Ryan Lavery felt so out of place in the Chandler mansion. He always had, for some reason, even before Adam married his x-wife. It was large and elegant, and blatantly showing off the riches that Chandler Enterprises provided that family – not exactly his type of house. He forced a smile as he sat down on the couch next to Scott, who tried to ignore him as best he could.
"Okay, we're all set up in the kitchen," Colby said, coming out from the kitchen with her father, Adam Chandler. She had a bright smile on her face. As much as she hated her new stepmother, her stepsister was another story. Ryan could tell they enjoyed each other's company. And Colby's siblings were all much older than her, so she probably liked being able to feel like a big sister.
Ryan checked his watch for the hundredth time as Adam stood by the window that gave a view of the terrace. His son JR sat on another one of the couches, pulling his son into his lap and inviting his wife Marissa to sit next to him.
"Didn't Annie say three-thirty?" Ryan asked. As if on cue, the four heard a car parking in the garage. Colby scurried over to the lights and switched them off, leaving the Chandler parlor in darkness.
The front door opened. "We're here!" Tad announced, inviting himself and his daughters Kathy and Jenny inside. "Um…please don't tell me some Asian girl is going to pop out and eat my face." Kathy giggled at her father's remark.
With a sigh, Colby went back over to the lights and turned them on again. "False alarm," she announced. Ryan sighed and stood up to greet Tad. At least one friend of his was in the room. He felt less out of place with Tad there. The kids, Little A, Kathy, and Jenny, had a little huddle to discuss what they got Emma for her surprise birthday party.
"Hey, Tad," JR said with a grin, giving the man who was like a second father to him a big hug. He was a lot happier lately, now that his cancer was in remission again. His hair was even beginning to grow back a bit. As uncomfortable as Ryan felt with the fact, Annie had saved his life with her bone marrow donation. Out of all the blood relatives and friends that got tested, it was more than ironic that his enemy stepmother would be the match. Annie had grown on JR and Colby a bit more after that. Colby was of course a tougher egg to crack, but JR was grateful for being given the chance to watch his son grow.
"When is Emma going to be here?" asked Kathy.
"I guess they're running late," JR said to his little half-sister with a shrug.
Ryan couldn't help but think that every second more that his daughter was with Annie was polluting her mind. Annie had done too much bad to be trusted in his opinion.
"You know what, I'll call her," Adam figured, taking out his cell phone and dialing his wife's number. He waited for several seconds, then closed the phone. "She's not picking up."
"She probably just doesn't want to have to say anything to give Emma any hints. I bet they're minutes away," reasoned Tad.
They better be, Ryan thought to himself.