“So if Roxie says anything inappropriate, I apologize now,” Tillie says, making me raise an eyebrow.
I like her sister already!
The front door opens before I have a chance to say anything, and a loud squeal comes from the doorway of the house. I grimace slightly as a tall, stunningly gorgeous woman with wavy chestnut hair rushes out toward Tillie, her hands outstretched. She slams into Tillie, embracing her while Tillie laughs. She grabs her, swaying her from side to side dramatically.
“Geez, Rox, anyone would think you hadn’t seen me for a year,” Tillie says.
“Well, it’s been nearly three weeks, and it’s too long. I can’t help it if my sister is also my best friend,” Roxie replies. Her eyes drift over to look at me. She raises her eyebrows, stops her dramatic hugging, pulls back from Tillie, and then tilts her head. “Um, Tillie… that’s Ryan from Recoil.”
Tillie looks back at me and lets out a small, nervous laugh. “Ah… yeah, it is. Um, and he can hear you.”
Roxie rolls her eyes. “I know that. Urgh. Anyway, come in. Excuse the state of the living room. Savvy won’t clean it up, and I’m too busy trying to sort out the website,” she says as she turns, leading us into the house.
Tillie closes the door behind her. Roxie leads us to her living room, which is chaotic, with a barrage of Lego scattered all over the floor. Piper nuzzles the pieces with her nose as Roxie continues through the mess, kicking blocks to the side as she goes, clearing us a path. I glance at Tillie, and she smirks as we continue to follow. I can’t help but watch Piper chasing after the rolling Lego. She eventually picks up a Lego block in her mouth and carries it with us into the kitchen.
“I’m so sorry about that. If I knew Ryan was coming, I would have made an effort,” Roxie says, stopping where a man and a young little girl are sitting, eating cereal even though it’s probably past her bedtime.
“I don’t mind. Really. It’s nice to meet you,” I say, putting out my hand to shake Roxie’s. She takes it, then looks from meto Tillie and raises her eyebrows with another smirk. A silent message to her sister, but I don’t miss it.
“Wait! Did you say his name was Ryan?” the man asks through a mouth full of Cheerios.
I turn around to face him, and he finally gets a good look at me. His spoon topples into his cereal bowl, making a splash of milk erupt all over the bench, while his mouth opens wide.
“You’re Ryan… from Recoil!”
“I am,” I say.
“Fuck! If I knew I’d be meeting you, I would have… fuck! I don’t even know.”
“Cool it, Donny,” Roxie chides.
“It’s fine, Donny. Just think of me as any normal guy.”
He nods. “Right, will do,” he says as the little girl, I assume to be Savvy, laughs at her father’s fangirling over me.
“So, Savvy, I need you to take care of Piper and Hunter for me. Can you do that?” Tillie asks, and Savvy jumps from her seat at the breakfast bar and rushes over.
“Yes! I’ve always wanted a rat. Thanks, Auntie Till,” she chirps, looking down into the cage I’m holding.
“Anytime, sweetheart.”
She looks up at me and smiles. “You’re a musician, right?” Savvy asks. She must be all of about six years old, if that. I’m surprised she even knows the word musician.
Getting down to eye level with her, I hold my hand out. “That’s correct.”
“Can you teach me how to play the drums?” she asks as she takes my hand. Instead of shaking it, she simply holds it for a second before letting go.
I can feel Tillie’s eyes on me, watching me with her niece. “Hm… I’m not so good with the drums, but I’m pretty mean at Lego.”
Her eyes light up, and she grabs my hand again, pulling me to my feet. “C’mon then, let’s go!”
I murmur a laugh as Tillie watches while I’m dragged off to the living room to dominate the Lego world.
TILLIE
“So, he seems great.” Roxie leers as Donny walks over to us.
“He is.”
