Prompt: The first time Brennan and Leon go to a Constance family reunion as boyfriends
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Leon finished fixing my shirt for me. "There, try not to wrinkle it."
"Why do I have to look like I'm a model, again?" I said.
"My family is really..." Leon fidgeted with his dice and sighed. "They can be judgmental. They don't know anything about you. But my mom made my dad call his parents and tell them I was bringing you."
Leon's family was having a gathering at his Aunt's house. Leon's mom had insisted that I come to meet the family, especially since Adam was bringing his girlfriend. Leon seemed miserable about the whole thing since it was his dad's side of the family that I'd be meeting.
"We'll stick close to my mom. She won't let anyone say anything rude," Leon said, fixing his own shirt. "We should go, though. We don't want to be late."
We left his bedroom and went downstairs, where Leon's parents and sister were waiting. Constance was checking his watch, glancing out the window for any sign of Adam.
"George, he told you he hit some traffic leaving his apartment," Abby said, urging her husband away from the window.
"He should've left earlier so this didn't happen," Constance said. "Ah, there he is."
A car pulled into the driveway and we all went outside. Adam got out of the car with a pretty girl.
"I apologize," Adam said to his dad, bowing his head a little. "There was an accident down the road from me. The traffic was backed up."
"Leave early next time," Constance said. "We're running late. Get in the car."
We all piled into the car, and Constance backed out of the driveway. Abby was chatting away with Adam's girlfriend.
"So are you ready to meet the family?" Caroline asked me.
"If I survived your dad, I'm sure I can survive anything," I said.
Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Lee, you didn't warn Brennan about grandpa, huh?"
Leon was fidgeting again. "Well, no, not really. Grandpa wouldn't start any trouble."
"Of course he would. He's gotten meaner as he gets older," Caroline said. "Good luck with that."
"How bad can one old man be?" I said.
Caroline glanced at her father and lowered her voice. "It's the old man who raised our dad."
My eyes widened in horror. "I've made a terrible mistake coming here."
"Caroline, stop scaring him!" Leon said, shooting her a patiently exasperated look. "Bren, it'll be fine."
But he was fidgeting more than usual, and somehow looked even more exhausted than he usually did. Something told me the anxiety of today had cost him quite a bit of sleep the past few days.
