Hey guys! :D

So this is shorter than I intended, I almost just skip posting this, but I wanted this chapter out for a few reasons. You’ll probably understand at the end. I think it’s a cute moment! :)

So, enjoy this chapter. In a few hours I will upload the next one. And a few hours after that, the epilogue.

This book is almost coming to an end people…

Oh well, hope you enjoy this! :P

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“What if they don’t like me?”

“Don’t worry Pumpkin, they’ll love you,” Blake repeated for about the hundredth time, almost rolling his eyes.

I narrowed mine, and replaced the strap of my bag correctly on my shoulder. “You’re just saying that…”

We were walking out of the airport, heading towards the parking. Apparently there was a car for us waiting there, one Blake knew. His grandparents had sent him the key in the mail and told him where they had parked it so we could get to it once we arrived and drove to their place. They would have picked us up but that was Blake usual drill when he visited his grandparents so I followed through his routine.

Blake and I had been dating for about two months now and his grandparents apparently had been nagging him for a while to finally meet “his lady” so Blake had decided that we’d visit them during the winter holidays.

The idea had seemed great at first, but now that I was actually there I was freaking out a bit. Okay well, more like freaking out a lot. What if they didn’t like me? What if I made a bad impression? What if I made a complete fool if myself? From what I understood they were very rich and very classy, and I had no idea how to act around people like that—okay I was use to interact with Blake’s parents but that’s because his mom was a sweetheart and she was always kind with me and his father… well he was nice too, a little intimidating but he was kind too… Blake absolutely loved his grandparents and I knew how important family was to him. Wouldn’t it be sort of a deal breaker if they didn’t like me? And I mean, his father was the one that was intimidating, and it was his parents we were going to see, so wouldn’t that mean all his family would be intimidating to me?

“Pumpkin, please, will you stop over thinking? Everything’s going to be fine. They will love you,” Blake repeated, walking confidently to where the car was probably. I felt a bit useless.

And it was strange to be here. Last time I had been at this airport it had been after my father’s cousin’s funeral. It felt like years away.

“How can you be sure,” I whined. Blake could always guess when I was over thinking things in my head, it was a little disturbing but to be honest I loved it because that meant he really knew me.

“Because I know them, and I know you,” he smiled, when he said that. “And if they don’t like you, well it’s their problem,” he added and shrugged.

I resisted the urge to groan or sigh dramatically. I ran my hand through my hair. “I’ve never done anything like this before, I don’t know what to say, how to act…”

“Just be yourself, Pumpkin.” Blake wrapped his arm around my waist as we kept walking in the parking “At the risk of repeating myself; stop worrying, everything’s going to go well and they’ll love you, they would be fool if they didn’t.”

I poked him on the side. “Your confidence in me might be misplaced. You’re biased you know.”

Blake smirked a little. “Please, I’m not biased at all.”

“Of course you are,” I laughed.

Blake just shook his head, smiling broadly and press the unlock bottom on the set of keys he held, making the car’s light, just a few feet from us, flash.

As we drove to Blake’s grandparent’s house, it was obvious that these roads were familiar to my boyfriend. He had the same ease as when we drove to school together.

I was freaking out a bit less… I mean Blake kept repeating that I had to stop freaking out, so the least I could do was… well freak out less.

We drove in silence, the kind of comfortable ones we had when we read together. It was weird to think we had only been dating for a couple of months and that we had been really speaking for way less than six months. It felt like we had been close for years.

At this point, my life was pretty much close to perfect. Tyler was happier; the fact that Vanessa was back in town while I was away was a factor. And dad seemed happier since his kids were happy.

At school, everything was going smoothly. The boys had pretty much all taken the news of Alex’s sexual orientation well and things had pretty much stayed the way they had always been… well except for Trevor… Trevor kept pushing Alex to tell him which one between him and his brother was the hottest. And well Clark being the asshole he was, was regularly making rude comments, Shawn sometimes joining him. But it cooled down after one time during lunch. They had been making comments a lot and everyone had just decided to ignore them but then Fred, vegetable Fred, had raised his head, looked at Clark straight in the face and said, “Will you shut up already, everyone knows you two experimented together and I don’t see anyone making comments about it.” And just like that he had rested his head back on his arms and everyone had burst laughing, consequently making Clark and Shawn change table.

As for Josh and Daphnee… well those two were still a mystery to me. Honestly, I think there was something going on there but I wasn’t sure. Some days something Daph or Josh would say made me think that maybe they were seeing each other, without us knowing it, and others I was sure one of the two were actually seeing other people…

Confusing really.

“Deep in thoughts Pumpkin,” Blake teased, bringing me back to reality.

I smiled at him. “Just thoroughly happy actually.”

Blake leaned to the side and kissed my temple. “Glad to hear that, considering you were almost having a panic attack back at the airport,” he smirked.

I narrowed my eyes at him and slapped his arm. “Meany.”

“Hey! How many times have I told you not to hit the driver?”

“Not enough times, obviously.”

“Obviously,” he answered shaking his head, still smiling though. “We’re almost there by the way,” he added.

