I didn't know what a Nomikos baptism by fire was or how it related to me, but Willa told me it wouldn't hurt.

It was a Sunday, with just over a week left of Summer break, and Willa and Allie had convinced both Veda and I to come along to Teddy's Moms for dinner. Apparently, Wrens YiaYia made the best Greek food I would ever taste. I could believe it was good ... but it wasn't true... because her granddaughter was the best Greek food I had ever tasted... and as I thought those exact words I cursed myself for being so crude. Truth though. Truth.

Willa was driving, Allie was shotgun, and Veda was next to me, one knee cocked up beside me casually as she lowered the window and let in the warm breeze. Mr Darcy was sat between us like the baby giant he was, leaning against Vedas arm.

I looked out of the window and enjoyed the changing scenery. I had been the designated driver for an entire year... and to sit back and relax was something of a luxury. Driving without a cat pawing at you was a close second that I had discovered lately too.

Norman was back to dictating Kates love life, and she had lost a date only last week as Norman took chase and sent him packing. I would have to adopt that man eater soon officially, before Kate became an old spinster and her eggs turned to tumbleweed. At least I would never have to worry about Norman savaging a male in my home... which reminded me of the text she had sent me this morning.

I checked my phone and reread it.

K- The neighbours gave me an envelope addressed to you last night. Apparently some guy dropped it off, but he put it in the wrong mail box. Mature guy? They tried to call after him but he didn't hear them. They gave it to me realising it was for you. The envelope only says DAWSON and our building name. Don't panic it's not Vedas dad... I already looked him up. Still in Jail. Long sentence. Want me to post it?

M- Post it over please dear Katherine :) it's probably just mail from the university or something. You do love to play inspector Morse. You're pretty shit at it though 🕵🏼 Don't quit the bakery 😉

K- Moira called yet to collect the teen?

M- No, just a text. She's due back tomorrow though. I'm going to head down there to see her. I'll stop by after. Unless you want to come to dinner with my mother too?

K- Heavy pass... couldn't be weightier.

M- see you tomorrow after dinner then x

K- Remember! I accept doggy bag donations from expensive restaurants 🥹 as your poorer and more unfortunate friend.

M - Noted. But since when did you know me to leave food?

K- Prays you learn 🙏🏻 Over a steak and chunky fries.

M- Veda says we should become Vegan.

K- Veda is fourteen, and not my mom.

M- she's fifteen in two days.

K- still not my mom.

M- Steak it is. She would say more about its life and then subsequent death, to make you reconsider and throw up... but I would put myself off of the steak too. So, ignorance is bliss. 🙈🙈 lalala

K- absolutely. See you tomorrow. Medium rare. 🙈 🥩👩‍🦯

***
Willa parks the car on the large driveway of Wrens grandmother Maria's house. The driveway is filled with cars already, and the sound of voices from inside the large home filter out "So" Willa begins as she cuts the engine and turns in her seat to Veda "remember ... no mention of veganism in front of Maria. She's Greek, food is her love language, and if you say you don't eat meat... she will go back to wearing black like she did when Christos her husband died"

"How does Josie avoid mentioning it" Veda asks. "She's like the spokesperson of all Vegans"

Allie and Willa exchange a look "Harper and Teddy reward her with a new book every time we survive a Sunday meal here and it's not brought up"

"She's bribed" Veda says with surprise "Then what do I get" she asks me more seriously.

I point at myself and look between everyone "I'm not expected to fulfil the bribe am
I" I ask.

Veda looks like she's waiting for me to cough up, and Allie and Willa look apologetic.

"You were eating hamburgers two weeks ago ... I'm pretty sure you can survive a two hour dinner sat next to some Kleftico" I argue.

Her freckled nose wrinkled up "what's that"

"Lamb" we all informed her at once.

"You sickos" she replied "that poor baby was springing about in a field last week and now-"

Vedas door was prised open and Maria's happy face peeked in, causing Veda to stop mid sentence... her speech dead... just like the table of animals we were all about to force these Vegans to sit at.

