Twenty-Seven

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Twenty-Seven: Family Fun

I didn't expect to feel as nervous as I am right now. Sure, I knew meeting his family is a big deal and that it is a step forward in our relationship, but I had went over and over in my head what I would say and how I would act.

The fact that they're all very wealthy worries me. I feel like I'm about to walk into sole sort of dynasty where they all plan their outfits according to each other and only speak about their rich life styles.

Along with them being wealthier people, I worry about my southern upbringing. There's a great possibility they will comment on my accent or ask me if I have slept with one of my cousins, something everybody in the north loves to assume about southern people.

Tyler has assured me that they're all chill and that they will adore me, but I have convinced myself that's what he has to tell me as my boyfriend. Sort of like how you have to tell someone it will get better, even if you don't know. That's what Tyler has to do, he has to tell me everything will be fine even though there's a chance it won't be.

As a psychologist, you would think I would have found some healthy coping methods to keep my anxiety low, but instead I just over think and chip my nail polish off. It's no wonder Tom has me out here doing undercover work instead of my actual job.

"Are you still nervous?" Tyler asks me, eyes still focused on the long stretch of road ahead of us.

"If they don't like me are you going to leave me?" I ask, realizing how stupid I'm being as soon as the question leaves my lips.

"You're being stupid," he answers back, conforming my thoughts. "It would take a lot more than my family not liking you to get me to even consider that."

"You need to meet my parents. They're something else," I say, imagining how my parents would react if I brought a boy home.

Not a boy, a whole ass man. A whole ass man who is a top suspect for a multiple homicide and also happens to be a millionaire.

"Is your dad going to threaten me?" He laughs.

"Dad is going to threaten you for just being with me in general. My mom is going to threaten you about getting me pregnant," I inform him.

"Is your mom eager for grandkids?" He asks.

"The opposite. She hates kids and doesn't want grandkids at all. Says she just wants granddogs," I answer, making him laugh.

It isn't too long before Tyler let's me know we are almost there. I'm shocked to see a drive way longer than the road I grew up on. It's aligned with leafless trees on both sides of the road.

When the house is finally in sight, I nearly drop my jaw at the sight of it. A large, colonial styled house with at least a dozen windows on the front side. The door is in the center, painted a deep red color to stand out from the white brick.

While this house is a much older build than Tyler's, the size difference it very noticeable.

Tyler parks the car in front of the circular drive path, putting us right in front of the door. As soon as I open my car door, an older woman rushed out the front door and rushed to Tyler, pulling him into a big hug.

"You've kept me waiting too long, young man!" She chirps at him before pressing a kiss to each sides of his cheeks.

"Sorry, Grandma," He says to her, a wide smile on his lips. "This is Octavia, the girl I have been telling you about," He says to her before pointing in my direction.

"Hello, dear," she says to me, coming over to embrace me in a hug. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

I hug her back, feeling my cheeks begin to redden from the sudden affection she was showing me.

She's much shorter than me, probably about five foot even. Her hair is as dark as mine, though I'm sure it's from dyes and not natural anymore. The wrinkles in her face show her age along with the dark circles under her eyes. Her lips are thin and nose is pointed. She doesn't look much like Tyler at all, but their chemistry is evident.

"Let's get inside, too chilly to be standing out here," she says before ushering us inside the house.

Tyler and I both follow behind her, feeling the heat hit us as soon as we enter the home. The temperature difference has me nearly sweating, and I'm quick to take off my coat, leaving my top half only in my oversized sweater.

When I finally stop worrying about the heat, I take in the area around me. As soon as you walk in from the front door there's a entry room with a grand stair case in front, with two stair cases on each side of the room, in the middle is an entry way to what looks like a sitting room. On the left is a formal living room, and on the right is a formal dining room.

The floors are dark hardwoods, but antique rugs cover much of the area. In contrast with the dark floors is white walls with different paintings, most of people hanging on them.

Tyler's grandmother walks into the entry way between the stairs, into the large sitting room. Tyler and I both follow her and take seats on the couches, set up in a square formation to look at each other.

"Where's grandpa at?" Tyler asks, looking around as if he's suddenly going to appear.

"He's turned that workshop of his into a mess of saw dust. He's found a new hobby in woodworking," she informs him. "He's probably out there right now trying to build god knows what. I couldn't tell you how many failed projects he's had."

"He still tries. Got to give him credit for that," Tyler tells her, purely amused by the situation.

"The only thing he's trying is my patience," she replies.

I let out a small giggle at her comment, making her attention turn to me.

"So you're the girl who has my Tyler rooted down in the south?" She says, eyes narrowing in on me.

It's not a look of anger or disappointment, just a studying look. I could tell by her tone she wasn't being serious about her question.

"I'm telling you, Tyler. Sell the restaurants and bring her up here. Life feels dull without you around anymore," she says, pointing a finger at him.

"So you're saying I'm boring you?" A man's voice chimes in.

I look in the direction the voice spoke from, seeing an older man standing in the doorway that leads in the room.

