over our shoulders. I shook him off before walking to the back seat to grab the dessert that Raine had made. She’d been so excited to make cookies to bring to the dinner, and I couldn’t wait for everyone to taste them, because they were the truth. I knew she was a little nervous about meeting my family, but I also knew that they’d love her as soon as they laid eyes on her.
And Dom was already proving my point.
Raine Williams- November 27th, 2025
“Yeah, I knew she had a soft spot for me,” Dawn’s brother teases as we walk up to the front door, Dawn not far behind. “You know, she always acts like she’s so much older than me, but we were born only ten months apart. Had I been born twomonths earlier, we would’ve been in the same grade growing up.”
“Did people ever mistake y’all for twins then?” I asked, genuinely interested. He nods.
“Oh, yeah, all the time. That’s why she started wearing contacts and grew out her hair,” he chuckled. “Back when we were younger, we had the same thick-framed glasses and short, curly hairstyles.” He ruffles her hair when she catches up to us, and she cuts her eyes at him. “I’m surprised she cut it back this low. Now, she looks like a shorter version of me again.”
“No, you’re a taller version ofme,” she chuckles. She pushes him back before opening the door and allowing me to walk through first. I giggle and shake my head at their antics.
She shows me where to leave my shoes and offers me a pair of brand new house slippers. After I’ve slipped into them, I finally take a second to look around, and my jaw drops. I hadn’t paid too much attention to the outside because of her and her brother’s bickering, but now that I was here in this foyer, I was realizing just how grand this house was.
From the winding staircase to the grand chandelier, I felt as if I’d stepped into a billionaire romance. With every room we passed, everything was so beautifully decorated and had a homey feel, so there was no doubt that this house was lived in. It wasn’t just grand and extravagant for show. No, this house was warm, and the love could be felt pulsing from the walls.
As we got closer to what I assumed was the den (or second living room?), laughter grew louder, and my nerves kicked in for the first time since leaving home. I’d never met any of my partner’s families. Would they like me, or would they think I wasn’t good enough for their daughter? What if they took one look at me and kicked me out?
Damn…I needed to stop watching dramas from those ads on TikTok…
Dominic went in ahead of us, taking the cookies with him, and an orange and white cat trotted out and stopped when it saw us. It then came over to me and brushed against my ankles as it purred, causing my heart to swell. I squatted and petted it gently. It was so fluffy, and I squealed every time it purred.
“Ah, I see you’ve met Dream,” I hear, and my head snaps up to see a woman with a bright smile on her face. Standing beside her was a man with a relaxed expression, but his eyes were shining. I stood, and the woman instantly pulled me into a hug. I returned it, melting into the warmth of her embrace. “Hi, sweetheart. It’s so good to finally meet you. I’m Vivian, and this is my husband, Carlos.”
“Hi, how are you, love?” He greets me as he pulls me into a hug next, which was equally as warm.
“Nice to meet you both,” I smile after we’ve broken apart. “I’m Raine, Raine Williams. You have a lovely home and an adorable cat. Really fluffy and friendly.”
“Yeah, he loves meeting new people,” Vivian chuckles. “Usually it takes a while for him to warm up, though. You’re special. He must sense that.”
“Yes, she definitely is,” Dawn says with a smile before stepping closer and wrapping her arms around my waist. She kisses my neck lightly before staring at me with nothing but honey dripping from her eyes. “I’ve thought the same since I first laid eyes on her.”
“Oh, you’re in love,” her mom says, and we look over at her. She dabs the corner of her eyes as her husband rubs her back gently. “Both of you are. I can tell by the way you’re looking at one another. Oh, my heart is so full right now. My baby is in love! Carlos, she’s all grown up.”
“I been grown, woman,” Dawn laughs. “I’ll be 31 next year, you know.”
“Ugh, you’re growing up so fast,” she sighs, shaking her head. “I remember when I was pushing you out-”
“Okay!” Dawn shouts as her brother screams, “Ma!”
“Alright. Alright,” Vivian chuckles, waving them off. She turns to me and motions for me to come over. “Come on, lovely. Let’s introduce you to the rest of the family.”
