"They approve." Her husband told her.
"Why wouldn't they?" Jillian asked. "Why don't you all take the kids and get them washed up, and we'll put everything on the grills and you can come and take over when you get back."
One thing Jillian had learnt in 45 years of marriage, never to come between a man and his grill.
"Kids, time to wash up." Andy announced.
There was a flurry of activity as the father heard the kids inside.
"Having fun?" Nick asked when he walked over to where Sara was sat on the ground.
"Those kids have a lot of energy."
"Of course they do, most of them are under ten."
"You definitely have good genes."
"You don't look too bad in yours either darlin'." He winked at her.
"Idiot." Sara rolled her eyes.
"We need to go and wash up." Nick held out his hands to help her up.
"Thanks." Sara dusted off her butt.
"You might have to queue." Nick told her.
"I don't mind."
When got outside after finally finding a sink to wash their hands at, everyone had already grabbed a plate. The mom's were dishing out food that didn't need to be cooked. One of the grills contained meat and the other vegetables.
Sara stopped and took it all in.
"You okay?" Nick asked.
"You have a great family." She told him.
"They're your family too now." Nick told her. "Grab a plate; we all have big appetites, so food tends to disappear very quickly."
"Right."
Sara made small talk with most of the family while they ate; they recalled stories and family memories to share with her.
Once they were done eating they started to collect all the plates together.
"Sara." One of the girls came over to her.
"Amy right?" Sara guessed. She nodded. "What can I do for you?"
"Do you want to be on my team?"
"Your team?" Sara questioned.
"For the softball game." Amy explained. "We always play after a picnic."
"Honey, Sara doesn't know about all our family traditions yet." Becky told her daughter. "She might not even know how to play softball."
"But it's easy." Amy said.
"Why don't you ask her if she knows how to play first and then if she wants to play." Becky suggested.
"Do you know how to play softball?" Amy asked.
"Just about, I'm not very good."
"Nor is Dad." Amy said.
"Don't mention that to your father." Becky told her.
"Do you want to play?"
"Sure." Sara agreed.
"What's going on?" Nick asked walking over.
"I'm being drafted." Sara told him.
"For what?"
"Softball." Amy told him. "She's going to be on my team."
"Oh really."
"Who else is playing?" Sara asked.
"It's usually Stokes vs. husbands, wives, fiancée's. Then we split the kids who are old enough to play down the middle. Mom and Dad referee." Becky explained. "Why do you think we taught Nick how to play?"
"Okay." Sara agreed.
"You know I'm better than you now." Nick pointed out.
"No you're better at football, which is why we don't play tag football especially since some of the kids are too little. Softball is easier." Becky corrected. "Honey, we'll play in a little while we just have to tidy up first."
"Okay Mom." Amy ran off to tell her cousins.
TBC