Chapter 1: The Welcoming Hug
The screen door groaned as it swung open, and for a second, the world outside seemed to hold its breath. The late afternoon sun spilled across the porch in a golden flood, painting everything in warm honey tones—the sagging wooden swing, the chipped paint on the railing, the overgrown hydrangeas drooping under the weight of their own blooms. And then, there she was.
Emily.
David blinked, his hand still resting on the doorknob. The last time he’d seen her, she’d been a gawky twelve-year-old with braces and a habit of tripping over her own feet.
Now? Now she was all long, sun-kissed legs and a figure that made the thin cotton of her sports bra strain in ways that were definitely *not* appropriate for a homecoming greeting. She stood there, with a suitcase and dufflebag and fresh innocence.
David swallowed hard, became the welcoming uncle he was. "Emily, welcome, come in, come in. How was the trip here?"
David asked, stepping aside to let her pass. His voice was warm, steady, but there was a faint hitch in it, something she might not have noticed if she hadn’t been watching him so closely.
Emily stepped over the threshold, her sneakers squeaking faintly against the polished hardwood. "It was good! Long, but good," she said, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her duffel bag, and for a moment, she looked like she wasn’t sure where to put herself. "I’ve never been this far from home before."
David chuckled, reaching for her suitcase. "Well, you’re here now. And you’re staying all summer," David said, lifting the suitcase with ease. Her uncle was strong, in shape from years of routine walks and casual yard work. He carried the weight of the bag without strain, without a single hesitant breath. "I’ve got the guest room all ready. Fresh sheets, towels. Even a little fan for the heat."
Emily followed him down the hallway, her sneakers making quiet rhythmic *thud* sounds on the hardwood floor. The house smelled of lemon polish and faintly of fabric softener. The walls were lined with framed photos—David at twelve, at twenty-one, at thirty-five—and one of her, when she was twelve, on the cusp of being a teenager. She paused in front of it, her fingers brushing the glass. "Wow, I look so different now," she said, a hint of laughter in her voice.
David glanced back at her, his expression softening. "You were always a pretty kid, Emily. But now—" He stopped himself, shaking his head. "Now you’re just *you*," he finished, as if that explained everything.
Emily smiled, but her cheeks flushed pink. "Thanks, Uncle David."
They reached the guest room, and David pushed the door open with his shoulder. The room was small but cozy, with a double bed covered in a quilt that looked handmade.
A nightstand held a lamp with a fringe shade, and a window let in a breeze that rustled the curtains. Emily stepped inside, her sneakers sinking slightly into the plush rug. She set her duffel bag down and ran a hand over the quilt, feeling the uneven stitches. "You made this?"
David leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "Heck no. Your grandmother did before she passed.” He laughed softly, then cleared his throat. "I’ll let you unpack. I can take care of any laundry. There is a laundry bin for dirty laundry just inside the laundry room door.” He gestured down the hallway. “Fresh towels in the bathroom, top shelf. If you need anything else, just say the word.”
Emily nodded, already unzipping her duffel, filled with sports bras and spandex shorts. “If you’re sure Uncle. I run every day. Might be more laundry than you’re expecting. I don’t mind pitching in,” she finished. “I’ve been doing my own laundry since I was fourteen.”
“It’s fine Emily, laundry is like my zen time, I really don’t mind. Leave as much dirty laundry for me as you want,” he said with a grin. He pushed off the doorframe, rubbing his palms against his jeans. “You’ve been on the road all day. Why don’t you settle in? I’ll get dinner started.”
Emily nodded, already pulling out a neatly folded stack of running clothes. “What are we having?”
“Nothing fancy,” David said, stepping back into the hallway. “Just grilled chicken and salad.
The night went by pleasantly. They had dinner and cleaned up together after. Then sat for a while and caught up before hugging and turning in for the night.
The next morning Emily went for her first run in the new neighbourhood.