"Jamesons... what's taking you so long... come in and eat" she said loudly in her Greek accent. "We are about to sit...ooh you brought the puppy" she said noting Mr Darcy and his pink tongue that had flopped sideways out of his smile. She leant in and ushered him into her arms. Maria was as strong as an ox for an older lady. She lifted that thirty pound mass of hair without so much as breaking a sweat. "Mr Darcy I have a bowl for you" she promised as she let him down. "And your sister Henrietta is inside"

We stepped out of the car. Darcy ran indoors.

"Whose with Mary" Maria asked Allie.

"Her sister, Willa's Mom Kate is in town" she confirmed.

I had seen Willa's Mom briefly before we left, and I could have sworn it was Mary walking through the house. Twins it felt like, although I was informed they weren't.

I approached Maria last as everyone got hugged before me and walked into the house. I didn't know what my reception would be considering I had only met her a couple times and then split up with her granddaughter.

"Kalispera Millie" she said kissing my cheeks. "It's good to see you" and she looked me up and down and took my hips in her hands as she inspected me "you need to eat" she observes "good hips ... but not enough fat on you. You want babies" she asked.

I didn't know what to say to that, but I didn't need to worry because she lifted me into a hug that made my breath leave me before placing me back on my feet. Her smile was broad and infectious, and her big brown eyes lit up "of course you want babies" she answered for me "and you know Wren was a cute baby" she said leaving me stood there as she gestured for me to follow her into the house. "Come eat ..."

I stood for a second in the fresh air and looked into the entryway to the sound of laughter and fast paced talking... the Nomikos were all here... and suddenly I felt a little like the lamb... heading to slaughter.

Poor choice of comparison... the vegans would hate me.

Entering the dining room, the long table was full, there were so many people it made my head spin. There were even garden chairs pulled up to makeshift tables that the teenagers and kids were all sat on. So many teenagers, mine, among them. Veda was sat between Josephine and Clio. She was flanked by blondes. She looked up to me and gestured for me to look at the food in the centre of the table. It was all meat dishes. The look she gave me was one that one hundred percent said "I expect that bribe later"

Harper squeezed by the table and sneakily swapped out Josie's plate for one that was meat free. Veda leaned in and inspected the Mediterranean vegetables, and the eggplant and potato casserole. She didn't have to wait more than ten seconds before Harper did the same for her, swapping out plates and stealthily making sure the girls had vegan meals. I could tell this was a regular occurrence. Maria looked none the wiser as she enjoyed her meal, surrounded by the family.

"Millie... sit here" Teddy said, moving up slightly to make room for me.

Henrietta, Mr Darcy and Chewy were in a boisterous and loud back and forth in the living area next door. I looked through the threshold as I passed expecting to see the three puppies savagely mauling each other, but apparently dog play sounded like a massacre was occurring when all it looked like to me was a bunch of downward dog, tails wagging, and a few boops on each others noses.

I squeezed around some of the others. Thea turned to take in who it was behind her and I thought I heard her greet me by "Hey ten" but that made no sense. I must have misheard her. I squeezed in between Teddy and Demi.

Teddy handed me a glass of wine. "You may need this"

I took the stem in my fingers and offered a thankful smile. I had only had a small sip when Demi leaned in close "You don't like Greek food" she asked.

"I love it" I correct her.

"Then eat" she urges as she grabs a dish from the centre of the table and begins to spoon a variety of things onto my plate "you're too skinny... eat up"

What was with this family and their lack of social boundaries.

"Ignore her" Teddy whispered. "There is no filter ... but they don't mean to offend"

"Thanks" I whisper back as I look down to the rather spectacular food upon my plate.

The scents of the food brought back thoughts of Wren and the many meals we had had at our favourite Greek restaurant down in Eugene.

She was one of two Nomikos missing from this table... and their absence was felt.

My face must have been revealing my thoughts, because Harper reached over and smiled as she touched my arm. "It's strange to be here without her huh" she asked.

I took a deep breath and nodded "last time was for Josephine's fifteenth birthday...It was a particularly perfect weekend if I remember correctly"

Harper thought back to it "your first Valentine's Day"

"Yeah" I said more solemnly than I expected.

