May 28, 1977

"What time is Emmett comin' over with Keilah again?" I asked both Keith and Mrs. Mathews.

"Keilah said around 6:30," Mrs. Mathews answered, "Or at least around then."

Keilah had been going out with a guy she'd met in one of her classes at the University of Tulsa. His name was Emmett Washington, and they'd met in her history class. They'd been going out since the middle of December in 1976. Nobody had met him just yet, but the same went for Keilah and his family. Because of this, all of us were going out to a restaurant together so we could all meet after a few months.

I'd be lying if I said this wasn't slightly nerve-wracking. The reason I say this is because I had no idea what to expect at the restaurant. None of us had ever met from either family, and I had no idea if each family knew that the other was of a different race. The way I mean that is: whether his family knew he was dating a white girl, or if anyone else other than me knew that Keilah was dating a black guy.

Honestly, I didn't see a problem with the fact that he was black and she was white. I didn't think it really made a difference- why should it, anyway? It was 1977 for crying out loud, so why was race still an issue? We're all human beings whether you're white, black, or whatever the heck you are. The only difference is your ethnicity and family background in history. In all honesty, I found the whole thing great, and it showed that there were other people who felt the same way I did about it.

Those that were going to the restaurant was me, Keith, Mrs. Mathews, Keilah, Emmett, his two brothers and his parents. We'd offered Eric and his girlfriend to come with us since they were family, but they couldn't make it due to a business dinner. Keith and I'd also be taking KJ and Sky with us to the dinner, since the Washington's said they wouldn't mind us bring them.

Which was a good thing. Cause then if they had a problem with my kids, they'd have a problem with me. Anyone who has a problem with my kids, had a problem with me.

I jumped a bit when the house phone began to ring. "I got it," I announced then ran over to the phone, "Hello?"

"Hey," Keilah's voice said, "Is that you, Rain?"

"Hey, Keilah. Yeah, it's Rain. Where're you and Emmett?"

"There's been a slight change in plans. We're all still going out tonight, but Emmett and I are gonna meet you all there."

"So the rest of us are just gonna meet the two a' you at the restaurant? Emmett's family too?"

"Yeah, exactly," Keilah answered, "Is that alright?"

I nodded to myself. "Yeah, sure," I answered, "We'll see you two soon." Then the line went dead.

"Ok," I began as I turned to face the two, picking up Sky, "We're all just gonna meet Keilah and Emmett at the restaurant, along with his family." The two nodded and we all left the house.

The five of us all piled into the car; Ketih got into the driver's seat, Mrs. Mathews in the passenger's seat, and I sat in the back with KJ and Sky. I strapped KJ into his seat on my left and held tight to Sky as he started the car and drove toward the direction of the restaurant. The whole ride there, I grew more and more worried about what might happen at dinner with both families there.

I could see Keilah in another area of the parking lot, and a taller dark skinned man with her, who I guessed to be Emmett. I wasn't sure if Keith saw them as he helped KJ out of the car, and the same went for Mrs. Mathews, but it seemed that neither noticed Keilah and Emmett in the parking lot. The five of us walked to the front door of the restaurant, walked in, and into the main area of the place. Since Emmett's family wasn't in the restaurant yet, we got a table that would fit all eleven people.

Not long after, Keilah, Emmett and who I guessed to be was Emmett's family all walked in. Keilah stood up and flagged Keilah over to the table. She smiled and nodded, then turned to Emmett to say something. He then nodded and turned to his family, probably to repeat what Keilah had said, and all six walked over to the table. His family all had confused looks on their faces as they approached the table, just like Keith and Mrs .Mathews now did. The only of everyone that didn't look confused was me, Keilah, Emmett, and the woman I guessed to be Emmett's mother. I mentally questioned why she didn't.

"Hi, Mom," Keilah greeted timidly, "Hi, Keith. Hi, Rain."

"Hi, Keilah," Keith greeted in a slightly confused tone, "Who's your friend?"

Keilah looked nervous. "Mom, Keith, Rain… this is my boyfriend, Emmett Washington. Emmett, this is my mom, brother, sister-in-law, and my nephew and my niece."

I stood forward and held out a hand to greet him. "Hi, Emmett," I smiled genuinely, "Keilah's told me a lot 'bout you."

Emmett gave a relieved smile as he shook my hand courteously. "It's great to meet you, Rain," he smiled, "Keilah's told me a lot about you, as well." He then gestured to his family. "This is my father, Tony. This is my mother, Carolina. And these are my younger brothers, Kurt and Jerry."

