Spoilers: Everything's fair game.
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I watched as he chatted with Jamie and Allison, watched as he handled Ava with ease. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were a "traditional" family unit.
In fact, they seem more like brother and sisters than cousins. It makes me wonder what Martin's relationship with his own siblings is like. It makes me think about my relationship with my own sister.
Back when we were little, we were close and didn't need more than what the small town of Kenosha Wisconsin had to offer. Back in the days of Hide-And-Go-Seek and Tag and jump rope. Back when strangers, not that there were many, commented with smiling faces how much we looked alike with our large brown eyes and long blonde hair.
But then we both grew into our teen years, and grew apart. She dated one guy steadily throughout high school, I dated many. It wasn't until senior year that I was convinced that I was in love. Right after graduation we married, and four months later we divorced. I went to school in New York; my sister stayed and had kids. By then, our strained relationship was over. A couple calls a year, placed strategically during the holidays, during which times I avoided going home under pretense of having to work, of not being able to get time off. I'm not sure if they ever believed me, but they let it go. Eventually the direct invitations stopped, and the more subtle ones began.
There's so much my family doesn't know. They don't know about my affair with Jack, they don't know about the bookstore and the months of physical therapy that followed. They don't know about my sessions with Lisa, and they certainly don't know about my developing feelings for a different co-worker, one with so much more to offer.
That night, from the safety of my apartment, I picked up my phone and slowly dialed a strangely familiar number. After a few rings, the voice of my mother answered. I could hear my sister in the background.
"Hey mom, it's Samantha." I said softly.
Instantly, I could hear the worry in her voice. "Samantha...how nice to hear from you. Is everything all right?"
"As good as can be expected." I said softly, thinking involuntarily of Martin and his aunt. "I actually called because I'm planning on coming to visit for a week or so, as soon as I can get the time off."
I knew I was going to throw her for a loop, so I wasn't surprised when she began stuttering. After she managed to ask why, I blinked back a tear and whispered, "Because life's too short."