Page 146 of On Merit Alone
Huggers, this family. That’s where Ira got his snuggling from. The second I saw the woman, I was in her arms.
Ira’s mother wasn’t tall at all. She was quite small actually with deep brown skin that was softer than anyone’s I’d ever felt, and a warm round face that immediately reminded me of her children’s smiles. And with her arms around me, she must have had some type of magical spell that made it impossible for me not to return the affection because I was there circling my arms and squeezing her hello right back.
When she pulled away, she held onto my elbows gently and looked up at me like I was an old family friend that she simply hadn’t seen in a couple years and not a brand new person she was just meeting right now.
“Ah,” she said with a bright smile. “Nice to meet you, honey. I’m Lisa.”
“Hi,” I said. “I’m Merit.”
“What a pretty name.” She took a step back, her hands slipping down into mine as she looked me over like some sort of garment. “And such a pretty girl. So tall, too!”
Flicking my eyes up to Ira’s and then quickly back to his mom, I shrugged. “Comes with the territory, I guess.”
Her eyebrows went up. “Oh, I knew it!”
My eyebrows went down. “Um?”
But she was already leaning her shoulders back and calling out, “Isaiah, she’s a model, just like we thought!”
I choked, and Ira did too. I narrowed my eyes at him because it wasn’tthatfunny. But I broke when I caught the amusement in his eyes… because yeah, it was pretty funny.
His mom looked from me to him and back to me with a puzzled expression. “What?”
I smiled good-naturedly. “Thank you for the compliment, but?—”
“She plays basketball, Mom,” Ira finished for me, giving hismother wide eyes as he eased up to my side. “Although she could model if she wanted.”
I gave him a sugary sweet smile that I knew came off as sarcastic, and he grinned like he wassofunny.
“Oh,” Lisa blinked, taking a step further back and looking me over a second time. “Oh, I?—”
“Don’t sound so disappointed, Mom.” More huge eyes from Ira and a snort from somewhere behind us that sounded like Iris.
“Oh, you shush,” she said, patting her son and blinking up at me. “Now, I didn’t mean it like that. I just never expected him to?—”
“Good God almighty, is that Merit Jones standing in my kitchen right now?” a warm, deep voice asked from the direction that everyone seemed to be materializing from.
My eyes went up, and up and up, to find a face that looked so much like Ira’s that I immediately blinked. Then I smiled nervously becausewhat did he just say?
“Hi,” I offered the man who couldn’t be mistaken for anyone other than Ira’s father with his warm golden skin and strong angular features. He even had the curly head, though thinning at the top. Reaching out a hand, I closed the space between us. “Nice to meet you, I’m?—”
“Merit Jones. Don’t I know it,” he said as his large hand engulfed my own, the other coming over to cover it in a two-handed shake.
Looking over at Ira, I couldn’t help my incredulous smile. “I’m only recognized by people when I’m with you. I swear you’re putting them up to it.”
He lifted a shoulder. “Nah, you’re just that good, Six. Dad, let her go, yeah? Remember I saiddon’tcrowd her.”
“Oh, sorry,” he said, dropping my hand and sliding his own into his back pockets. “I’m just a big basketball fan, and woo—girl, you’ve got talent.”
I smiled. I couldn’t help it, not with the warmth and pride that comment brought up in me. “Thank you, sir.”
“Oh! Call me Isaiah,” he added. Hands going to his hips, head shaking, he just kind of looked at me. “Wow.”
Familiar hands slid over my shoulders and though both his parents were so nice, I couldn't help melting into the supportive touch. “Okay. Are we done being weird now?”
“Not yet,” another voice said from the opposite side of the room where Ira and I had come in. “Weird brother and company have arrived.”
“Oh good,” Ira said. “I was starting to worry you finally got lost up your own?—”