The nine of us all exchanged slightly awkward greetings, except for me and Carolina, for some odd reason. I couldn't figure out why it didn't feel awkward with her, and I again wondered about her. The fact that she didn't have a confused look came back into my mind, but I tried to ignore it, and happily accepted the greeting. We all then sat down, with Tony at the head of the table. Next to him was Carolina, then Jerry, then Kurt, then Emmett and Keilah. On the other side of him was Mrs. Mathews, Keith, KJ, a special chair where Sky sat, then me.

There was an obvious tension that surrounded the table, so much that even KJ and Sky felt it. There was forced conversation to try and ease the tension, but it wasn't working. This went on all the way through the appetizer, through dinner, and up until anyone who was having ordered coffee and dessert. By then, I'd had enough of the tension and decided to speak up and out about it.

"Ok," I began, gaining everyone's attention, but still speaking in a tone that wouldn't scare KJ or Sky, "I'm sorry, but I've had enough of this tension. I mean, for cryin' out loud, my one year old daughter can feel it. Look, all of us were shocked tonight to meet each other, and it's gone on this whole time. Let's talk 'bout the elephant in the room: we're white, and you're black. Was it a bit shocking to find out Keilah's dating a black man? Sure, it is- no offense. I bet it's the same for you two, Mr. and Mrs. Washington, for your son to be dating a white girl. Am I right?"

Everyone except Carolina nodded. She stood up a bit. "I wasn't surprised, actually," she admitted, "Emmett told me before their first date.

That's why she wasn't shocked and it didn't feel awkward with her, I thought. "And Keilah told me. Now look, I think we should all just clear the air and say how we really felt 'bout this, ok? Can we do that? I'll even be the first: I see no problem with their relationship at all, and I'm happy for them."

Caroline spoke up next: "I feel the same as Rain." She looked at me, smile and winked. I couldn't help but smile back at her.

"I have no problem," Mrs. Mathews said with a shrug, "I'm not gonna lie, I was kinda shocked at first. I think it just needed to sink in."

"You seem really nice," KJ said, looking at Emmett, "But be nice to Aunty Kay!"

Nearly everyone laughed at his words. "I will, KJ," Emmett smiled genuinely, "I promise."

"Honestly," Kurt sighed, I'm not completely alright with it, but I guess I can learn to live with it."

"I'm the same as my Ma," Keith answered. I smiled at him, and he did the same.

Jerry shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm with Rain and my mom on this one," he said.

We all looked at Tony Washington, who looked unhappy and uneasy. His wife looked at him with pleading eyes, and I felt sorry for her, and nervous for what he was going to say. "I'm not happy with it," he said in a flat tone, "I'm not promising anything, but I'll do my best to live with it. It's my son's life, and it's his decision."

Emmett and Keilah looked at each other and smiled, and he wrapped his arm around her happily, pulling her close to him as she hugged his torso. Those around the table finally shared genuine words of happiness with each other, and I smiled at the scene going around me.

The awkward tension disappeared for the rest of the night, and I couldn't have been happier about it.

I finished school officially, I'm so happy. I am no longer a junior in high school, I'm now a senior oh my gahd. To celebrate that, I watched movies all day on Monday; I watched: Mad Dog Time, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension, Oscar and Young Frankenstein. It was great.

Also, for this story, I just want to point out the race issue. In the 1970s, race was still an issue. Granted, as time went on, interracial marriage and relationships were not as frowned upon as time went on, but racism was still an issue at the time. I know this partly firsthand, due to the fact that my mother- who was born in the early 1960s- told me that her parents told her to "never bring a black man home". My mother's parents were racist- against many races, actually- but my mother is not, and neither is my father or anyone I know. Granted, in this story, I made them all understandable, but not everyone who has been in this situation probably has not been so lucky.

I don't know how updating will go for this story or any other stories for the rest of the summer, since I'm trying to find a summer job. I know that, if something happens, I will at least be updating once a month instead of twice a month (so once every four weeks rather than once every two weeks). This is not a definite yet, so as far as I know, it'll still be once every two weeks.

Oh, I just wanna say that I saw the new Captain America: Civil War film. It was so amazerful, oh my gahd. Me and my dad went without my mom cause she hates that kinda of stuff. Me and my dad loved it and when my mom asked us how it was we'd say, "it was great, but you would've hated it." Me and my dad pretty much like all the same film type stuff (except for alien sci fi stuff, with the exception of a few) and my mom doesn't so yeah.

Anyway, hope you guys liked the chapter! And since I won't be updating till after the holiday- Happy Memorial Day! Peace from all the hippies of the world =^-^=