Dark Blood

Chapter 3

Have you ever seen a house and wondered what it was like on the inside? Wondered what its inhabitants could be doing at that very moment? If you saw a dim lamp shining through the curtains, you'd probably imagine someone curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, reading and sipping tea or coffee. If you saw the erratic, jolting blue light of a television, you'd probably imagine a family or couple lounging and watching a movie, the news, or the latest game.

Now, if you drove through one particular neighborhood, down one particular street, and looked at one particular house on one particular day... it wouldn't look much different from the rest. Just a typical cream-colored cement ranch house with lots of flowers and bushes in the front. The only thing that would stand out about this house would be the excessive amount of cars packed into the driveway and along the side of the road. From the outside, the place looked peaceful and quiet, as if all the people were outside having a chat or floating in the pool. However, a trip into that house would tell you otherwise.

It was almost complete chaos but in the best way. Hands, bodies, hair, shrieks, tears, and unbottled emotions were rampaging around the house. There were about as many flowers on the inside as there were on the outside, some of them producing cards that read Congratulations!, Happy Engagement!, She said Yes!, and so on. There were snacks and drinks laid out on the kitchen counter, and fine China was delicately arranged in the dining room. The smell of delicious food wafted inside as a man pulled a tray full of assorted meats from the smoker on the patio. In the kitchen, a few women were busily throwing ingredients into multiple bowls for salads, pastries, and other side dishes. Photos were being snapped left and right, capturing every beautiful moment. It's not every day that a member of the Morgan household gets engaged.

Currently, the said member was saving his wife-to-be from being smothered with kisses by his grandmothers.

"Sheesh, Nana, don't suffocate her. I still have to marry her!" Lukas heartily teased as he pulled Kayla away from a chittering grandma.

"Oh, I can't help it," she sighed, wiping a few happy tears from her beaming wrinkled face. "I'm absolutely overjoyed! You two are such a gorgeous couple."

As she shuffled off to talk amongst relatives, another figure carefully maneuvered her way through the mass of people. While everyone around her was almost formally dressed, she wore a school-spirit shirt, sports jacket, ripped jeans, and a pair of rather colorful striped socks.

Lukas shook his head at his sister. "Still never dress for the occasion, do you."

"Sure I do. I think I'm the best lookin' one here, besides you, of course," Kara said as she gave Kayla a warm hug.

Since she was a child, Kayla had always had to contend with her minuscule height. She got on her toes to talk to anyone and always made sure no one forgot she was there by talking a tad bit too loud all the time; it was sometimes amusing to see such a big personality stuck in such a small body. Though it took a few years, Kara was pleased to observe that she had sprouted into a beautiful, softer-spoken, slightly taller young woman. On the other hand, Lukas had achieved an extreme height since growth spurts began at the age of twelve. His long but athletic frame towered above both his bride and his older sister, making it hard for Kara to give him a hug since she reached only just above his midriff.

"Ok, sure," Lukas scoffed. "What're you going to wear to the wedding? Sweatpants? Pajamas?"

"Ha ha," Kara playfully punched him in the gut. "If you keep it up, you'll be lucky if I wear slacks."

The three of them walked around the house and talked, both amongst themselves and with others. Soon, however, it was time for dinner, and everyone piled in around the dining room table or sat on sofas nearby. Kara and Lukas' father, Don Morgan, had always been a marvelous chef. The party members were all drooling over the platter of pulled pork, sausages, chicken, and porterhouse he set before them.

"There's something here for everyone," he smiled as he plated food. Kara and Lukas exchanged snickers when they saw flakes of brisket stuck in his grey-streaked brown beard, indicating that he had been sampling his culinary creations. Kara's mother, Elizabeth Morgan, passed around drinks and gave everyone a heaping helping of sides, her brown curls bouncing around her shoulders. After everyone was seated, the room was silent save for sighs of contentment and praise for such a delicious meal. Eventually, when they were all comfortably full, the conversation turned to plans for the wedding.

"So, did you figure out where it's gonna be?" Kara asked between spoonfuls of noodle salad.

Lukas looked at Kayla and grinned. "We were thinking of being married-"

"On the same beach where Don and Elizabeth were married!" Kayla piped in, unable to contain her excitement.

Sounds of surprise and delight echoed around the table. Some people got a little teary-eyed, and even Kara found herself choking up a little. Getting married on that beach was something Lukas had always said he was going to do ever since he was little.

"Oh, sorry, honey," Kayla smiled apologetically and scrunched her shoulders. "I did it again."

Lukas rolled his eyes and sighed, picking up her hand and kissing it. "It's fine, love. You know it don't mind. You can tell them about it."

"Well," she began. "The ceremony will be outside on the beach, so we're really going to have to make sure we pick the right day. We'll set up a pavilion facing the ocean for the backdrop, and there will be rose petals, lanterns, lots of flowers, and hopefully live music."

Kayla turned to her future sister-in-law, who was currently mid-bite into a bread roll.

"Kara, we were wondering if you and maybe some of your old classmates would be able to play at the processional and the reception? Maybe a jazz band and then something more professional for the ceremony?"

Swallowing her food, Kara nodded as she wiped her mouth. "Yeah, absolutely. I'd be honored to play at your wedding. I'll get a list of potential people and reach out them once we figure out what instrumentation we'll need."

"Fantastic!" she clapped her hands together, wiggling happily in her chair. "Thank you so much!"

As the elated bride-to-be continued to discuss the upcoming wedding details, Kara nudged her brother with her elbow, forcing him to pry his doting eyes away from Kayla.

"I'm proud of you, little bro," she said, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Really proud of you."

Lukas smiled at her, a genuine smile that lit up his eyes, and wrapped an arm around her, giving her a tight squeeze.

"Thanks... little sis," he teased, tousling her hair like she used to do to him.

Kara gave him a halfhearted death stare.

"Don't even."