When we got to my house I pulled the key out of my coat pocket and unlocked and opened the door of my house, letting Ginger and myself in. My uncle Jesse and his wife Becky were curled up on the couch drinking hot chocolate and watching tv. They looked up when we entered the living room. I closed the door behind me.

"Hey Steph," Becky said.

"Hey. This is my friend Ginger."

"Hello Ginger," Jesse said.

"Hi."

"Ginger this is my aunt Becky and uncle Jesse."

"Hi nice to meet you. I like your house," Ginger replied.

Becky smiled; "thanks."

Ginger and I made our way up the stairs.

"Stephanie," Becky called after us.

"Yeah?"

"Your dad won't be home for awhile."

"Oh ok."

We continued up the stairs and down the hall to my room.

"Hey I like your room," ginger said as we put our bags down on the floor of my room.

"Thanks."

Ginger walked over to my bulletin board where I had a picture of my mom tacked up.

"Hey who's this?"

"That's my mom."

"Oh. Is she………"

"She died a long time ago."

"Oh wow. I don't know what to say."

"Oh. Yeah I miss her. Sometimes."

"She's pretty."

"Thanks."

"She looks a lot like you."

"Yeah."

"Cmon let's go back downstairs," I said.

Ginger looked at me; "why?"

"Because that's what I usually do. Unless you want to stay up here."

"No i'ts fine."

"Ok."

"Yeah."

"Unless…………that's a problem."

"No let's go."

"Ok."

As we walked out of my room I heard Ginger mutter "this is so different."

"Hmm?" I asked her.

"Nothing. Never mind."

"Ok."

We walked into the kitchen where my uncle Joey was stirring a big pot of pasta and my dad's new wife Vicki was preparing garlic bread with her daughter Rachel. My cousin Katilin was steaming vegetables and her brothers Nicky and Alex were making salad. Vicki and Dad had 3 other daughters; Alexa, Lila and Elizabeth. Elizabeth was at voice lessons and then ice skating, Alexa was at the animal shelter where she volunteered and Lila was ballet. Out of all of us Alexa was the busiest. Jesse and Becky had another daughter Kaitlin.

Joey, Vicky, Kaitlin, Alex, Nicky and Rachel looked up when Ginger and I entered the kitchen. Vicky smiled warmly.

"Hi Stephanie," she said.

"Hey Steph," Rachel said.

"Hey Steph," Joey said.

"Hi everyone," I said.

"Hi," Ginger said shyly.

"Everyone this is my friend Ginger," I told them.

"Ginger, this is well, everyone,"

Ginger laughed; "hi I'm Ginger. Nice to meet……everyone."

They all explained how they were related to me.

"So ginger," Vicki asked.

Ginger looked up; "yes?"

"How do you know Stephanie?"

"Oh well we met in dance. After school. Today."

"Oh ok."

Our dog Comet walked into the room. He came over to Ginger and she smiled.

"Oh I love dogs. Hi what's your name?" she asked, petting Comet.

"Ginger this is Comet," I said.

"Well it's a good thing you like dogs because we do have one," Joey said.

We laughed.

"You got any other pets?" Ginger asked looking up.

"Um yeah…" I said.

An old English sheepdog walked into the room.

"Ohhh," Ginger said.

"Ginger this is Harry," Alex informed her.

A porutgese water dog walked into the room.

"Oh, and Gus," Rachel said.

"Oh."
"Those are all the dogs we have," I said.

"I love animals," Ginger said.

Vicki smiled.

"So does my other daughter Alexa. She's at work right now," she said.

"Oh where does she work?"

"At an animal shelter."

"Ohh."

"Yeah she loves it."

"I can see why."

Ginger stood up and Harry, Gus and Comet walked out of the room.

"Hey can I help?" she asked indicating the garlic bread.

"Yeah sure," Vicky said.

"Cmon over," Rachel said.

Vickys phone rang; "hello? Hi honey. Oh ok. Bye."

"I have to go pick up Erica and Lila. Stephanie, your dad won't be home for a long while."

"Ok bye Vicky."

"Bye everyone. Nice meeting you Ginger."

"Yeah you too. Bye."

Vicky left.

The kitchen door swung open and Becky and Jesse came in.

"How's it going in here?" Becky asked.

Kaitlin looked up; "really well."

"Oh good."

Becky and Jesse pulled out some chairs from the kitchen table and sat down in them.

"So what does everyone want to drink?" Ginger asked after she had put the bread in the oven.

"Wow you really warmed right up to my mom," Rachel commented.

"Well she's a warm person Rachel. I feel so comfortable around her."

"Yeah she tends to have that effect on people."