"Hi, Alex! I'm Ashley—Audrey's mom," she said warmly, stepping forward with a bright smile. "By the way… when are you two getting married and having kids? I'm not getting any younger here."
"Mom!" Audrey groaned, her face turning bright red.
"I want grandkids, honey! Why are you embarrassed? You're red as a cherry," Ashley teased, waving a finger at her daughter.
"Well… you didn't have to say that in front of everybody!" Audrey protested, glancing at me.
Laughter filled the room, warm and infectious.
"I'm LaDonna," another woman said, extending her hand. "Audrey's older sister. It's good to see you awake."
"Thank you… it's nice to meet you," I said, shaking her hand. Something about her felt familiar, though I couldn't place why.
"I gotta get going," Ashley said. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. Got paperwork to finish, but call me if anything happens."
"Alright, bye! Be safe. We love you. See you later," Audrey and LaDonna said together.
"Hi! We're Audrey's younger siblings—we're twins," a girl said, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I'm Bella."
"And I'm Kyle," the boy added, grinning. "We can't wait to hang out with you."
"It's nice to meet you guys," I said.
"Yeah, me too! By the way… who's older?" I asked, curious.
"She's older by half a second. We're sixteen," Kyle said. I chuckled at that.
"By the way, we have donuts if anyone wants some," Bruce, Audrey's dad, said, holding up a box.
"What type?" Ashley asked.
"Jelly donuts. Audrey and I shared one, so there's eleven left," he replied.
"Ooo," Ashley said, peeking inside. "Was there anything else beside that?"
"Mom!" Audrey groaned.
"I'm only teasing," Ashley said, chuckling. "Of course we don't want them to go to waste."
"By the way, are you going to enroll in college, Alex?" Bruce asked.
"I'll probably enroll this December and take summer school, so I don't stay another year," I said.
"That sounds like a plan. We're all here for you if you need help," Bruce said kindly.
"Thank you, that means a lot," I replied, smiling at the genuine warmth around me.
"Well, of course," Ashley said, giving me a gentle nod.
"You're also part of the family," Bruce added. "Soon-to-be son-in-law."
I smiled. "You guys make me feel at home. That makes me happy."
"Aww, you're so sweet, Alex," Ashley said, brushing a hand over her chest.
"Oh, when's your next appointment?" Bruce asked.
"It's on the fifteenth, Thursday, at ten a.m. Audrey has the info on her phone and will put it on the calendar," I replied.
"If you want, I can take you," Ashley offered.
"Sure, I don't mind at all," I said.
"Alright, sounds good, kiddo," she said.
"So… what do you guys want to do?" Kyle asked.
"We could go to the park near the lake, have a picnic, and then take a walk. It's a nice day," Audrey suggested.
"That sounds fun," I said. The thought of fresh air and sunlight made my chest feel lighter than it had in a long time.
"Alrighty, that settles it! We're leaving in five minutes," Audrey said.
"I'll pack some food and water bottles," Kyle offered, already moving toward the kitchen.
"Sounds good," Audrey said. "I'm going to the station to clock out."
"I'll go with you," Ashley said. "We'll meet you guys there."
I watched them move around, laughing and teasing each other. Even though I didn't remember much, it felt… familiar. Like I belonged here.