The first thing I notice about him is his height. He's probably around 6'4 or so, just a bit taller than Tyler. His hair is white, slicked back with gel. He's got a big of a gut, but that's the only place on his body that shows any sign of being overweight. He's wearing coveralls, which are covered in saw dust.

"Edwin, if you bring that mess into the house again I'm going to divorce you," Tyler's grandmother threatens.

"You've been saying that for sixty years. I'm still waiting," He tells her as he walks into the room and takes a seat beside her on the couch.

Tyler's grandmother doesn't say anything, but you can see the tiniest glint in her eyes.

"Good to see you, Tyler. Can't believe you really left me here with her," Edwin says, pointing over at his wife. "I'd give both of you a hug, but I'm sure you don't want saw dust on your clothes," he says with a chuckle.

"Your aunt, uncle and cousins are coming around dinner time. The whole lot of them," His grandmother says. "Oh, Octavia. My granddaughter just had a baby and he is the cutest. You're going to have to meet him," she coos.

"I'd love to," I comment.

I actually couldn't remember the last time I held a baby was. Being an only child, I never was able to have nieces and nephews and all my cousins moved away before they started families.

"You mind giving me a hand in the kitchen? I need to get started on dinner and would love some help for once," she says to me, a smile on her face.

"No, I wouldn't mind at all," I say, standing up from the couch.

Tyler gives my hand a squeeze and I smile at him before leaving with his grandmother to go to the kitchen.

"Tyler says she's bad at cooking, so cut her slack, Penelope!" I hear Edwin call when we get into the kitchen.

"Hey!" I hear Tyler call, probably not expecting his own grandfather to expose him like that.

Tyler isn't wrong, though. Cooking has never been my expertise.

When I enter the kitchen, I'm surprised to see how dark it is compared to the rest of the house. With cherrywood cabinets and black countertops, the brightness of the other rooms make this room look dull.

"I'm guessing with Tyler bringing you to Philly, you've already been informed about his parents and sisters," She says, going to open the freezer up.

"Yeah, he told me a couple of weeks ago," I tell her, coming to take a seat at one of the bar stools along the kitchen island.

"It's been hard on him. It'd be hard on anyone to lose your family like that. I worry about him everyday. Especially even more so now," she tells me.

Penelope places a package of chicken breast on the counter and begins slicing the packaging open with a knife. I watch as she butterfly cuts each breast, thinning them out to cook faster.

"Why more now?" I ask her.

Tyler never shows any signs of being affected by the loss. I'm sure he is affected, but not to the point to let it interfere with his everyday life.

"Besides you and that Nick friend of his, he's alone down there. You're a psychologist. You know how dangerous it can be to go through a trauma and then be alone. That stuff messes with your mind," she tells me.

She isn't wrong, it can be a bad situation to be in.

"He keeps himself busy. With work and everything going on I really don't get time to see him myself," I confess to her.

"That's another thing I worry about. He's following Allen's footsteps exactly. He had money, but he wanted more and got involved with some people of the wrong crowd. Tyler's doing the same thing," she tells me, gaining my interest even more.

"You think he's involved in the wrong crowd?" I ask her.

Penelope sets her knife down and grips the edges of the counter, looking down at the work she's done so far.

"I don't think Tyler is thirsty for money like Allen was. I believe he wants to live the life his father did in a way to be close to him still. These people he talks about, they just don't seem like they want him as a partner, but someone to manipulate. He's too young to be this involved," she says, telling me the same things I have always thought.

"I don't trust the men he works with," I confess to her.

I wish I could tell her about John Kensley and what he attempted to do to me. I swore I would tell anyone except for Jace. I don't even want to tell Jace, but I need to confess to someone and I know he will be the best person to tell.

"Tyler doesn't tell me much about his work life. He really only talks about you," she says. "He's happy. I haven't seen him so happy in years. He loves you a lot."

I feel my cheeks heat up and I already know they must be red as can be. A smile spreads across my lips and I look down to avoid the stare of Penelope.

"Here, chop these veggies up for me. I'm wanting a garden salad tonight," she says to me.

Penelope goes to the fridge and pulls out a few different vegetables. She then hands me a knife and cutting board and I begin slicing the peppers.

"I want you to promise me something, Octavia," Penelope says, drawing my attention away from the peppers. "Promise me that if he gets into any sort of trouble you won't hesitate to call Edwin and I."

"I promise. I don't think anything will happen, but if it does I'll call," I assure her.

"With John Kensley, you never know," she says, shaking her head.

I want to ask her how she knows about John Kensley and what she knows about him. But before I get the chance, a herd of young children are running into the kitchen, all hugging at Penelope's legs.

Four kids, all dark haired and brown eyed, crowd around her. One of them, a boy, is nearly her height already. Another boy is about a foot shorter, probably about six or seven years old. The youngest two are girls, one probably five and the other maybe three or so.

"Granny, who's that?" The youngest boy says, pointing at me.

"This is Octavia. She's Tyler's girlfriend," Penelope tells them.

The four of them stare me down and I have never felt so intimidated in my life. I've never been the best with kids, probably due to the fact I've never had the opportunity to be around them.

"Hi guys," I say to them, waving my hand at them.

