NEON

36. Family Dinner

Booker.

I laughed more when Kaplan sighed and grabbed my hand. "Everybody," there are a lot more people here than I expected.

I thought maybe it would just be mr. Ross, Cyrus, Kaplan, and maybe, MAYBE, Emily.

What even happened to her?

"This is Booger," I nudge her and she giggles quietly. "Booker, sorry some spit got caught in the back of my throat." Mm, that's attractive.

My girlfriend everybody.

"Hi," I smile and wave at the people at the large table.

"Umm, that's my aunt Viv, you can call her Viv, her husband, my uncle Sam, you can call him Sunday, my Nana, she is nana to you as well, my grandpa Henry and my grandpa Max." All of them waved and smiled at me. "Papa and, he likes to be called, Max."

"Here Booker," Max got up and sat on the other side of 'papa'. I tried to decline politely but he decided to say something pretty clever. "It's only right if you sit next to the one you love." Kaplan and I both choked.

I'm not sure why she did but I know I did because my ass is in love with her. Kaplan smiled and pulled me back into the kitchen to grab trays and dishes of food.

"Hey Cy," Kaplan said. "Can you give this to dad and have him block this number?" she hands Cyrus her phone. Cyrus walks out and answers it.

"Daddy," she said and then the kitchen doors closed so we couldn't hear her anymore. Kaplan turned to me and had a weird smile on her face.

"What?" I asked.

"You are totally S.O.L." She chuckled and grabbed a grape, chewing it while looking at me.

"Why's that?" I grabbed a grape as well. I moved closer to her, both of us still leaning our hip on the counter, facing each other.

"Because now you're family. You have to stay around and deal with all of my crap." She looked up at me, still chewing her grape.

"Who said I was going anywhere?" I stepped closer to her again, staring directly into her shiny brown eyes.

"Once our deal is off, I know you'd be happy to-" I cut her off with a kiss.

We both smiled through the kiss. "Well," Kaplan pulled away and we both looked to the kitchen door, seeing Viv stand there with a wide smirk on her face.

"Viv, are you here to help with the food?" Kaplan asks, wiping her bottom lip. I smile and grab a bowl of salad.

I pass Viv when I walk out of the kitchen door. She smiles at me wickedly and I look at Kaplan and end up smiling.

I am starting to like kissing her.

______

Kaplan sat next to me when we got all of the dishes and trays put on the table. We grabbed extra napkins just in case anyone made a mess. Ehem, Cyrus.

I laughed on the outside and Kaplan looked at me funny. I shook my head and she rolled her eyes playfully.

The doorbell went off and Kaplan and her dad both stand up. Mr. Ross dismissed himself and Kaplan sat down quietly.

"Kaplan, you remember when you were five and mom was making the thanksgiving turkey," Sunday began. Kaplan squealed and covered her face with her hands. "You shoved your hand right up that turkey and danced around with it on your hand." Kaplan squeaked as Sunday was gesturing with his hands.

I laughed and looked at her half-hidden face. I pulled her hands away from her now red face and made fun of her. The laughing died down when Mr. Ross came back in.

You. Have. To. Be. Kidding. Right now.

"Oh! Jaxx!" Nana jumped up and hugged him. "Frank!" She hugged his dad. "Where's Marie and Lexie?" she asked them.

I looked at Kaplan and she kept her head down. I looked over at Cyrus and she was glaring at the cup of water in front of her. I glanced at everyone else at the table as they had clueless smiles.

Except for Sunday and Viv.

Sunday looked like he was about to flip out and Viv looked like she was murdering him in her head.

"Here Jaxx," Max moved again and Jaxx went toward the open chair, right next to Kaplan.

He sat down next to her and smiled evilly. Everyone went back to their own chatter and sharing family stories while Kaplan stared at her plate and played with the mashed potatoes.

She got up to excuse herself after a while and I wanted so badly to get up and follow her into the backyard but I knew it would look bad. I glanced at Cyrus and she almost looked like she was mouthing to me.

Oh, she was.

'Do something' she mouthed. I excused myself as well and went outside to Kaplan.