Chapter 5 A Not So Good Family Reunion

• Lily was leaning over the kitchen counter, sorting through a few invoices on her tablet, when the doorbell rang. She frowned. It wasn’t Alexia—her friend never knocked, much less rang the bell. Plus she was in the kitchen, making dinner.
• Grumbling under her breath, Lily trudged to the door and swung it open.
• “Surprise!” chirped her mother, Stephanie, in a voice loud enough to alert the neighbors. She had a floral dress on and her bright red lipstick made Lily wince.
• Behind her, holding a backpack and smirking like he’d won a lottery, stood Kevin, her younger brother. His hair was a messy thick lush and it fell to his face. He had a stupid grin on.
• “Mom? Kevin? What are you doing here?” Lily’s voice cracked in disbelief.
• Stephanie pushed past her, dragging an enormous suitcase. “What kind of daughter doesn’t tell her mother she’s hit the jackpot? I had to find out about your success from the news, Lily. The news! Do you know how embarrassing that was?”
• Kevin breezed in, tossing his backpack onto the couch. “Yeah, way to keep it low-key, big shot.”
• Lily shut the door with a sigh, trying to process their sudden appearance. “I didn’t tell you because—”
• “Because you wanted to hog all the glory? Typical,” Stephanie interrupted, plopping onto the nearest chair. “Lily, dear, this place is—well, better than I expected for someone like you. And to think I worried about you being Alexander’s little secretary forever. Look at you now! Beaumont riches! A new chapter for the Andersons!”
• Lily pinched the bridge of her nose. “Mom, you can’t just barge in like this.”
• “And leave you to fend off all those vultures alone? Never. Besides, Kevin insisted we come,” Stephanie added, gesturing vaguely to her son.
• Kevin raised his hands in mock innocence. “Hey, I just wanted to see how much of this whole ‘heiress thing’ was true. By the way, your apartment could use some better furniture.”
• “Excuse me?” Lily snapped.
• “You’ve got money now,” Kevin replied, flopping onto the couch. “Go for something... not so ‘secretary chic.’”
• “Out! Both of you!” Lily growled, pointing at the door.
• “Oh, come on, Lily,” Stephanie said, dramatically pressing a hand to her chest. “Don’t be so ungrateful. We’re family. And we came all this way. The least you could do is make us dinner.”
• Lily opened her mouth to argue, but Alexia peeked out from the kitchen. “Dinner? I’ll cook! This sounds fun.”
• Fun? That word didn’t belong anywhere near her family, but Alexia had already pulled out a frying pan.
• “Great, now let’s sit and catch up,” Stephanie declared, patting the chair next to her. “Lily, I still can’t believe you landed this! Honestly, when you started working for Alexander, I thought you’d die of stress. That boy has been nothing but trouble for you.”
• “Mom—” Lily tried to interject, but Stephanie steamrolled on.
• “I’m just saying, sweetie. Don’t waste your life on someone who’s done nothing but bark orders at you. Eric, though... now there’s a gentleman.”
• Lily groaned. “Not this again.”
• “He’s charming, polite, and not nearly as cold as Alexander,” Stephanie continued, oblivious. “I mean, sure, he might have his flaws—don’t we all? But he’s the type who could make a woman happy. Unlike Alexander, who’d probably forget your birthday.”
• Kevin snickered. “She’s got a point. Alexander does seem like the kind of guy who’d hand you a meeting schedule as a gift.”
• “Will you shut up?” Lily snapped at her brother.
• “Relax,” he said, grinning. “I’m just saying, you should probably lower your expectations. There’s no way you’re actually going to marry one of them.”
• “Excuse me?” Lily’s voice shot up an octave.
• “Think about it, sis. They’re Beaumonts. You’re... well, you’re you. You should be happy with whatever cash you’re getting out of this.”
• Lily’s hands balled into fists. “I swear, Kevin, if you don’t stop talking—”
• “Lily,” Stephanie cut in, “your brother’s right. Aim for the money, not the romance. That’s always been your problem, dear—you dream too big.”
• Lily shot up from her chair, pointing a finger at both of them. “That’s enough! My life, my choices. Got it?”
• Kevin smirked. “Touchy, aren’t we? Fine. Do whatever you want. Just don’t cry when it all goes up in flames.”
• Lily grabbed a throw pillow and hurled it at his face. He dodged it, laughing as he ducked behind the couch.
• “Alexia, stop laughing and help me!” Lily shouted as Alexia doubled over, thoroughly enjoying the show.
• “Sorry,” Alexia wheezed, wiping tears from her eyes. “This is gold.”
• “Unbelievable,” Lily muttered, slumping back into her chair.
• Stephanie leaned over, her tone suddenly serious. “Listen, Lily. I’m only saying this because I care about you. Don’t let Alexander or anyone else manipulate you into something you’ll regret. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders. Use it.”
• Lily stared at her mother, caught off guard by the rare moment of sincerity. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll think about it.”
• “Good.” Stephanie patted her hand before turning back to Alexia. “Now, about that dinner...”
• Alexia waved her spatula. “Almost ready! Kevin, can you set the table?”
• Kevin groaned but complied, muttering under his breath. “I didn’t come here to work.”
• The four of them eventually sat around the small dining table, the smell of Alexia’s cooking filling the room. For a moment, Lily allowed herself to relax.
• Then Kevin, with his usual impeccable timing, piped up. “By the way, Lily, you should really reconsider marriage. I mean, you’re barely tolerable as a sister. Imagine as a wife!”
• That earned him a jab in the ribs from Lily’s fork.
• “Kevin!” Stephanie scolded. “Stop teasing your sister.”
• “But she’s fun to annoy,” Kevin said, laughing.
• Alexia grinned. “I like him. Can we keep him around?”
• “Absolutely not,” Lily said firmly, though a small smile tugged at her lips.
• Despite the chaos, the dinner passed with an unusual warmth. And as Lily looked arou
• nd at her odd little group, she realized that, for all their flaws, this was still her family.