"You talk funny," the oldest one says, earning him a glare from Penelope.

"You sound like Jessie from Toy Story!" The older girl chirps, a smile on her face.

I guess it's not a bad thing then.

"Leave grandma alone. I've already told you not to bother her when she's in the kitchen," a girl says, coming into the kitchen to wave the kids out. "Go bother Daddy," she says to them.

The first thing I notice about her is her very pregnant belly. Assuming those are all her kids, her fifth must be on it's way.

"Hello, Jessica," Penelope says, pulling Jessica into a hug and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Mom, Dad, And Ian are on their way," she tells Penelope, who nods in response.

"Octavia, this is my oldest grand baby, Jessica. Jessica, this is Tyler's girlfriend," Penelope introduces.

Jessica waddles over to me and shakes my hand, each of us saying how it's nice to meet each other. She hoists herself up on the bar stool and her hands immediately go to rest on her belly after getting situated.

"How far along are you?" I ask, a question she probably gets too much.

"Eight months. He's been my rowdiest one yet. Definitely the last one," she says, beginning to rub her belly.

"My sister just had her first. He's a little cutie. They should be on their way soon," she tells me.

That must be the baby Penelope was telling me about earlier.

"My little brother is also on his way. Don't be surprised if he tries to flirt with you. He's only eighteen and thinks every girl wants a taste," she says, making me laugh.

"I'm excited to meet everybody," I say.

I am beginning to realize that I was anxious for no reason at all. Tyler's family is warm and inviting, the opposite of what I assumed. Just like Tyler, they're charismatic and charming.

I continue cutting up vegetables for Penelope. She gives me the simplest of tasks, but I'm grateful in a way. Anything too complex in my hands and we may be ordering pizza.

Conversation between the three of us continues, and I begin to wonder where Tyler ran of to.

As if he reads my mind, he shows up in the kitchen, looking as attractive as ever. It doesn't matter how much I look at him or how often he's around, he always takes my breath away with his appearance.

"If I was a lesbian, I would have stolen your girlfriend from you by now," Jessica says, making me and Penelope laugh.

"Good luck with that," Tyler comments as he crosses the kitchen to come stand beside me.

He leans down and presses a kiss to my cheek, but before he pulls away he whispers in my ear, "Come with me."

I nod and stand from my seat. Tyler grabs hand and pulls me out of the room, not even giving me a chance to say anything to Jessica or Penelope as we depart.

On the way through the family room, I see Edwin and another man, who I am assuming is Jessica's husband talking amongst them selves. The youngest girl is sitting beside her dad, snuggled up to his side. I don't know where the other three kids are, but with the size of this place it is no telling .

Tyler leads me upstairs, which is very similar to downstairs with white walls and portraits. Each side is a long stretch of hallways, doors lining each side.

I follow typed down the left hallway, and after we pass about three doors he finally enters one. When I walk in, I immediately know it is Tyler's bedroom.

The walls are the same dark gray color he has his house painted in, and the boyish vibe is apparent. The room is large, yet one whole wall of the room is dedicated to sports with trophies stacked on shelves and framed pictures of Tyler in his football uniform on the walls. Another wall has his king sized bed and night stands pressed against it.

I grew up with a twin size bed and barely enough room to move around in my bedroom.

A large metal T hangs above his bed. Besides a book shelf, desk, and dresser, the room lacks any other furniture. I guess that's how Tyler always has been about his decorating.

"I hope Jess and Grandma haven't been talking your ear off," Tyler says, breaking the silence.

"They have, but I enjoyed it," I say to him as I spin on my heels to turn and face him.

Tyler places his hands on my back and pulls me closer to him, our stomachs nearly touching. I place my hands on his chest and stare up at him.

"I've never brought a girl here," he confesses, his voice in almost a whisper.

"Why not?" I ask him.

"For starters, there's no way I could get a girl past the front door without Grandma's nosy self knowing within seconds," he says, making me laugh. "I don't know. I guess I just never found a girl worth bringing home until now."

"Why do you always know what to say?" I ask him, completely in a trance as I stare at him.

"Just a talent, babe," he jokes.

Tyler moves his hands off my back and grabs my wrists, pulling me to the bed with him. We both lay down, and I immediately cuddle up into his side.

"With this new business going in, I am going to be busier than usual," he informs me.

I don't say anything. Tyler is already busy all the time. The weekends are really the only time I get to spend with him.

"You should stay over more," he tells me, making me turn my head to look at him. "Maybe once a week come over and stay the night. You can get ready at my place for work. I know it isn't a lot of time, but it's some."

"I would love that. You're always welcome at my place too, you know. You'd just have to deal with Haley."

"I might need a flask if I did that," he laughs, making me laugh too.

Tyler and I fall into silence and I rest my head on his chest, feeling my head rise up and down as he breathes in and out. I can hear and feel his heart beating ever so softly in his chest.

Tyler and I stay in this position for about fifteen minutes, neither of us saying a word as we lay together. The feeling is so peaceful that I could almost fall asleep.

Right as I feel my body about to finally give in to the sleep, Tyler's bedroom door busts open and the three kids from before rush in, coming to jump on the bed.

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