Nick's friend

Inviting over the family recently moved into the house down the street seemed like a neighbourly, Holiday spirity thing to do. After her normally introverted parents had decided to branch out of their comfort zone and socialise this year, Anika had been meeting a lot more of the neighbourhood...the newest being the Loch's whose Father's shared an intense love of cooking just like her mother. In fact, it was only the other day during an impromptu meet as she picked her older brother up from his job at the local woolworths did she find out that Eric and Nathan loch had both run a famous bakery down in Melbourne, the arts capital of their nation and apparently a city with a cut throat competitive hospitality and retail industry.

The mouth watering scents of cinnamon, melting chocolate and sugary goodness wafted through the brightly lit lounge room as Anika pretended to find the latest FIFA game interesting. In reality, she was closely yet subtly watching her brother's interaction with Nick, the adopted son of Eric and Nathan and her brothers newest...and only friend. Whilst they seemed to get along well and Nick seemed to be a geuninely good person, she couldn't help but feel intensely protective over her only sibling. It was one of the reasons why she had suggested the cookie exchange with the Loch's, partly because she wanted her Mum to make friends with similar interests to her own and partly because she needed to make sure that Nick was good for her brother. 

Despite being several years older than her at 25, Ben had certain traits that meant that it was hard for him to not only connect with people but to process the world around him. It was one of the reasons why their sibling roles were reversed. She was the younger sister who looked after her older brother, she took him to and from work and therapy appointments as she fought to balance not only her family commitments but her university and work load as well.

She had not intentionally decided to be her brother's personal bodyguard, Anika had sort of fallen into the role when she had been old enough to realise the bullying her brother went through everyday at high school, tormenting that swiftly stopped as soon Anika had gotten her parents involved and used her somewhat popular status as a 'junior athlete' to get the sterotypical well liked kids to ignore her brother rather than target him. Agreeing to be on various sports teams and grant small favours was a small price to pay if it meant that it would save her brothers mental health.

She was pulled from her dwelling thoughts by the sudden exclamations from the young men sitting in the couch across from her, their 'bro' hugs and grins all the evidence she needed to know that they had won the fake soccer game they had been working at for the last hour.

As her Mother called that the first batch of cookies were ready, Anika slowly got up from her favourite armchair as her brother practically sprinted to the kitchen...his gangly limbs making him make a little like a scarecrow as his brilliant blue eye sparkled with happiness.Laughing at her brothers enthusiasm she moved to turn off the television, her hand brushing Nick's tanned one as they both awkwardly chuckled and retrated their hands. 

" My apologies."

He spoke out, his dark eyes shimmering with mirth as Anika smiled in response as she turned off the television. 

" It is admirable how protective you are of your brother, it shows how much you care for him...how much you love him. It reminds me much of the culture back when I come from, my hometown."

His low, velvet like voice drifted over to her like a smooth whiskey. His Australian accent tinted with something foreign, something that reminded her of brilliant sunsets and exotic animals. 

" Melbourne?" 

She asked politely whilst knowing deep down that he was adopted. A young foreign male adopted by a cheerful caucasian homosecual couple, it was the perfect picture of modern society...well the modern society humanity aspired to be.

" I will admit that you are very polite Anika, but you do not need to tread carefully. I am proud of my Jamaican heritage and I am even prouder to be apart of the family I am currently in and have been apart of since I was forced to flee the country when I was still a child. My parents were unable to look after me which hurts me everyday, but choosing to look at everything I have gained in this country numbs the ache of homesickness.

A little lost for words at the geunine honesty coming from the young man before her, Anika simply smiled in response and met his gaze.

" I know your brother is what most people call different Anika, he is what society classifies as 'special' or...well he does not fir the status quo. Just know, he is one of the most geuine, kindest people I have ever met and as you know, he was one of the most wickedest senses of humour once you get to know him."

Nick earnt a loud laugh in response from this. Anika's tiny christmas bell earring jangling as she pushed her chestnut coloured hair behind her ears.

" Come on Nick, let's go try the cookies our parents have made. "

The tall Jamaican man next to her simply shook his head, white teeth gleaming as they followed their noses to the kitchen where her brother was sitting at the table with the Loch's and her own parents as they sampled the desserts spread out on the wide array of plates before them.

" Aaah yes, a suburbian librarian from a Sleepy Queensland town compared with two patisserie chefts who have run their own infamous bakery for over 20 years...let's compare the pair."

He ended his statement with a put on fancy french accent that only caused Anika to laugh harder as they entered the kitchen and sat down on the spare chairs. 

Half an hour later Anika was stuffed, full of cookies. She had tried quite a variety of them from your classic gingerbread and nutmeg and cinnamon holiday cookies...to fancier gourmet ones such as dark chocolate and salted caramel oatmeal and coconut, cocoa and cream. As the rest of the party headed towards the coffee machine and pantry to make up some post dessert beverages Anika found herself sitting next to her brother in a comfortable silence. 

" Ani I trust Nick and I know you watch me, you like him too else you would have stopped him from playing with me."

Swallowing the surprise that threatened to creep across her features at her brothers unusual perceptiveness she found herse;f in the midst of a warm hug from he older sibling as she caught the gaze of her brothers new friend in the hallway mirror. His grin infectious as she found herself strongly hugging her brother back, the holiday spirit was certainly affecting them all...or perhaps it was the cookies.