She ignored Stuart’s giggles, her attention on the many different cans in the fridge. A toilet flushed nearby, a sink was running, and then a door opened somewhere behind her. She stood, turning with a can of coconut porter, and recognized what had to be one of Jai’s sisters as she emerged from the small powder room in the corner.

“Hi, Ryann,” the woman said. “We met downstairs, but I’m sure you were overwhelmed with that crowd. Jai is terrible at introducing people. Anyway, I’m Janet.”

“Nice to meet you properly,” she said, shaking Janet’s hand.

“My sisters are still downstairs, but Jai’s supposed to bring them up soon for a little family time alone.”

“And he’s bringing food,” Stuart said.

“Thank God,” Maddie said. “I’m starving.”

The four of them sat down on an overstuffed sectional couch, worn and frayed with age and use. It was arranged in a U-shape around an enormous television and coffee table. Stuart sat next to her on her right, slinging an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her. Maddie sat on her left despite the many other seats. She’d grabbed two glasses and now divided the can between them before handing her a glass of dark beer.

“Sorry about that down there,” Stuart said. “I should have warned you.”

“You did,” she said. “I didn’t know it would be quite so crazy.”

Janet laughed. “My parents always go all out. It was only supposed to be the ten of us tonight—the siblings, my parents, you, Stuart, and Maddie. Even the kids and husbands were supposed to stay home, but things got out of hand, as usual.”

A cat plopped on to Ryann’s lap, seemingly out of nowhere, and she flinched away. The cat, clearly oblivious to her discomfort, circled a few times before making itself into a ball of orange fluff on her lap.

“You can push him off,” Janet said.

“It’s okay.”

She pet it—once, twice—awkward and unsure. The cat, however, purred loudly, so she figured she was okay.

“Not a cat person?” Maddie asked her, smirking.

“No. I mean, I’m not used to them. I didn’t grow up with pets.”

“You should see Jai’s place,” Stuart said. “He has like a million.”

They sat in relatively comfortable silence. Janet’s eyes were on her, but every time Ryann looked her way, she would avert her gaze, seemingly just as awkward and shy as she was. This sister seemed younger than the others she’d met—closer to Jai’s age, if she had to guess. All four women were very similar to their mother—slight, short blondes. Janet’s hair was very long, tied up in an elaborate style of several braids that wrapped around her head in something like a crown.

“How were your students this week, Janet?” Maddie asked.