Page 10 of Ship Happens

“Jacob!” she squeals, throwing her arms out as she wraps her brother in a tight hug. Jacob lets out an oof as he catches her. Owen moves quickly when he sees the black blur making a break for the outdoors, scooping the feline up into his arms.

“Don’t you dare.” He cradles Fitzwilliam like a baby, the cat chirping in response.

“That’s the kind of welcome I was expecting.” Jacob grins, letting his bag fall to the porch floor as he hugs his sister back.

It’s him, Owen thinks. It’s really him.

“Look at that beard!” Kaitlyn exclaims, taking a step back to get a better look at him. “Is that what Owen was freaking out about?”

“I wasn’t freaking out!” Owen asserts. “I was just . . . surprised . . .”

Jacob grabs his bag as Kaitlyn holds the door open just long enough for Jacob step in and kick his shoes off. Owen continues to wrestle with the cat, his back paws pressing right into Owen’s chest with all the pressure the seven-pound creature can manage.

“Okay, okay!” Owen finally relents. “Fine!”

Jacob barely has enough time to hold his arms out before Fitzwilliam is leaping from one man to the other. “My sweet baby boy!” Jacob coos as the cat starts to rubs his face all over Jacob’s, desperate for the man to smell like him again. “Oh, I missed you so much, Fitzy boy!”

Kaitlyn eyes Owen for a moment, grinning. “Guess it’s nice to know we’re still second best around here.”

Owen huffs, brushing away the black cat fur that has stuck itself to his sweater. “You really thought that’d change with more time?”

This is good. Act like everything is normal, and keep the flow going.

It’s not like Jacob is paying them any mind. He’s too busy scratching Fitzwilliam under the chin. Just how the cat loves.

“How were the flights?” Kaitlyn asks as they all step into the apartment.

“Fine, long. The turbulence got so bad over the Atlantic that I started to pray.”

Kaitlyn huffs. “Grandma would be proud.”

“I’m starving, though.” Jacob squats to the floor, letting Fitz jump out of his arms with a hefty thud. “They fed us on the first flight, but my last layover was at LAX, so all they gave us were those chocolate quinoa things.”

“Abby should be back soon with dinner.” Kaitlyn steps down the hallway, motioning for Jacob to follow her. “Ravi and Hailey texted, they’re on the bus now, and Kev’s about twenty minutes out.”

“Nice! Everyone’s gonna be here!”

Kaitlyn leads her brother into the living room, Owen making the conscious choice to slip back into the kitchen. “You’re on the couch tonight—I hope that’s okay.”

“Yeah, totally!” Jacob hesitates, making brief eye contact with Owen before Kaitlyn asks him more about his flights. Thanks to the serving hatch, Owen’s not as alone as he’d prefer to be. Whenever he wants, he can look up and see Kaitlyn and Jacob talking in the living room, chatting like nothing is different.

More than once, Kaitlyn tries to drag Owen into the conversation, but he pretends that he isn’t listening or that he didn’t hear what they said. And when those excuses wear thin, he gets by with simple one-word answers while he busies himself with washing the dishes. He hears Jacob laughing at something, the boisterous sound pulling at Owen’s heart with such tenderness and such cruelty.

Even as his friends begin to show up for the festivities, Owen stays in the kitchen. His own safe little bubble because everyone knows to leave Owen alone when he’s in the middle of baking.

Abby gets back home soon after Jacob arrives, balancing bags of Thai takeout in her arms as she hugs Jacob tight.

It’s only when Abigail asks Owen about his sweater that Kaitlyn remembers she bought one for everyone. Abigail’s has some Star Wars characters on the front, ones that Owen can’t hope to recognize. Jacob’s is by far the worst, though, the front decorated with the words When I Think About You I Touch My Elf!

Ravi and Hailey show up half an hour later with unopened bottles of apple cider in exchange for their own sweaters, and the reunion continues as the food is set out on the coffee table in the living room. Kevin makes his grand appearance an hour later than he said he would apparently, blaming traffic. Abigail chastises him the way only an older sister can when he finally reveals that he was doing his hair.

Soon, the apartment is alight with the kind of conversation and laughter that reminds Owen of nights years ago, all of them in their early twenties, most of them still in the middle of school or just starting new jobs. They’d order takeout and get either wine-drunk or high, never having to worry about much. It doesn’t take long for Ravi to start the music video marathon on YouTube as Kaitlyn and Kevin start setting plates on the table.

“Are you going to join us?” Kaitlyn asks, tone sharp. Automatically, Owen starts handing her bowls that she scoops servings of rice into, steam bursting from the rice maker when she pops the lid.

“I will in a bit,” Owen promises. “I’m watching the cobbler.”

“O-dog! Where ya been hiding?” Kevin’s energy is a welcome change. Owen even tolerates the hug that Kevin wants to give him, that straight-bro sort of hug where Owen’s pulled into Kevin’s chest, a strong hand smacking his back a few times.