I try to move a strand of my hair off of my face without using my soapy hands. Washing the dishes with the window open is nice for the fresh air, but it's a pain to deal with my hair.
"Mom? Dad?" Cassie calls from the foyer.
"It's just me, sweetheart," I yell back. "Your dad's out. Are you going for your run?"
"Yeah, I'll see you in a few."
The front door opens then slams shut behind her. Once I finish with the dishes, I sigh and rinse my hands off. Cassie's been running a lot this summer, which is strange because I explicitly remember her telling she hated running when she asked to quit the track team. Nate and I weren't going to stop her when she started going on weekly runs. It's healthy. But it started being a little concerning when the weekly runs turned into biweekly then daily runs.
My train of thought is interrupted by the sound of car doors slamming outside. I quickly fix my hair as I pass the mirror in the bathroom and straighten the throw pillows on the couch. Happy voices greet my ears as the back door opens. "Hey, darling!" Sully calls.
"The party just arrived," Sam adds as I re-enter the kitchen.
"Uh-huh," I roll my eyes and make my way over to hug my in-laws. "Nate bringing in the bags?"
"Yeah, he's being a good host," Sam says.
"Sorry the house is mess. I've been trying to clean, but between all the paperwork for Iran and coordinating with the film crew-"
"Elena, it's fine," Sully says, laying a hand on my shoulder. "Have a seat. We're here to celebrate the birth of our nation. Put your feet up for the weekend."
"Yeah..."
I take the seat at the dining table next to Sully as Sam pokes his head into the living room. "So, where's my favorite niece?" Sam asks.
"On her run," I say.
"Her run? I didn't know she liked to run." He sits at the table across from me.
"Me neither," I shrug.
Nate pushes open the door using his elbows since his hands are occupied. "Thanks for the help, guys," he grunts, clearly struggling under the weight of their luggage.
"Hey, you're the younger brother," Sam says. "You're supposed to carry my bags."
Nate mimics him using a very childish voice, making Sam get up to help him. They bicker all the way up the stairs and presumably continue when they're out of audio range. Sully and I just look at each other with tired eyes. "And I'm thought one Drake was hard enough," I laugh.
"Yeah. I'm glad you came along. They were almost too much to handle thirty something years ago.I don't know how I'd manage it now."
"Eh, you'd figure something out."
He waves me off, then changes the subject. "So, what's with Cassie and her new hobby?"
"The running? I have no clue. All of a sudden she wants to run everyday for about an hour. An hour! That's a long run, right?"
"Right."
"There's no way she's just running for an entire hour. She takes after her dad in the sense that she needs to be constantly doing something."
"So... she's got a secret, huh?"
"That's what I'm thinking."
"Do you think it's a boy or a long lost city of gold?"
"Ha, I'm thinking neither."
"So what do you think?"
"I don't know, but I know it's neither. Why would she keep a boy secret?"
"Oh, come on," Sully chuckles. "Don't you remember your first fling?"
"Well yeah, but I didn't keep mine a secret. I told my parents."
"Did you tell them at the beginning of your relationship or a month in?"
I purse my lips and begrudgingly answer, "About a month in."
"See? We all did it."
"Did what?" Nate asks, making his way downstairs. He's followed closely by his brother.
"Hid our first girlfriend from our parents," Sully says, giving the boys hard looks.
"So? It all worked out in the end," Sam shrugs. "Nobody got hurt."
"Nobody got hurt?" Nate asks incredulously, both taking a seat at the table. "You seem to be forgotting about half of the story."
"Oh, I've gotta hear this," I chuckle.
"Nah, you don't want to hear that." His protests fall on closed ears, however. We all clamor to hear his experiences with young love, and he quickly gives in. "Fine, I'll tell you. But I don't want to hear anyone making fun of me, alright? I was only 14..."