We were now driving in a quiet street with big pricey looking houses. Why wasn’t I surprised here? Would his grandparents’ house be bigger than his parents’ house? I mean was that even possible?

When Blake slowed down and turned into a long drive-way though I felt just a little bit better because we weren’t driving up to a castle.

The house, sure was big and could hardly just be called a house but it was less threatening than his parents’ one. It was all white and it looked like those old house in the south with a big porch all around, three stories high kind of thing.

It was beautiful and it felt like the kind of place families would gather. And this was exactly what was going to happen soon.

Blake drove slowly towards the house and suddenly turned his head to look at me, “Alright so just a heads up before we get in,” he started to blur very fast, “my family roots are all over the place, we have Italian ancestor and Ukrainian and Hungarian and it’s all over the place. But one thing is for sure, you’ll be served strudel. Every day. Most probably twice a day. If you don’t like it, don’t say it they’re only going to make you eat more because they think that the more you eat the more you’ll get accustomed to it. Plus you’re really thin so be prepared, my grandma’s going to stuff you like a turkey on Thanksgiving.”

He had said that very, very fast and now I was worried once more. “I suddenly feel like hyperventilating again.”

“Don’t worry, just remember, eat the strudel with a smile and whatever you do, don’t touch the sauce when they’re cooking it. Alright?”

“I’m scared…”

“You’ll be perfect,” Blake just said, ignoring my last comment and parked the car behind a black BMW.

I took a deep breathe and then stepped out of the car.

If the outside of the house had looked perfect and in order, when we got inside it was a different deal… well in the kitchen that is.

It’s one of Blake’s aunts that greeted us; she was maybe in her late forties and had married one of Blake’s father’s brothers. She was nice and she led us to the kitchen.

It was almost dinner time, and apparently that was a very busy time at the Eaton’s household.

The minute we stepped in, a small lady, with short white hair and wearing an apron dropped everything she was doing and went straight for Blake. “Oh Blake, my little boy is here. Come give your grandma a hug.”

She looked like the perfect grandma to me, short, not exactly fat but with a little weight probably because she made so much food.

Blake hugged her instantly, a wide smile covering his face. I kind of felt out of place, standing beside him awkwardly.

When she let go of him to look at me though things changed.

She gave big hug—I finally knew why all those Eaton’s were such huggers—one where I had to lean down because she was too small and then, still holding my arms, made me back up a bit to get a good look at me. “Oh dear, you did not tell me she was so thin.” She almost groaned, giving a look at her grandson. “Poor poor child, we’ll feed you here. Why don’t you feed her correctly Blake?”

“He can’t cook,” I said teasingly, trying to get the spotlight off of me.

Blake shrugged. “I made her soup once…”

“From a can.” I thought it was important to specify.

His grandmother looked shocked. “Blake Eaton, we do not make soup from cans in this family.”

“Sorry grandma, I didn’t get the cooking gene, only the good looks ones,” Blake grinned.

“Young fool” she answered, patting his cheek, and shaking her head at him.

And then suddenly, from behind Blake’s grandmother apparent a very tall man, Blake’s grandfather from the look of it. White hair, wrinkles by the side of his eyes that he probably got from smiling, strong facial features and I don’t know, I just saw Blake’s father in his face… but maybe a bit kinder… well homier was the right term I think.

“How are you doing son,” the man smiled broadly, giving Blake a hug too.

“I’m very good,” Blake smiled just as broadly.

“I can see that.” He answered him and looked at me, his dark blue eyes unsettling me a bit. “Nice to finally meet you young lady”

I smiled, offering my hand. “It’s nice to meet you too.” And of course I got a hug.

It was hard not to feel at home with the Eatons. Blake’s grandparent had four sons in total, who were all married and with kids. And all of them were here, except for Blake’s parents that had to go to a conference and would only be arriving the last day we would be here.

So it was a full house, and they all had to be fed, so Blake’s grandmother and grandfather cooked, with the help of two of their daughters in law, while some where in the kitchen, talking and eating, while others were watching sports in the living room.

I stayed in the kitchen with Blake while he introduced me to everyone, and talked with his grandparents a bit more.

But conversation with them wasn’t always very easy, considering they were cooking and well… arguing…

“Diane, that sauce is not ready,” Blake’s grandfather said at one point, trying to turn the oven up.

His grandma actually slapped him on the hand with a wooden spoon. “Steven, you are not in charge of this kitchen.”

“Babe, that sauce is going to be too thick,” his grandfather made a face and I had a seriously hard time not laughing because it was so funny, the way they were arguing and hearing a grandpa saying babe.

“I know what I’m doing; I’ve been doing it for fifty years…” and she started to rant, mixing… well Blake told me it was Italian.

They were definitely entertaining to watch, but what was nice was that even though they bantered, you could see they loved each other, just the way they looked.

And for some reason, deep down, I hoped, that Blake and I could grow old like this, and have our big house with our kids and keep our teasing and arguing. I hoped for a future like this… and when I looked at Blake, somehow, I was sure he did too.

