Chapter 3

The mall was crowded, but Sophie needed a gift for her sister, to give her when the couple got back from his New York, where they were staying with his family. Jack pointed to an orange scarf. The cashier, was beginning to take it out, when Sophie came up, next to him, phone still beside her ear, she had been on that call since they got in the car this morning to drive from Boston to New York, stopping at the mall to buy some last minute gifts.

"For Jen?" She asked, pulling the phone only centimeters from her ear. Jack nodded. Sophie turned to the cashier, "The red one please." Before trying to get back to her call, still standing next to Jack. Jack reached over and started pulling the phone from her ear. She followed it like a moth to light, finally far enough away from her, he pressed end. He knew what an important call sounded like, she would stay outside, this call could be picked up later. She took her phone and dropped it in her purse, as Jackson wrapped his arm around her. Smiling at the cashier.

As the lady behind the counter handed them the bags, Jack smiled and nodded. "Merry Christmas." He said coolly as he and Sophie exited the store.

The couple stopped for lunch at a little cafe just a short drive away from his parent's home. They shared small talk, he filled her in again on who everyone was and their history. She listened intently. Sophie never really was a people person, it's not like she dislikes people, she just never understood how to communicate clearly with them, she had become better, after being with Jackson for a month.

"You remember having dinner with Jo, right?" He asked, drawing her from her thoughts and memories.

"Yes of course."

"Well, you passed through the worst family member than. Don't take anything she says personally or to heart, she doesn't like people, but she loves to annoy them and get under her skin."

"Mmm hmm." Sophie hummed, pushing some lettuce with her fork around on her plate.

"Hey." He reached across and grabbed her hand. "Everyone's going to like you. You'll be fine."

Sophie smiled.

They hit the road, only a half hours drive from the house. Her phone had gone off again at the end of lunch, she answered and was on that call for over three quarters of the drive, she finally hung up about two miles from his childhood home. She was nervous, couldn't sit still, she checked her purse, looked in the mirror on the visor. She settled down, looking out the window at the white snow covering the lawns and trees. She cleared her throat softly. Jackson looked over at her, taking one hand off the steering wheel and placing it over her clasped hands.

"They're going to love you. There's no need to be nervous."

"I'm not." She lied.

A minute of silence passed before Jack announced, "We're here." He was pulling into a long driveway, smiling. She looked intently out the window, when she finally saw the house she inhaled. The house was large and white with deep red trim, a wrap around porch, and lights hung in a perfectly straight line along the base of the roof, as if they grew out of it.

"You ready?" He asked. She didn't answer, but continued to gaze out the window.

He leaned over the middle console and whispered, "Yeah, they're all watching, you know."

"They-" She couldn't form a complete sentence. He pointed to a window, almost covered by a bush and tree, but just a small gap, small enough for a couple of people to look out and not be seen from outside.

"Dad will be out in a minute to help us in." Jack stated, unbuckling his seat belt and exiting the car, moving around to the passenger side to open her door for her. She clambered out just in time to hear a deep voice calling Jack's name. When she gained her balance after a unnoticed stumble in the snow she dodged being caught in the middle of a hug with father and son.

She had read Richard Castle's books, she wouldn't call herself a fan, but those great American mysteries did have a home in her apartment. When Jack and his father pulled away, they both turned to look at her. She held out her hand for the famous author to shake, he glanced down at the outstretched limb then back to face of the woman it belonged to. Grabbing her around the shoulders and pulling her in for a hug.

X-X-X-X

The rest of the family watched from the window in the living room, closest to the front door. Whispering, despite knowing the fact that they couldn't be heard from outside. They watched the whole interaction, seeing Jackson point to the window, but knowing an untrained eye would be unable to see the family members hiding behind the glass. As Sophie dodged the first hug Johanna turned to her mother and signed.

"I told you. Didn't I tell you?"

Kate responded with her voice only. "Yes, you did." She covered her mouth with one hand to stifle a laugh when Sophie reached to shake her husband's hand, knowing full well, in any other circumstances the author would have taken it, but not with family or close to family people.

X-X-X-X

It had to be the most awkward hug in history. Her arms were sandwiched at her sides, not that she would hug a perfect stranger back anyway. Jackson was unloading their bags as Rick lifted her feet off the ground, he was a tall man, not that she was petite, but short enough to have to look up a good couple of inches. Her body being thin and slender, she was quite easy to lift, even for people smaller than her.

The older man finally released her and moved around the car to help his eldest son with the bags in the back. She continued to stand, rooted to the spot, trying to get herself ready to meet the rest of the bunch. She followed the two men into the house, with one throat clear before entering, her nerves getting the better of her.