“Wow.” Lakshmi laughed.
“I didn’t know what they were doing until later. Once Ellie hit puberty dad started avoiding us and we had to cover up more. It got weird.”
“Huh. Yeah, I can see that.”
Izzie paused, staring ahead some more. “Oh hey! I recognize that gas station! We’re almost home!”
*****************************************
Marion brushed Jack’s wandering hand off her thigh as they heard the front door. “Mom! Dad! We’re here!”
“Yay! You’re here!” Marion got up and hurried to the front hall.
Isobel got mobbed by tight hugs from mother and father. “Oof!” Collecting her breath, she straightened herself. “Mom, dad, this is Lakshmi. My… uh… my girlfriend.”
Jack shook her hand, smiling broadly. “Well, of course you are! So happy to meet you properly at last!”
Marion folded her into an embrace. “My goodness! Aren’t you beautiful! Jack, isn’t she beautiful? Just like a Bollywood dancer.”
Jack nodded appreciatively. “Now I’m sure she has many other reasons why she caught our Isobel’s affections.”
Lakshmi blushed. “I’m so happy to meet you too, Mr. Robinson, Mrs. Robinson.”
“Oh, you can call me Marion, or Mom if you’d like.”
Jack laughed and took her bag. “Call me Jack, honey. C’mon this way!”
Jack led the way upstairs calling out “Hal! Ellie! Your sister and her friend are here, come say hello!”
Hal and Ellie appeared. Hal doing up buttons on his shirt. Ellie was tucking in her top. Izzie frowned. Wasn’t Hal’s room the other way?
“Hey sis” Ellie hugged them both. “Hi Lakshmi, welcome to the fam.”
“Hey” Hal grunted. He was trying to act disinterestedly cool, but Lakshmi felt his eyes slide over her body.
“Here we go. Your old room Isobel, just as you left it.”
Izzie looked around at the posters and book case and smiled. “Yup. Herd of unicorns still on guard.”
Dad set the bags down inside the door. “Lakshmi, the bathroom is right across the hall.” He turned the bathroom light on to show them. “We did a few renos this year. Put in a bigger shower stall.”
“Family sized!” chimed in Ellie.
Izzie thought that was a weird thing to say but she had to pee after the long drive. “OK great. Gotta use the new facilities. See you all downstairs!”
When she emerged, she found Lakshmi on the L-shaped sectional with Ellie, while Mom and Dad were on the other side. “Great you’re here! I bet you’d like a drink?” Dad got up and went to the kitchen. He soon reappeared with a tray and some mugs. “I bet you’re freezing, so I made Irish coffees.”
“Daddy! You’re under the mistletoe!”
Jack paused holding the tray and looked up. “Why so I am!” He set the tray down as Ellie got up and went over to him. She slowly molded herself to her father’s body, wrapping her arms around him while she gave him a full, wet, lingering kiss with open lips. Finishing the kiss, she stepped back and started handing out warm mugs. Ellie bent over in front of Izzie and Lakshmi, the buttons on her blouse open to give them a good view of her full breasts.
“Uh… sis? Your mouth is hanging open.”
Izzie and Lakshmi stared at each other, wide eyed. Did they just see Ellie kiss her dad like that? Mom, had watched but didn’t blink. She accepted her mug with a soft peck on the lips from her husband. “Thank you, sweetie.”