Family Reunion

I bounced up to the Wilkerson's driveway, expecting it to be empty as usual, but instead Hal and Lois were putting suitcase after suitcase in the trunk, with Reese, Malcolm, Dewey, and who I assumed to be Francis and his wife, Piama (Reese told me all about that) in the car. I knocked on the window and everyone looked over at me.

"Maria! What are you doing here?" Reese asked me.

"I got bored. Where's everybody going?" I asked.

"Family reunion," Lois explained, bustling around behind me. "For their father."

"Oh. Sounds fun, I guess."

"Oh, God!" Lois moaned and then glanced at me. "Do you want to come? I could really use the extra support with..." she trailed off.

"Really? You want me to come?"

"Yes!"

"But I'm not a part of the family."

"Not yet," Lois said and winked at Reese, who groaned from inside the car. "and you might as well be! You're here everyday as it is."

"Well...I'll have to ask my mom, but that sounds fun!" I cried and took out my cell phone to dial my mom's cell.

"Hi, Mom," I said, stepping away from the car so I could talk to her in private. "Did I happen to mention how cool it was of you to let me date Reese again? Seriously, I love you so freaking mu-"

"What do you want?" she asked, impatiently.

"To spend the weekend with the Wilkerson's. They invited me to go to a family reunion with them and I really want to go."

"A family reunion? They already consider you a part of the family?"

"I guess. So can I go?"

"Will there be adult supervision?"

"No, Mom. All of the adults in their family disappeared off the face of the earth," I said, sarcastically.

"Don't get smart. But yes, if there are going to be adults around, I suppose you can go."

"Thanks, Mom! I'll see you Sunday!" I cried and hung up, then made my way back over to the car. "I can go. But shouldn't I get a bag packed?"

"Oh! Yes! Run home and we'll pick you up in 10 minutes!" Lois said and I nodded and then turned and ran down the street.

It was exactly 10 minutes later and I had my bag completely packed, including a nice outfit for the family portrait that Reese had to call me last minute to tell me about. Typical.

The Wilkerson's pulled up in their van and I ran out to meet them, putting my bag in the trunk and sharing a seatbelt with Reese.

"Hey, you must be Francis," I said, tapping him on the shoulder. "I'm Maria, Reese's girlfriend. He told me all about you and I've been so excited to meet you."

"Well, hey, thanks. Maria, this is my wife, Piama." I smiled at her and she smiled back. Francis winked at me and gestured to Reese. "You keeping him in line?"

"Bet your ass I am," I said, giggling and then we were off.

"So what's Grandpa like?" Dewey asked.

"He's okay," Malcolm said. "but the rest of the family treats Mom like crap. They're jerks!"

"Oh, look what I have to look forward to," I said, sarcastically.

"But they're rich jerks," Reese added, and then looked at Dewey. "And Grandpa's the richest of them all. And he loves kids! Just say and do what I tell you, and we'll be set for life."

"You're nuts!" Malcolm cried.

"Look, it's too late for you and me. But Dewey's still cute and adorable! Although we do have a narrow window to work with: in a year, you're gonna look like a freak!"

"Aww. Poor Dewey," I said.

"I'm sorry you're so cramped, Piama. This van really isn't designed to carry 8 people," Lois said from up front.

"Oh, I guess I was thrown off by the 7 seats and the 7 seatbelts-" Piama started, but Hal nervously cut her off.

"Hey, Francis, how's that ranch job treating you?"

"Oh, great! Never a dull moment. In fact, last week I got to castrate a bull calf," Francis said.

"What does castrate mean?" Dewey asked.

"Ask your mother," Piama replied and I tried not to snicker.

"Well, I have always wanted to know how to...castratee a bull calf. Why don't you tell us about it?" Hal asked.

"It's fascinating! We use this tool called a bergeezo (sp?) and a giant pair of pliers, and the cow has to be restrained, so that it doesn't kick..."

*AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER*

"...so once you cut off their blood supply, shrivel up and are replaced by fat tissue!" Francis finished, proudly.

"Wow, what a great story, Francis! You only made the last hour and a half fly by!" Hal said as everyone got out of the car: we were here. Hal and Lois were talking to a man and a woman while Francis and Piama, and the rest of the kids unpacked the stuff.

"Who are they talking to?" I asked, nodding to the four adults.

"Oh, that's our Aunt Claire and Uncle Tom-Dad's siblings," Francis explained.

"Oh," I said and then murmured to Reese, "I'm nervous. What if they don't like me?"

"You'll be fine," he reassured me and I smiled.

"Okay."

We followed Hal and Lois into the backyard-a huge backyard with a pool and statues and hedges and everything. It was so cool.

"Wow!" Dewey cried, and I nodded. Wow was right.

"Hi, Dad!" Hal cried, waving, as we made our way towards the pool. An older man in a snorkel turned around and said,

"Hal! You made it! Anybody help an old man out of the pool?" Reese started forward, but Hal held him back.

"I got you, Grandpa," Francis said, walking up to his grandfather in the pool and extending his hand. His grandfather hoisted him into the pool (it sorta looked like he half-jumped, but maybe that's just me) and the kids moaned because their grandpa had to get out of the pool.

"Hey, hey, hey, what do you think that guy is for? His name is Francis. Be careful, you don't get another one!" their grandfather cried and the kids tackled Francis.

"Ohhh, oh, the one and all!" their grandpa said, playing a sissy fight with Hal, and then gave Lois a kiss on the cheek. "Aah, Lois." He skipped me and Reese and went straight to Dewey. "Dewey! My goodness, you've grown! I bet you don't even remember me." Dewey glanced over at Reese, who gave him a nod, and then Dewey said,

"Yes, I do. You swang to me when I was sweepin'."

"You remember that? Why, that's adorable!" their grandpa cried.

"Well, it's so good to see you, Dad. I have to admit, I was a little nervous about coming back here after so much time has gone by, I expected-" Hal started.

"You expected car trouble? Cuz I think you packed a spare tire!" their grandpa cried, tickling Hal and he laughed and writhed away from his father's touch.

"Ah, Malcolm, I understand they finally figured out you're a genius," their grandpa said, moving on to Malcolm. "What's your favorite subject in school?"

"I don't know, history?" Malcolm said.

"History, is it? What do you think about the Civil War?"

"I guess it's kinda interesting."

"Ooh, have I got something to show you!" their grandpa cried, dragging Malcolm inside.

"There you are!" a woman cried, walking up to Hal and Lois with a man at her side.

"Hi, Amelia!" Lois said, happily.

"I swear, this reunion is going to be the death of me. Feeding this many people everyday, trying to keep track of all the kids. I swear, I had to run the croqasian

(sp?) room all by myself!" the lady ranted, sticking a name tag on Lois's shirt. "Tomorrow we've got a pancake breakfast and a family portriat at 3, dinner at 5, and gifts at 6 with no one to take charge but me! This is what General Dortschroff (sp?) must've felt like during Desert Storm!" the lady turned on her heel and waltzed out of there, with the man on her heels.

"God, what a bitch!" I whispered to Reese, but he and Dewey were gone. Damn boys. I wandered around the pool for a while before finding 2 girls who looked my age.

"Hi, I'm Maria," I said, shyly and they just stared at me. One was blonde and the other a redhead and both extremely pretty. Prettier than me, I couldn't help thinking.

"I'm Amy," the blonde said, cautiously, like if she made the wrong move I would bite her head off. "and this is my sister, Pamela."

"Hi," I said.

"So...why are you here?" Pamela asked, chewing her gum, loudly.

"I'm Reese's girlfriend and Lois invited me to come."

"Lois? Ha! No wonder!"

"What?"

"God, what are you even doing here? You're not a part of this family! You're such a slut!" Amy cried and I froze.

I already had kids at school calling me a slut because of Alex. And I know I made this big, speech thingy about not caring, but it did bug me...a teensy bit.

"I-"

"You're so pathetic!" Pamela said, before she and Amy walked off, laughing. The whole rest of the day I walked around all sad in a weird, gloomy funk and Amy and Pamela kept walking by me and coughing,

"Slut!"

By the time it was time to go to bed, I was almost in tears. But then I saw Reese, Malcolm, and Dewey all laying down to go to bed and I walked over to them, insantly feeling better.

"We did some good work today," Reese said as I laid down in between him and Dewey. "Tomorrow we'll hit Grandpa with a good Lollipop number right after breakfast."

"I wanna swim in the pool!" Dewey pouted and Reese replied,

"You can swim in the pool when we own the pool. Nice angle you're working with Grandpa, Malcolm. I have to admit, you're getting a lot of face time, but when he croaks, all he's gonna leave you is that stupid Civil War crap."

"Reese-" Malcolm started, but Reese cut him off:

"You can have it, but I want it out of the house." He started to lay down when these two younger kids came stomping up to us.

"Back off Grandpa," the older one said. "He's ours!"

"What?" Reese asked.

"We've been working this guy for 3 years! And we're not about to let you waltz in here and snake him out from under us!"

"What are you saying?" Dewey cried.

"It's a big house. Accidents happen," the younger one said and Reese and Dewey's eyes widened as I grabbed onto Reese's hand.

It was later that night and Malcolm and Dewey were fast asleep. I thought Reese was asleep, too, but he rolled over and started kissing my neck.

"Reese, not here," I whispered. "Your brothers are 2 inches away."

"Aren't they sleeping?" he asked.

"That's not the point."

"What is the point?"

"We're gonna get caught."

"Then let's go someplace where we won't get caught."

"Reese, no. I'm not in the mood."

"Why not?"

"I'm just not, okay?" I snapped and he frowned at me.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just...nothing," I murmured, shyly.

"Tell me," Reese pushed, and slid his hand under the covers to touch my hip.

"Some of your bitchy-ass cousins keep calling me a slut. And I don't want to give them any reason to keep calling me a slut."

"Bitchy-ass cousins? Ohhh, Amy and Pamela."

"Yepp."

"Well, don't listen to 'em. Who cares what they think? We're leaving tomorrow, anyway."

"Yeah, I guess so. Thanks, baby," I said, and leaned up to kiss him.

"SLUT!" someone cried and both of us looked up to see Amy and Pamela smirking at us from across the room. I leaned up and gave them the finger, and then kissed Reese

again.

It was the next day, and Reese, Dewey, and I were signing our names on the gigantic birthday cards. And after we did that, we were sabataging (sp?) everyone else's.

For example, Reese put: 'P.S. I hope you die!' under Trevor's signature and added: 'your money!' after 'I love you.' I, on the other hand, was sabataging (sp?) Amy

and Pamela's signatures.

"Nice touch with the backwards E! You've got a real gift for this butt-kissing stuff. We are so in!" Reese cried.

"What do you mean 'we'?" Dewey asked, and I giggled.

"Hey, slut! What makes you think you can sign our Grandpa's birthday card?" Reese, Dewey, and I turned around. Amy and Pamela were smirking at me with their hands on

their hips. I rolled my eyes.

"Go get a life, bitch, and quit bugging me," I said, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"We're not afraid of you. You're a skank," Pamela said, and I stepped towards them, balling my right hand into a fist.

"Call me a slut one more time," I growled, angrily.

"SLUUUUT!" Amy cried, smirking. I glared at her, and the brought my fist back before punching her neatly in the nose.

"Oh My God!" Pamela cried as Amy dropped like a leaf.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Amy shrieked, covering her face as Pamela tried to help her get up off the ground.

"This is what happens when you fuck with me, bitches!" I called after them and felt an adreniline rush soar throughout my body. First Alex and now Amy? I felt like I could do anything, stand up to anyone. I was invincible.

"Oh My God!" Reese and Dewey cried and I turned around to look at them.

"THAT WAS SO COOL!" Dewey screamed and ran up to give me a big hug.

"You were such a badass!" Reese agreed. "I've never loved you more than I do right now." I blushed.

"Aww, you guys, it wasn't that big a deal."

"YEAH, IT WAS!" They both shouted and I giggled, and then flexed my fingers.

"Hey, did you know it hurts your hand when you punch someone in the face? Cuz it does!"

I was standing with the Wilkerson's for the family portrait, wearing a short, black dress and black heels.

"Okay, everybody, big smiles. Cheese on 3: 1, 2, 3-" the photographer said and the entire family yelled, "CHEEESE!". Reese intertwined his fingers with mine just as the picture was taken. "Okay, let me get one more real quick."

"CHEEESE!"

"Excellent, thank you, everybody!" the photographer said and everyone spread out.

"Hey, isn't that your mom?" I asked Reese, pointing and we followed Malcolm, Dewey, Hal, Francis, and Piama as they made their way over to Lois.

"Lois, where were you?" Hal cried and she turned on her heel and walked into the house. We all mindlessly followed her until she walked straight into a closet and shut and locked the door. Everything was quiet for a moment before we heard Lois's soft sobs coming from the other side of the door. Hal stormed out, angrily and I was frozen. I didn't know what the hell I was supposed to do. What any of us were supposed to do.

"Hey, is Lois gonna help with the salad?" their Aunt Claire asked and we all turned around.

"God, more drama from that woman," Amelia said when they heard Lois crying and my jaw dropped. Bitch! The two women left and Francis, Reese, Malcolm, and Dewey marched out of the room. Piama and I looked at each other for a moment and then ran after them.

"What are you gonna do?" Piama asked.

"We don't know," Francis replied. "We never know."

Piama and I stood by to watch while Francis, Reese, Malcolm, and Dewey tore across the lawn in a golf cart. The table where everyone was eating at collapsed as they ran over it with a golf cart, and people jumped out of their way, screaming. They grabbed the tablecloth, having it drag behind them as they raced across the grass.

Piama and I watched, smiling in amazement and awe. They swerved, knocking over a Civil War statue and drove straight into the swimming pool.

"I love dating a Wilkerson," I said, and Piama nodded in agreement.

"Me too!"

I was back in the car, smushed in between a soaking wet Reese and Dewey. We had to leave there pretty fast-the entire family was majorly pissed about the golf cart thing. And plus, Amy and Pamela told Amelia (their mom) about how I punched Amy in the face and let's just say that I'm probably not welcomed back.

"I am so very disappointed...in all of you!" Lois cried. "I don't care what those people did-that was no way for you to behave! Right, Hal?"

"Yes! You boys are on notice! If you ever drive a golf cart over a catered dinner and into a swimming pool again, there will be consequences! Dire consequences!" Hal agreed.

"Guess we just kissed off our 6-figured trust fund," Reese pouted.

"I told Grandpa you tied me to the golf cart," Dewey said.

"What? He still likes you...nice! We're back in the game!"

"Yeah!" Dewey said, sarcastically and I laughed.

"Oh! Piama, is that too much air on you?" Lois asked and Reese, Dewey, Malcolm, and I all looked at each other in confusion.

"No!" Piama cried.

"Reese, your family is so strange," I whispered. "but I love it."

~i'm so in love with you.~