The road ahead was quiet. The trees swayed gently in the breeze, casting flickers of shade across the windshield. The air inside the car had cooled, but there was still warmth between them—thick and lingering.
Ash broke the silence first.
"Are you okay?"
She tilted her head to look at him.
"Yeah. You?"
Ash kept his eyes on the road, both hands on the wheel.
"Exhausted. Also… overwhelmed. In a good way."
She let out a tired laugh. "Yeah. Same."
The silence that followed wasn't awkward. It was easy. Restful. A calmness after the storm.
As the minutes stretched on, the hum of the engine and the gentle rhythm of the trees swaying outside lulled Celeste to sleep. Her breathing slowed. Her body relaxed completely against the seat.
Ash glanced at her briefly. Just a moment but enough to see her peaceful expression. A small smile tugged at his lips. She looked so calm, like everything in her world had finally gone still.
Eventually, buildings began to rise behind the trees—quiet streets, old signs, and familiar shapes. The kind of place that never changed, no matter how many years passed.
Ash turned onto a quiet residential street, his pace slowing.
He parked near a row of modest houses, then shifted in his seat. Celeste was still fast asleep.
Leaning in, he kissed her forehead gently.
"Cel," he murmured. "We're here."
She stirred, groaning lightly before opening her eyes.
"Mm?"
He smiled.
"We're here."
She blinked a few times and looked around through the window, taking in the scene outside: the quiet street, the warm porch light, the hum of crickets hiding in the grass.
"This is it?" she asked, voice still heavy with sleep.
Ash nodded.
"Yeah."
Celeste studied his face for a moment, then leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"I'm with you," she said. "So, yeah. Ready."
And then—
*BANG!
The front door slammed open so suddenly that Ash flinched.
A shrill chorus followed immediately after:
"ASHHHHHHH!"
Three kids burst from the doorway like a pack of wild animals let loose—two boys and one girl. They tore down the porch steps and sprinted across the yard, yelling his name at top volume.
One of the boys launched himself straight into Ash's arms like a cannonball, almost knocking him over. The second latched onto his leg and held tight with a battle cry. The third—a little girl with glitter on her cheeks and a glowing toy wand—ran up behind him and whacked him on the back with it.
"You're cursed now!" she screamed triumphantly.
Ash stumbled under the surprise attack, laughing as he caught the first one and tried to shake the second off his leg.
"Okay—OW—I'm alive, I swear! Let me breathe!"
Celeste had just stepped out of the car, blinking at the scene in disbelief. She stood still for a moment, lit by the streetlight, her expression somewhere between shock and wonder.
Ash looked at her over the top of a kid's head.
"Welcome to my childhood," he said, voice muffled by the hug.
She smiled—wide and real.
"I feel like I just walked into a tornado."
"Yeah," Ash laughed. "But at least it's a loud, affectionate tornado."
From the porch, May appeared, one hand on her hip and the other holding a frying pan.
"Kids! You promised you'd wait until he got out of the car!"
Her gaze shifted to Celeste.
"You must be Celeste. I'm May, the second oldest. Come in before they start asking you to play zombie tag."
A voice from inside the house yelled, "MAY, YOU LEFT THE OVEN ON!"
"Coming!" she called back, then gave Celeste a wink. "Welcome to the circus."
Celeste laughed under her breath, stepping forward.
"It's… a very loud circus."
Ash finally peeled the kids off him and caught up beside her, brushing toy glitter off his shirt.
"This is the calmest it gets," he muttered, as they crossed into the house together.
Inside the house was exactly what Celeste expected—and a little worse.
May's husband—a stocky guy with a gentle smile—waved as he jogged over. He opened the car door for Celeste.
"Welcome! Come in, come in! I'm Jonas, May's unfortunate other half."
From the hallway, Rina's voice echoed like a warning bell.
"Ash, is that you?"
Ash groaned.
"Here we go."
Seconds later, Rina marched out with a mug in hand and a mischievous grin on her face. She took one look at Celeste and raised a brow.
"This her?"
Ash barely nodded before she smirked and stepped in close.
"I always thought you'd bring home a boyfriend first," Rina teased.
Celeste glanced at Ash, trying not to laugh. He looked both horrified and used to it.
Then Rina turned to her and pinched Celeste's cheek playfully.
"You're pretty. I like you already."
"N-Nice to meet you," Celeste blinked.
"She's cute," Rina added, nodding in approval. "Way too good for you."
"Rina—" Ash muttered, his ears burning.
"You must be the girl who makes him blush while texting at 2 a.m.," Lana's voice floated down the stairs like she'd been waiting her whole life to say it.
Celeste froze mid-step.
"I—uh—"
Ash groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"Can we not start with this?"
Lana descended with the grace of a queen and the sass of a seasoned comic, absolutely glowing with mischief. Right behind her was her husband, a tall, quiet man with kind eyes and a subtle smile.
"Ignore my wife," he said, offering Celeste a handshake. "I'm Noah. If you survive tonight, you're basically one of us."
Ash's mom emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. Her face lit up the moment she spotted Celeste.
"Darling!" she called out, beaming as she pulled Celeste into a warm hug. "You made it safely!"
Then she turned to Ash, cupping his face with both hands, eyes narrowing with playful scrutiny.
"Look at you. Glowing more than you did last Christmas. What have you been eating, sunshine?"
Ash blushed.
"Mom—"
"Shhh. Come on, food's hot and everyone's starving."
She then patted Celeste's arm gently.
"Don't be shy. You're family now."
And just like that, the chaos faded into warmth.
The dinner table was a vibrant mess: the kids jeering their dad to let them eat first, conversation bouncing from gossip to jokes, Lana and Rina arguing over who made the better casserole (it was neither), and May threatening to ban all devices at the table if someone Instagrammed the food again.
Ash sat beside Celeste, wrapping an arm around her chair. His sisters leaned across the table, interrogating her about her hometown, her course, and if she had any secret talents. May's husband Jonas helped pass the rice. Noah, calm as ever, served water and defused a dessert debate between the kids like a pro.
At one point, the younger nephew walked past carrying a toy sword. He paused.
"Uncle Ash, when can we go biking again like before?"
Ash's smile softened.
"Soon, buddy. Soon."
And in that moment, as his entire family buzzed around the table, Ash glanced at Celeste—who was laughing at one of his mom's jokes and realized how different home felt now that she was here.
Later, in the quiet after-storm of dinner, the kids finally corralled and the extras cleared away. Ash's mom caught his glance as she passed the table with a dish of dessert.
"She's welcome anytime," she said softly to him, pausing beside her chair. "You two make a good team."
Ash nodded, eyes meeting Celeste's across the room. She gave a small smile and mouthed, 'thank you.'
Without words, Ash knew coming home with her meant exactly what he'd never been able to say out loud before.
The next chapter—no matter where it took them—started right here.
___________