I Always Choke Up When I Get Close to Closing In

I woke up before Evei Wednesday morning to set out my outfit for later before throwing on some grubbier clothes and heading downstairs. Tracy was already awake and preparing the food for the reunion later this afternoon. Tracy owned her own catering company and was a fantastic cook. Since she hadn’t had any major events planned this weekend because of the reunion she didn’t have her crew to help her, so I offered my assistance while putting away the groceries yesterday. It would have been difficult to get everything finished by herself, since our family was like a freakin’ army. My mom and uncle were twins but there were like six brothers and two sisters. Each of them had a few kids and some of their kids even had kids. I found it quite ridiculous. We also had to factor in the plus ones, my cousin Rhyanne just got engaged so she was bringing her fiancé. Evei offered her help, but it would pretty much be when she could get around to doing so.

I was put to work and thirty minutes later, the salad was all put together and the potatoes were peeled. I’d started to cut them up for the potato salad. Even though we’d actually started to prepare some things last night after dinner, we still had so much to do. Uncle Adam and the twits were in charge of the grill and all that stuff, so they went out while we were working and grabbed some charcoal and other grilling necessities. While I cooked with Aunt Tracy, we caught up talked about her business and my mom. I was surprised when she even asked how my dad had been doing.

Sleeping Beauty finally graced us with her presence around 11 and by then there wasn’t much left to do cooking wise. While Aunt Tracy went upstairs to start getting ready so she could come back and put finishing touches on everything later, Evei and I helped the twins set things out.

“Are you aware of how many people are going to be crowded around the backyard this afternoon?” Liam asked, concern apparent in his voice.

“So there will be alcohol present then, right?” My cousins laughed “I’m just kidding, though I’m predicting after my talk with Gigi I will be in need of some. My dear Twits, do you have a stash or do I pay you now to stash some in a hole, in a tree somewhere?”

“15 bucks gets you whatever you little heart desires. Text me and I’ll hook you up.” Grant called from the other end of the table. Evei shook her head.

“I bet she won’t even be that bad Ru. The most she’d say would be about that tattoo, but your sweater will cover it up.”

“Whatever Ev, you know that woman has it out for Rumor. The only thing I’ve ever heard come out of her mouth towards her has been laced with malice.” Grant countered.

“Well I’m glad someone else noticed. I was starting to think that it was just me.” Liam hugged me and shook his head.

“Nope, we noticed. Now, you ladies go and get yourselves all made up and we’ll finish the little set up left.” Evei and I hooked arms and made our way upstairs. As I was pulling a towel out of the linen closet, my cell rang.

*Check the mini tool shed at 6:30 ;)* <Grant> I laughed and placed it on the counter, those boys were a riot.

>--------------------------------12:45-------------------------------------------<

Evei and I both finished getting ready at the same time. We walked downstairs together to find that a few people had shown up. Heading out to the patio we said our ‘hello’s, and then went and sat on the deck with the twits. Our cousin Jack, who’d already been standing on the there talking to Liam, looked at me and kind of sneered. While the rest of my cousins pretty much hugged it out, I was left to listen to their gabbing back and forth.

“Rumor?” I turned the direction the voice came from to see a boy with longish dark brown hair. He looked really familiar but I couldn’t remember whether he’d been a cousin or a family friend. It’s been a really long time sine I’ve seen a majority of these people. “You don’t remember me do you?” I took one more look before it clicked,

“BEN!!! Of course I remember you, family portrait uh..’01. I think it was your brother Trevor that pushed me to the ground and ruined my white dress. You rolled all over and got grass stains on your dress shirt so I would stop crying.” Ben laughed and pulled me in for a hug. We spent a good twenty minutes catching up. I’d almost forgotten about that story. I guess my whole family wasn’t as awful as I remembered.

Jack walked away when Evei made me the center of attention by mentioning my internship. The boys of course were interested, all of them being a fan of that music scene.
“I’ve been wanting so see those guys for a minute” Grant shared with our little circle.

“Just a minute?” I asked kind of put off. That was one of the ‘sayings’ that I wished would die. It really got on my nerves that people thought of sixty seconds as a way to narrate a week or longer. It just made absolutely no sense.

“You know what I meant.” He quipped. “I mean when you guys come through, would it possible to hook me up?”

“Grant, don’t use your cousin for her connections.” Tracy scolded

“Ma, come on! You act like I’m asking for an autograph and free shit.” That earned him a smack in the back of the head.

“Watch your mouth in the presence of ladies.” The little white haired old lady warned. She surveyed the scene before her and smirked when her judgmental eyes landed on me. “Well, well boys. Who’s date is this?” Liam choked on his beverage, Ben and Evei’s eyes were the size of baseballs, and Grant just stood there completely caught off guard at the question. I’m sure the look on my face was similar, I mean yes; I had changed but not so much that she couldn’t recognize me.

Tracy being the saint she is chose that moment to pull me away to the kitchen. To say that I was grateful was an understatement. I wouldn’t have known what to say, was she kidding? How could you not recognize your own grandchild? It’s absurd. As I pulled the potato salad and hot dog buns off the counter, I sighed. What had the others told her? That I was actually the granddaughter she had always forgot, or rather worked to forget? When we got to the back door, Tracy gave me a loving smile and patted my back.

“Don’t worry dear, you’ve just changed. Give her a chance to get to know you.” Just like that, it was like my mom was here. Had my mother been here, I’m sure those are the exact words that she would have used to sooth me. Taking a deep breath I walked back out to face everyone again. Evei was talking animatedly to Grandma Gigi about something, so I placed my items on the picnic table and made my way over to them. Evei gave me a smile and set me up for a conversation, telling me how she’d told Gigi about my internship. Proudly smiling I went to tell her more in depth, however, she seemed to already have heard everything that she’d needed to hear about it. Without so much as a warning, she lit into me.

