Julia let out an excited squeal, practically launching herself onto him, her arms squeezing around his torso with all the strength her little body could muster.

    "YOU''RE REALLY HERE!" she shouted, beaming.

    Ethan laughed, finally opening his eyes to look at her. "Yeah, yeah, I''m here."

    Her joy was infectious.

    "You stayed! You didn''t leave!" she cheered, bouncing excitedly.

    Ethan reached out, tapping her nose. "Told you I wasn''t going anywhere, didn''t I?"

    Julia giggled, hugging him again.

    Ethan let her.

    For a moment, nothing else mattered.

    The tension, the past, the unspoken words between him and the rest of the family — all of it faded away as he held his little sister close.

    And then, just as quickly, Julia suddenly gasped, her eyes going wide with realization.

    "Breakfast!" she exclaimed. "We have to go eat breakfast! Mom said she was going to make pancakes today!"

    Ethan chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Alright, alright. Let''s go."

    She grabbed his hand, dragging him out of bed with surprising strength for such a tiny person.

    And together, they headed down for breakfast.

    The smell of warm pancakes filled the air as Ethan walked downstairs with Julia skipping ahead of him.

    The dining table was already set, plates stacked neatly while his mother and Claire moved around, setting the last of the servings.

    The sound of clinking cutlery and the gentle hum of morning activity made the house feel lively — almost normal.

    Ethan''s father sat at the head of the table, half-hidden behind a newspaper, flipping through the pages with a slow, deliberate motion.

    His coffee sat beside him, steaming faintly.

    "Good morning," Ethan said, his voice steady but quiet.

    His father gave a small nod without lowering the paper.

    Ethan took his seat while his mother slid a plate of pancakes in front of him, along with a small dish of syrup.

    "Eat up," she said, before moving to serve Claire.

    Julia climbed onto her chair, her legs too short to touch the ground, and started eating with enthusiasm, swinging her feet.

    She was still talking about her latest drawings, babbling about a princess and a castle she had sketched the night before.

    Ethan listened quietly, nodding when she turned to him for reactions.

    Claire stood near the dining table, watching with thinly veiled suspicion.

    Their mother had stopped mid-motion, a plate still in her hands as she assessed Zack silently.

    Their father had finally lowered his newspaper, eyes narrowing slightly.

    The room suddenly felt a lot less welcoming.

    Ethan exhaled. "Zack, this is my family. Claire, my younger sister. Julia, my youngest sister. My parents."

    Zack offered a lazy wave. "Nice to meet you all. Sorry for dropping in unannounced."

    Their mother finally set the plate down and wiped her hands on a towel.

    "It''s alright," she said carefully. "Since you''re here, would you like some breakfast?"

    Zack''s face lit up. "Don''t mind if I do."

    Ethan groaned. "You''re unbelievable."

    Zack clapped a hand on his shoulder. "And yet, you still keep me around."

    Julia giggled and pulled Zack toward the table. "You can sit next to me!"

    Zack chuckled. "I''d be honored."

    The air had been tense at first.

    Zack''s unexpected arrival had thrown everyone off balance, and Ethan could feel the unspoken questions hanging in the room.

    His parents had remained reserved, Claire was watching cautiously, and even Julia, despite her excitement, kept sneaking glances between Zack and Ethan as if trying to piece things together.

    But it only took a few minutes for Zack to change that.

    He had always been good with people.

    Whether it was his easygoing nature, his humor, or his ability to adapt to any situation, Zack knew how to read a room and adjust.

    And right now, he was putting those skills to work.

    "Alright, so picture this," Zack began, waving his fork dramatically. "I''m at this fancy restaurant last week, right? Some rich guy''s party, and I don''t know anyone there except for the birthday dude, so I''m just trying to blend in."

    Julia was already leaning forward in her seat, eyes wide.

    Claire had her arms crossed but was listening, and even their mother seemed mildly interested as she sipped her tea.

    "So, I sit down at a random table, figuring, ''Hey, free food, why not?''" Zack continued. "I grab a plate, pile on some of the fanciest-looking stuff I''ve ever seen — tiny portions, but I''m starving, so I take like three of everything."

    He paused dramatically, smirking as he glanced at Ethan.

    "Then, halfway through my meal, I notice everyone at the table is staring at me."

    Julia gasped. "Why?"

    Zack sighed, shaking his head. "Because, my dear little Julia, I had unknowingly sat at the table of the host''s in-laws, who apparently have this strict ''no eating before the speech'' rule. And there I was, stuffing my face like an animal."