Who Am I (A Jai Courtney Fanfic) Book 2

Chapter 116-Jai

*****

I hear the sink on in the kitchen and the clang of a few dishes.  The match is almost over but I'm more interested in finding out what she's up to.  I step in to see her washing dishes and setting them aside.  I slide my arms around her waist as she finishes and kiss her temple.  "What're you doing, love?" I ask. 
"Just cleaning up," she shrugs. 
I see a few purple glass jars of liquid set out on some towels across the bench.  There's a cookie sheet with the sugar set aside.  She notices my gaze.  "It just needs some time to dry," she explains.  "I'll check it in the morning.  We're having dinner at my parents'."
"They just texted me to remind us to come over whenever we want.  The tucker should be done within the hour," I tell her nuzzling my face at her neck. 
She chuckles lightly. 
"Am I tickling you, love?" I whisper. 
She hums a reply. 
"You want to head over?" I ask her. 
"We could," she nods. 
"Your brothers are there—Artie with the fam and Mikey has Jada over.  They said the wedding party will be coming, too," I add. 
"We should probably go and introduce them," she decides. 
I agree.  When the match is over we make the short drive to their neighborhood.  We step inside and introduce everyone.  Her granddad is here as well which is a surprise.  He shakes my hand and congratulates us on the upcoming wedding.  I feel like the more I see him, the more he remembers me... or perhaps those journals Meg and her mum give him help him with his memory.  My mum seems so happy to meet Meg's family.  Tabby and Jojo come right up to me.  I pick them up and I introduce them to my parents.  My mum looks so pleased.  She meets Yvette and asks to hold the baby.  She sits down and just holds him, talking and playing with him.  I grin at that. I've never seen her like that. Mikey shows my mates around while my dad spends time with Nick on the back veranda. It looks likes he's grilling... and maybe smoking some things. I didn't even know he had a smoker. I step into the kitchen where Hannah is. She looks to be putting the final touches on a few dishes—salad, cut veggies, there's some things in the oven. She's made a pasta side dish with those morels. I see some sort of desserts in a couple crockeries on the bench that look incredible. They're all made with fruit—pies, cobblers, or whatever.  She greets me kindly and asks me to hand her a few things from the fridge.  I open it up to see it chockers with what I'm assuming is potato salad, coleslaw, and other cold dishes.  I grab a few items and set them on the bench for her.  Johnno comes out from the basement and calls out to me. 
"Did you know Megan can play the drums?" he asks me. 
"Yeah," I nod.
"Have you seen her down there?" he asks. 
I shake my head thinking I've only seen the sampling at the music shop in LA. I follow him down insisting that I see this.  Megan is seated in front of the tv on her knees.  There's what looks to be a plastic drum in front of her and another beside her with nobody there. I notice Jada and Mikey down here along with Damo and Bran.
"What are you playing, love?" I ask her.
"Taiko no Tatsujin," she replies. I've never heard of it but she did mention this drum game before. I sit down beside Bran.
"Aren't you going to play again?" Damo asks Mikey.
"Not when Meg is playing," he laughs. "I can play this on easy and normal for some but I'm nowhere near her level."
"I was playing and failing," Jada explains. "She took over for me."
I nod and watch as Megan selects the level. "What song should I play?" she asks.
"Megalovania," Mikey requests.
"Alright," Meg laughs lightly. She selects it.
"I love Undertale," Jada grins.
I've heard of the game but never played it.

The tune starts playing and I instantly recognize it. The game seems pretty cute with an anthropomorphic drum and other characters dancing around on the screen.  She starts playing and I'm grinning at how good it sounds, how talented she is.  The speed increases and she keeps up.  I am impressed with her incredible skill.  Then the speed is so fast that I can hardly follow but she hits it precisely. My mouth hangs open at the momentum of it all. I'm just in awe. Eventually, the music slows a bit but it's still fast. As she finishes and clears the level with a new high score, all my mates clap for her. She's blushing and laughing—a little embarrassed by the attention. I close my cake hole and try to form a coherent thought as she approaches me. She shrugs it off and sits on my lap.
"We need to get you one of those... the real ones, I mean," I tell her.
"Yeah, I'd like my own someday," she grins.
No doubt. That'd be impressive on the stage someday in a concert or something—or an album for that matter.
We watch as a few of my mates give it a go. They all try the easy or normal levels. After a couple rounds, they play a few other games that Mikey has for the system before I hear Hannah announcing the tucker is ready.
We all mount the stairs. Just about everyone is gathered in the kitchen or nearby. Nick and Hannah pray over the meal and we all enjoy it. The spread is enormous—pulled pork, brisket, snags, an array of cold salads, mac and cheese, homemade sauces and dressings... 
I let everyone go first and my parents look impressed by the spread.  I see my dad get a snag and some other protein which is surprising.  Hannah and Nick do make seriously amazing meals when they entertain.  The dinner for our reception here will be catered but I helped choose the meal and it sounds fantastic.
The doorbell rings and Hannah opens it to the group from the Southside church.  I see Gale and Floyd enter first, then Izaak and Valentina.  Pastor Ben and his wife—Dianna—are last in. I realize that everyone who'll be at the wedding is here... and it's close to a week away.  I feel a twinge in my chest—in excitement and slight anxiousness, but mostly just anticipation.  I can't wait to marry Megan.  I look for her in the crowd and see she's getting a plate with small portions.  I hope she's not cutting back to fit a dress or something like that, but then she takes it to the veranda and places it in front of her granddad.  I smile at how sweet she is—to him and everyone.  I know he can't handle the trip but he's here now and he'll be at the reception. 
I greet everyone as they arrive and I make sure they all help themselves to the tucker.  I introduce as many as I can to my rellies and mates.  Then, I finally grab a plate after everyone else has.  I see Meg going for dessert as I start walking to the veranda. 
"Having dessert first?" I tease her. 
"No," she laughs.  "This is for Popi."
"Of course it is," I grin.  "You're going to eat, right?"
"After I give him this and a drink," she nods smiling. 
I kiss her as she approaches me.  She goes back and gets a glass and pours him an iced tea—southern style sweet tea is his favorite according to Hannah.  I step outside and take the last seat at the table beside him.
"How's the snag?" I ask my dad.
"Good. Different," he tells me.
I grin and start on my plate. Meg comes and sets the dessert and tea down beside her grandad.
"I've got some peach cobbler for you, Popi," she tells him.
"That's my favorite," he tells her. "Is that sweet tea?" he asks.
"Of course. Mom made it just the way you like it," she smiles. She kisses his cheek and goes back inside.
"She's very sweet," my mum says.
"She is," I smile.
Meg returns with a plate and two glasses since I didn't grab one.
"Thank you, love," I tell her.
"Do you mind if we share?" she whispers to me.
"Not at all," I grin.
She sits on my lap. "He was supposed to save me a seat," Meg says teasingly.
"I did," her granddad replies.
Everyone at the table chuckles. He's having a good day. We talk a bit—my rellies, Meg's rellies, my mates, her mates. It's nice. I nuzzle my face in the crook of her neck and wait for her to finish. I sigh in contentment. This is bliss.