“Yes, a summer spent with a bunch of young yahoos.” I had to work very hard not laugh at her old lady terms. “Horn dogs, no doubt. When I was your age Rose, I was learning how to be a mother and make a home. I wasn’t gallivanting around with hooligans.” Evei, being the trooper she is, stepped in while I gathered my wits. Who the heck is Rose?

“Well Grandma, times have changed a little bit, I mean...”

“That’s absurd, your mothers weren’t traipsing about either. They were out making something of themselves, learning lives lessons.”

“Actually Gigi, I won’t be ‘gallivanting with hooligans’ as you put it. I will be out taking pictures and putting together videos. It will get me the experience in the fields I’ve chosen to work in. I’m also getting a chance to work with others who are as passionate about the same things I am.” Looking at me with distaste, but never missing a beat, she continued trying to embarrass me.

“Who’d have ever thought of Photography as a career, it’s merely a hobby. Why didn’t you pick something useful? Something that will always make you money: accounting, a business degree like Paula or Rhyanne? Something sensible,” I was beginning to loose my patience and we were starting to collect an audience.

“Photography and film-making are sensible careers and they are things that I enjoy. It’s the same as George with his music, or Derek with art.” Our dear gran, was starting to get a little red faced. Just when I though she was going to let it go, she started in again.

“No, it’s not the same. Derek is an apprentice to one of the top curators in Arizona and George is studying to be a band director. Those will make them money, provide stable living environments, and a place in the community. What can you gain from this internship exactly Rose? Except for a good tan?”

I’ve never seen Evei speechless before in my life. As long as she could talk she’d always had something to say, so she just stood there staring at us. I was floored. I’d never wanted to snap on somebody so bad in my whole entire life; not the girls in school, dance, or at the playground, or the people in traffic. I felt my cheeks turn pink, so I took a calming breath and chose my words wisely- or at least as wisely as I could, given the situation.

“Experience, education, culture, and ‘lives lessons’. I’ll make a name for myself Georgina . Then when you see a TV show, documentary, or you see one of my pictures in your Woman’s journals, magazines, or fancy art books; then maybe you’ll be able to remember my name you snotty old bat,” I told her with as much decency as I could muster, before making my way through the crowd of family that had gathered to see me stick it to the matriarch of this ridiculous family.

I’d almost felt good before the old cockroach sprang back and began telling everyone that my ‘poisonous attitude’ was none other than my behavior of coming from a "broken home". Ms. Georgina, in all of her class, made sure to point this out to any and everyone that would listen. This for sure would go down in the book of worst get-togethers.

>-----------------------------------------8 PM--------------------------------------------------------<

The only thing that saved me the rest of the night was the company of Pat and Garrett. I was shocked though to see the smile that my ‘dear old gran’ had for my cousin’s friends who were some of those ‘yahoos, hooligans, and horn dogs’ but had such disdain for me. The boys were awesome and only left me one at a time to mingle since I had no one else really. While Garrett and I were eating, I noticed the tall lanky boy from the grocery lurking around the yard amongst my ’family’. I wondered if he was a friend of Liam or Grant’s, so when I saw him stick to Evei I was a little confused. He must have been at least two or three years older than her.

“Garrett, who’s that guy with Evei?” He looked from his burger and followed my eyes to the pair.

“Ah, that’s John. He’s in the band with Pat, Kennedy, Jared and I. Speaking of Jared, he should show up here soon, you’ll like him. He’s like a giant red teddy bear.” I couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous he sounded.

“I see.” We finished eating in a comfortable silence until Pat came back with Evei and the rest of her entourage in tow. I was introduced to the ‘real teddy bear’ as Garrett had referred to him. After meeting everyone that Evei could find that I didn’t know, I’d about had all the fun that I could stand. I just wanted to be done with the reunion and this entire evening. Judging by the sneers and glares I was getting, I’d say that people were about done with me too. So politely excusing ourselves with the plates, Garrett and I headed inside towards the trash. Once I’d tidied up a little in the kitchen, I started towards the stairs only to be stopped by an unfamiliar manly hand.

“So you’re the little spitfire that Gigi was ranting about?” he said with a laugh. I looked up to see the lanky guy from the grocery. I shrugged and made to move past him, only to have him move with me. “I’m John. We haven’t really formerly met yet.”

“Rumor”

“So, you’re the Rumor that Evei is always gabbin’ about? Not a fan of Gigi, then?”

“Wow, excellent ice breaker.” he chuckled.

“I try. I’ve got to say though, you’re not even half the monster that she was ranting about.”

”Well feel free to pass your own judgments. She’s obviously taken with you, not a hooligan at all.” I told him throwing in as much sarcasm as I could muster.

“Ah, well that would be my John O’Callaghan charm. The ladies can’t resist it.”

“I see, well John; it was lovely meeting you- formally anyways. I’ve had about as much fun as I can stand for one day. Excuse me.” I said while scurrying past him as fast as I could before he could throw in another word. When I got to Eveliina’s room I changed and hung up my dress in Evei’s closet. I wasn’t going to need it and I’d left the tag on it, she could take it back and get herself something: I didn’t really care. Once I sorted all my stuff out, I started a load of laundry and packed up the rest of my things while I waited for it get done. I’ve never been so ready for anything faster than I’ve been ready to leave Arizona . We’ll just say that tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.