The dinner was great that night; I couldn’t even remember everything I ate because I ate so much. Every time I was finishing a plate I was given more. Blake’s grandma had definitely made her goal to fatten me up. But it was good.

And when they served strudel for desert, a sort of thin pastry with fruits in it, I actually really liked it, so it was definitely a good thing.

We talked till late, everyone in the kitchen, helping to clean up, doing the dishes, putting everything back at its place; obviously everyone knew what to put where, and next thing I knew it was past midnight and time for everyone to go back to their rooms.

When I asked about where I was sleeping I was told that “We didn’t know the arrangement so Blake we put you in your room and Lexi in the red one for the guest, two doors over.”

I didn’t argue with that, but once I was all alone in the big room, with the big bed, I realized I didn’t have anything that smelled like Blake in my bag and there was no way in hell I could sleep without it, so I sneaked in his room.

Blake was already in his bed, book in his hand. He had started to read a three books set of One Thousand and One Nights and he was at the third one.

“Naughty Lexi, already sneaking into my bed,” Blake whispered, not looking up from his book.

Him, sitting in his bed shirtless, reading a book. That was a very delicious sight.

I sighed, “technically, I’m not in your bed.”

“But you will be soon,” he answered, putting his book down and started to do a machiavellian laugh.

I almost jumped on him to cover his mouth. “Will you shut up?” I hissed.

Blake took my hand off of his mouth, smirking a bit. “What are you freaking out for now?”

“I don’t want your grandparents to be mad because I was in your room, look I just want a shirt or a hoodie and I’m on my way,” I answered quickly in a hush tone.

Don’t look at his chest, don’t look at his chest otherwise you’re never getting out of here.

“No you’re not,” Blake frowned.

“I am!”

“Please.” He rolled his eyes. “Anyway, my grandparents don’t mind you being in my room.”

“Are you sure,” I asked challengingly. I highly doubted so, personally.

Blake smirked even more and got out of his bed.

I looked at him puzzled. “What are you doing?”

It was stupid to ask because he was clearly walking out of the room.

I hissed “hey, come back here” after him, following him in the hall. Blake walked downstairs, a specific destination clearly in mind and we ended up in the kitchen again, where his grandmother still was.

Was she… Oh god she was making bread. In the middle of the night.

“What’s wrong sweetheart?” she asked, looking at Blake.

“Grandma, can Lexi sleep in my room?”

Honestly, I gasped very loudly when he asked that. Weren’t you supposed not to ask things like that to your grandparents?

“Blake Eaton, don’t be doing naughty things under my roof,” she laughed.

“Nothing naughty, promised!” Blake pressed his palm where his heart was in emphasis.

“You better” she smiled, patting his cheek. “Now go sleep you two,” she hushed us away.

I just stood there, eyes wide open, jaw almost dropping.

Okay, seriously, people were being way too cool about our relationship!

Silently, I went back to Blake’s room, or well technically Blake almost dragged me, holding on to my hand, towing me.

But once we closed the door, I automatically crawled under the sheets and snuggled against Blake, smelling his comforting smell, enjoying his steady heartbeat and familiar warmth. I was too use too all of these. I could barely sleep without him anymore.

The few days that we spent at Blake’s grandparent’s house were perfect. Even though I didn’t want to admit it to myself I missed having an actual functional family, and there, surrounded by Blake’s family, that was crazy sometimes, but always warm and welcoming, I remembered what it was really like.

I loved spending time there; laughing at the jokes and stories they told me about Blake as a child. Cherishing the love they all shared for each other, I actually found myself going for the hug, like they always did. They were just too welcoming; it was hard not to get carried away with their joy.

This was what family felt like, and I loved it.

Without even realizing it, by bringing me there, Blake had given me the perfect Christmas present.

The few days went by too fast, and soon, too soon we had to leave.

As we drove back to the airport though, in our comfortable silence, Blake didn’t use the same road he had before. I mentioned it.

“We have to stop at one place before leaving…” Blake trailed and with the tone he was using, I didn’t argue.

For some reason, I wasn’t surprised when we parked at the cemetery.

Silently, I followed Blake, holding on to his hand as we walked in the snow covered ground, making our way to where his brother was buried.

There wasn’t that much snow by Jayden’s stone. And there were a few flowers against it.

“Jay,” Blake finally whispered, breaking the silence, “I’d like you to meet Lexi.”

I looked at Blake, trying to hide the sadness I felt for him just then and waved, not sure what to do. “Hi Jayden,” I said softly.

Blake let go of my hand and crouched down, “I wish you could be here Jay… I wish you could actually meet her. You’d like her. She makes me so happy.” Blake pressed his hand against the grass mingled with snow, and I pressed mine against his shoulder. “I miss you Jayden… But I don’t feel guilty anymore. I know you wouldn’t have wanted that… She made me realize that.”

I was trying very very hard not to cry because I wanted to be strong, but hearing Blake speak those words, and with the tone he was using, so heartbreaking it was hard to keep my composure. Even though, deep inside I was happy because he had finally made his peace with his brother’s death. I could sense it now.