“It’s actually one of Jai’s cars—well, one of his sisters’ husband’s, to be exact. He wasn’t using it, so he gave it to me. I just have to pay insurance, which is next to nothing on this old heap.”

“He gave you a car.”

“Exactly. That’s the kind of people you’re about to meet. I’m telling you, be ready for anything. They are seriously extra. Oh, and expect animals. His parents have like I don’t even know how many cats, and one of his sisters takes her dogs with her everywhere. Oh, and there’s like a million kids, too.”

Jai’s parents lived fairly close to the hotel, the drive perhaps five minutes through the neighborhood connected to the downtown area. The house itself was a smaller, late-Victorian two-story, nestled in the middle of similarly older homes from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Several cars and trucks were parked in front, and it appeared that every light in the house was on. The Beatles were blaring, and raucous laughter was coming from inside. Despite the cold and the hour, a few children stood outside on the front lawn around a fire pit roasting marshmallows. Several of the kids called out to Stuart, and he waved before setting a hand on her lower back and leading her up the front steps and inside.

They entered a warm, crowded living room and encountered a moving mass of people and several barking dogs, two of which immediately jumped all over them before two large men led them away.

Jai suddenly appeared, dragging her through the crowd. She lost her grip on Stuart’s hand, and he waved after her as if lost at sea. She kept following Jai, who paused and shouted names occasionally, all of which she missed, but her hand was thoroughly shaken several times. She met Joan again, and another sister whose name she missed, as well as a handful of cousins and uncles and family friends. She got some full body hugs here and there and cheery pats on the back, the entire experience loud and hot.

Finally, Jai led her into the kitchen through a pair of swinging doors. The room was very bright and open compared to the living room. An older couple were the only people here, and Jai introduced her to his parents, Jackie and Jim.

“Oh, we’ve heard so much about you!” Jackie said, squeezing her before shaking her hand vigorously and soundly with both of hers.

“Such a pleasure to finally meet you,” Jim said, his frame and body, like Jai’s, enormous as he wrapped her in his arms.

“Thank you,” she managed. All three of them—Jai and his parents—were smiling at her as if expecting something more. She widened her smile, and they returned it before turning to each other and chatting about one of the sisters, Janet.