"Here" Demi said topping up my wine to the top. "Let's not talk anymore about the past. We don't live there anymore. Tell me instead how you're gonna woo my little niece back... "

"She might not want wooing back" I remind her.

Thea got up from her place at the table and squeezed so closely between us I could feel her heart beat against my arm. Callie who was opposite spotted the way her sisters had gathered and came around the table. "What did I miss" she asked.

"Millie is going to woo Wren back" Demi explained.

I looked up to Callie "I never said that"

"Well you should" Thea added "we can help"

Teddy turned and almost jumped backward to see her sisters pawing at me "stamáta to" she said shooing them away.

"Theodora this is family business... we want to help" Demi argued.

"No it's not ... Millie is here as a guest... not for you to play with. Let Wren and Millie be please. My daughter will figure out her own love life... no interference" she said sternly.

Demi, Thea and Callie dispersed.

"Thank you" I whisper.

Teddy pushed my wine glass back into my hand "like I said... you might need this"

I took a sip, then remembered how I was trying to cut back. I placed the glass back down and instead picked up a glass of water. "I hope it's not awkward that I came"

Teddy focuses back on me, her brown eyes lit up by the candles in front of us. "Not at all" and she looked opposite to Harper, her lips turning up and her dimples deepening as she watched her deep in discussion with Callie. "I know what it is to love someone you're not with, and have to sit through meals with their family"

"She's everywhere" I whisper against the glass of water at my lips, not intending to be heard.

And she was, she was in the Greek I could hear, the eyes of Allie opposite that I could see, and the scent of the food mixed with her Moms perfume.

Teddy's perfume got stronger as she leant in and nudged me affectionately "Shes actually right there" she whispered, pointing to the window.

The table all erupted into excitement and cheers "Opa" as Wren and Olympia appeared at the window with Cameron coming up behind with a large smile.

Wren and Olympia did a little dance of excitement to see everyone as Harper cried and Teddy jumped up to get the door. "My babies"

Wren scanned the table through the window as if she was searching for something, until her eyes met mine, and it was clear then that it had been me. We both smiled softly at the same time.

"Hi" she mouthed raising her hand in a cute little wave.

"Hi" I mouthed back, raising a glass with a slight amused roll of my eyes at the family chaos around me.

The room fell to silence for me then as we looked upon each other for the first time in over four months. There was a whole room of excited family blowing my eardrums ... but all I could hear was my heart beat quickening in my ears to be under her gaze again.

Teddy lifted her and Olympia, greeting them in excitement. Our eye contact broke, and I gasped a little like I had been holding my breath that entire time.

I turned to find Veda and Josie watching me with their chins resting on their hands, like two naughty children. "Whipped" Veda noted.

"In love" Josie corrected "it's adorable"

Veda looked sideways to her "You buy into this love charade ... don't you think we all just buy into the thought of it ... but in reality it doesn't exist. It's a unicorn Josie. A fairytale." Veda said sceptically. "And it will leave us all desperately depressed as we search heaven and earth for it ... because it's an illusion"

Josie shook her head and picked up a small tomato from the salad. She popped it into her mouth and bit into it. "It's real V. Trust me... I grew up with it. You wanna see a unicorn" she asked her seriously.

Veda laughed. "Sure why not"

Josie gestured to everyone who was re entering the room. Willa and Allie, Harper and Teddy. "Look around long enough and you will"

Veda didn't get it, she was cynical and closed off to the idea of it. Her life this far hadn't consisted of much love and she sure as hell hadn't witnessed it in her own parents. She sounded like me. I had been the same up until recently. Love had alluded me, not even revealing itself in the ghosts of girlfriends past. I saw it though, what Josie saw. The unicorn.

Wren entered the room straight after her parents, with Cameron and Olympia ... and as she did my heart skipped away... desperate to be reclaimed by her.

Love wasn't an illusion ... and I was lucky enough to discover that for myself. I hoped I would once again soon hear it's tune like the wind chimes by the lake house...as it came back for me...once again.