**Chapter 10: An Unexpected Guest**

The evening was unfolding in a way that I hadn't anticipated, and I couldn't help but wonder how things had taken such an interesting turn. As we sat down to eat, Emily couldn't resist teasing Ms. Johnson, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "So, Ms. Johnson, I hear you've been getting cozy with someone in the family," she said, her voice laced with amusement. Ms. Johnson's face turned bright red, and she looked like she wanted to crawl under a rock. Alex, who was sitting across from her, looked like he was trying not to laugh. I shot Emily a warning glance, but she just grinned. Ms. Johnson looked down at her plate, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was just one night, okay? It didn't mean anything." Emily raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I'm sure it didn't mean anything to Alex, but what about to you? Did you at least get a good night's sleep?" The kitchen erupted into laughter, and I couldn't help but chuckle. I playfully scolded Emily, "Hey, lay off her. She's had enough teasing for one day." Emily just winked at me, and I could tell she was enjoying herself. Ms. Johnson looked up, a hint of a smile on her face. "Thanks for defending me, I guess," she said, her eyes flicking to mine. I smiled and nodded, trying to put her at ease. As we continued to eat, the tension in the kitchen began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of camaraderie and laughter. Alex, who had been quiet for most of the meal, spoke up, "You know, I think we can safely say that Ms. Johnson has been mooned." The kitchen erupted into laughter again, and even Ms. Johnson couldn't help but crack a smile. The rest of the evening was filled with good food, good company, and plenty of teasing. As we sat around the table, laughing and joking, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the people in my life. But as the night wore on, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated.