Ch 28
Kerrie headed back to La Push after helping Jerry, Al, and the kids to the car. Some more guests were flying in the next day, she was going to pick up her cousin Matt and his wife. She had remembered that Embry's mom was meeting them for lunch. Kerrie walked into the house and saw Tiffany at work making sandwiches.
"Hi Kerrie, I'm so sorry for the other day. I shouldn't have even mentioned that awful woman. No one is listening to her anyway."
"Not a problem, can I help?"
"Can you grab the chips on the counter? Embry should be here any minute. You two must look so cute together. I've been telling him for years it's about time he met a nice girl and settle down. All of his friends are with lovely girls except Quil but Quil is a lot more immature than the others."
Kerrie smiled as Embry walked through the door.
"Hi mom." He said kissing her cheek before going to wash his hands as Tiffany and Kerrie put the plates on the table. "How did the airport go?"
"Great, everyone landed on time and the kids behaved so we're going to the movies in 2 hours." Tiffany looked confused. "They are my cousins kids, I'm more like an aunt to them."
"That's lovely. How many?"
"Nick is the oldest, he's 7 and his brother Adam is 3. Ewan is 3, he's my oldest cousin's son. He also has a little girl Emma, but she's only 4 months old so no movie for her. My cousin Brian who is Katie's godfather is coming in a surprise with his dad and his three kids. Will is 12, Colin is 9, and Sadie is 4. My cousin Jimmy who isn't coming has a daughter that's 23 and a daughter thats 1."
"You have a big family. That's nice." Tiffany said as Kerrie smiled.
"My cousins Jerry, Matt, and Jon are like older brothers. I'm not close with Brian and Jimmy but Katie keeps in contact with Brian and his wife."
"And you and Katie are close?"
"Yes, she's my best friend."
"That's so nice to hear. I always wanted to give Embry a brother or sister but I never met a man worthy of our time. La Push must be a big change from Boston."
"Very much so, it's a tight knit community like Charlestown where I grew up. It's nice a relaxing here where Boston is very busy."
"Embry tells me you're a teacher. What grade?"
"Well… I have been teaching kindergarten but in the fall I'm teaching a newly opened preschool class. I'm staying in the same building which is nice and I'll have a lot of siblings of my previous students which is always great knowing the family."
"That's great." Tiffany said looking at Embry and smiling. "And you two met…."
"At Sam and Emily's house." Tiffany frowned a bit. "Mom, Sam is my brother." Embry said calmly as Tiffany put her hand on the table.
"Emily is nice enough but Sam… he's responsible for you acting out in high school and he pulled you away from me." Tiffany said quietly looking at her hands.
"Sam is a good guy mom."
"Well… enough about him. I'm glad you at least have the garage." Tiffany said forcing herself to smile but Kerrie could see it was a sad smile much like the ones she had forced during her childhood.
"Owning your own business must be nice. Better to be your own boss." Kerrie said as Tiffany actually smiled.
"Let me ask you some more about teaching. How many students do you have?"
"In first and second grade you have 22. Third through fifth you have 25. Sixth through eighth they can have up to 28 but that rarely happens. Next year I'll have 20 in preschool, that's the same as kindergarten and I'll have a full time assistant."
"That is such a fun age. Kids are so happy and innocent when they are young."
"Most of the time but you see some kids that have terrible home lives, it breaks my heart every time I have to file reports against parents. I've only had to do it twice and then last year a child was taken away from her family right before school started. Her poor aunt had no idea what she was doing. A lot of what we are doing these days are educating parents too since so many are young or completely clueless as to what they should be doing."
"That's good though, I was young when Embry was born I had little to no help. Luckily I could read so I spent a lot of time in the library."
Embry looked at his watch.
"I need to be heading back."
Tiffany nodded.
"Me too, I have the afternoon shift at the shop."
"I can clean up, not much to do and I have some time before I need to go pick up the boys."
"Are you sure?" Tiffany asked.
"Of course, you made the sandwiches."
"It was a pleasure to talk to you. I'll see you again at the wedding."
"It was nice getting to know you as well." Tiffany picked up her purse and headed out the door.
"That was a first." Embry said letting out the breath he had been holding.
"I'm the first girl to meet your mom?" Embry nodded his cheeks flushed.
Kerrie bit her lip.
"How did I do?"
"Fabulous, mom loved you. She wouldn't have been talking so much if she didn't like you."
"Don't you have to go back to work?" Kerrie asked as Embry pinned her to the counter.
"Nope, took the afternoon off and picked up a few hours tomorrow morning." He said kissing her neck. "I think we can find something to do." He said softly as his lips met hers. "I will only see you today and then tomorrow it will be all about the wedding." Embry said as Kerrie wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her up to his room.
An hour later Kerrie laid with her head on Embry's chest.
"Want to go with us? It might be good to have an extra set of hands and eyes. I expect Ewan to be really well behaved but Adam and Nick are iffy."
"Really? You want me to go?" Embry asked excited.
"If you don't mind seeing a Disney movie." Kerrie said half smiling.
"I'd love to go. We should get ready." He said excitedly.
"We have a little over an hour until we need to get them." Kerrie said leaning down to kiss Embry.
"You are going to be the death of me." Embry muttered.
As planned Kerrie and Embry arrived at the hotel a few minutes ahead of schedule. Al texted her saying they were all in Uncle G's suit hanging around.
"They are all in one place. Come on." Kerrie said getting out of the car. Embry felt nervous, from what Kerrie said her cousins were like her older brothers and her uncle was a father figure.
"Maybe I-"
"Come on, I said you were here." Kerrie grabbed his hand and they passed by John who was in the lobby reading a book. "Hi dad." Kerrie said a John smiled seeing the pair together.
"Hello Kerrie and Embry, I hear you're taking the boys out."
"Yes, very exciting."
"Yes, all 3 are pinging off the wall thats why I escaped down here."
"See yea later, dad."
Embry waved as they got on the elevator and made their way to the room. The door was propped open a bit and Kerrie could see her cousin Jon lecturing Adam who looked to be crying.
"Kewie!" Adam said wiping his cheeks and running to Kerrie to be hugged.
"I hope you're not in trouble with daddy." Jon smirked as Adam made his cute face.
"Who you?" Adam asked pointing at Embry.
"This is my friend, Embry. He's going to go to the movies with us." Adam crossed his arms and pouted.
"Ni! Kewie, here!" Adam yelled as everyone stopped what they were doing.
"Jon, Embry." Kerrie said as Jon put out his hand.
"Welcome to the craziness. My two will be jerks so don't be offended. They are obsessed with Kerrie." Jon said with a chuckle as a taller blonde haired boy came running over nearly knocking Kerrie over.
"Let's go!" He said jumping up and down.
"Everyone is is Embry. This is Adam, Nick, that's their mom Beth. That's my Uncle G and Ewan, Allison, Jerry, and Emma Grace. This is Embry." Kerrie said as she hurried over to Emma who was cooing as she looked at her. "Look at the princess!" Kerrie said as Emma put out her chubby arms to Kerrie.
"See, dad, I told yea. I knew it, I said to Al the other night if she takes to anyone it will be Kerrie." Jerry said standing.
"Nice to meet yea, Embry. Hope you're treating my little cousin well."
"Jer, stop it." Al said hitting his arm. "Ewan, come said hi." A little boy with dark hair who looked like a mini version of his mom came over.
"Hi." He said and put his face against his mother's leg.
"Oh Ewan is being shy. Say hi Emma." Kerrie took Emma's little hand and waved it at Embry but as she looked at him she started to cry. "Oh no." Kerrie said making a silly face as Emma grabbed her cheeks.
"She won't let us hold her, I'm Beth." Jon's wife said with a pout.
"Every family needs a diva, Emma is taking over for Katie." A large man said standing. He wasn't as tall as Embry but he had a broad chest and a round face.
"I'm Gerhard but everyone calls me Gerry." He said shaking Embry's hand.
"Nice to meet all of you."
"Kewie, we go now!" Adam said stomping his foot.
"Ok, ok." Kerrie handed Emma back to her father as she started to whimper.
"Run." Jon mumbled. "She's been screaming every time she even looks at us." He said as Jerry shot him a look.
"Here's a bag with extra clothes just in case." Beth said as Al nodded.
"Ewan, tell Kerrie if you need to go potty ok?"
"Yup." Ewan said taking Kerrie's hand shyly.
"I go potty too!" Adam said as Nick started to laugh.
"You still wear diapers." His brother said sticking out his tongue. Adam hit Nick as the older boy frowned.
"No hitting or you stay here." Jon said pointing at Adam who glared at his father. "I brought all the booster seats down, your dad was watching them." Jon said as Kerrie nodded.
"We're ready to go." Nick took off out the hallway.
"Nick, you need to stay at my side or no special treats." Kerrie said as the blonde boy ran back.
"Sorry." He said with a grin. "Let's show Embry how good you are."
"When are we getting the special treats?" Nick asked as Adam tugged on Kerrie's hand.
"Up!" Kerrie stopped him up and took Ewan's hand again.
"Doesn't Adam look like Kerrie." Nick said as they waited for the elevator. Embry nodded. The little boy had what looked like strawberry blonde hair. "And Emma does too. I look like momma and Ewan looks like Auntie Al." Nick said as they got in. He was about to press all the buttons but stopped and waited for Embry to press the correct button. When they got to the lobby Embry took the booster seats and Kerrie put down Adam to help put them in.
