My Summer Romance

Chapter 27 Family Reunion

We lucked out that my family reunion is at noon, and Adam's practice just so happens to be later tonight.

We ride in the back of the car while my dad drives. My mom looks back at us from the passenger seat.

"Are you ready to meet the crazies?" She directs to Adam.

He gives me a questionable look before answering, "Yes. Your family can't be that bad."

"You have no idea," my dad mumbles.

My family is extremely crazy. Correction, my mom's side of the family is a really whacky bunch. But every year we get together for a reunion since we all celebrate the holidays with our individual families. This is one of two times where all twelve families come together for one big gathering.

Yes, I said twelve. My mom has eleven brothers and sisters. It's like that Cheaper by the Dozen movie. Except the kids are all grown up, have their own kids, and some of their kids are having kids.

My mom is in the middle to younger side of the group with her being child number nine.

We reach the park on time. We have to rent it out because there are so many of us. The park is kind of small, so we do this out of respect since we are extremely loud.

Everyone steps out of the car and grabs whatever food item is their responsibility.

My parents walk off and I look at Adam's wide eyes. It's like he has never witnessed so much chaos in his life. Some of my cousins are whaking one another with swords, while others squirt each other with water guns. Greattt. Those are already out. Some of my cousins are climbing trees, or dangling from them, and a lot are just running around and screaming.

"How many cousins did you say you had?" Adam questions.

"I didn't."

"Well how many do you have?"

I scoff. "Yeah, let me just round them all up and count them. I don't know! I lost count when my first cousins started having kids."

Still staring at the madness, "Second question." He turns to look at me. "I thought your mom and dad are separating?"

"They are, they just haven't told anyone yet."

"Oh." Adam goes back to watching my cousins.

"Come on," I take his hand and lead him toward the pavilion.

We set our food down and are immediately approached by my craziest aunt and uncle who had nine children of their own.

"Bear hug!" My uncle says loudly as he scoops me into a hug.

"Heyy, uncle Sal. Can't breathe," I cough out. He releases me before turning his attention to Adam.

"Hey, who's this handsome guy?"

"Adam. I'm Chloe's boyfriend," Adam says while shaking hands.

"Ah. Well in this family we don't shake hands, we hug!" Uncle Sal scoops Adam into a hug, slightly lifting him off the ground momentarily.

Adam takes a beat to regain his composure before he looks my uncle up and down. "Well," he says. "If it's what we do in this family." Adam half shrugs before doing the same thing to my uncle.

Now uncle Sal has to regain himself, as he's not used to being lifted. "Chloe, I like him already! You better keep this one," he winks.

My aunt and uncle walk away to greet the next family members. Adam looks at me as if to say something before I'm suddenly lifted off the ground.