A Lifetime of Memories

Telling the Family

"The person that you have to impress most is Charlotte. She is the hardest person to crack and if you can get her to like you then I think we are good to go."

"Banana why is she the hardest to impress? Is she the sister that I don't know about? Is she an aunt that I don't know about?"

"Slow down there J, she is not my sister or my aunt. She is my cousin and when we get in there you will understand."

We walk into the family room to see the whole family there and let me tell you seeing my family in the same house for the first time since I moved down here is awesome. It's been about a year and a half since we have all been able to do any holiday all together. There is always a few people missing and it was frustrating because the few times I was able to go to a family gathering I wanted to see everybody.

"You ready Benny boy?" I whisper into his ear as we sit down on the floor next to each other.

"As ready as I can be." He whispered back.

"Charlotte can you come meet Jamie I heard he is single and needs a girlfriend."

She walks over still stumbling every once in a while since she is only about fifteen months old and for the most part has the hang of walking. She was damn cute and I hate missing so much of her life so far. The look on Jamie's face was priceless realizing that she was only a baby. Just minutes ago he was freaking out about an unknown older girl relative.

"You could have told me that she was like one and saved me the freak out of impressing your sister or aunt." He whispered in my ear as Charlotte comes over to play with him and interacting with J. She really seemed to like him.

"Well it seems like she likes you then I think we should tell everybody our secret." I might have said this a little too loud for only my cousin Alex to hear.

"What secret and do I need to beat the shit out of Jamie." Alex whispers to me.

"Shit might as well tell everybody now."

"Yeah you best be." Alex responds.

"Hey everybody I know that most of you didn't get to know Jamie that much tonight, at least not yet, but Jamie and I are in a relationship."

"I could have told you that Hannah. I think that anybody in this family could have told you that." Alex shouts over everybody.

Jamie got immediately pulled out of the room by my brother knowing the conversation that were having I slightly tensed up. Little did I know that it would change my life later.

When they came back a few minutes later both with all their teeth and no black eyes I relaxed realizing that the probably had the "I am her brother and I will beat the shit out of you if I need to" talk.

"You know that you are great with kid's right?" I tell him as he comes back to my side.

"Yeah I know, it is one of the things that most people don't know about me."

"There better be a ring on that finger before there are any buns in the oven you two." Alex comes up behind us telling this to us.

"One, I do not plan on having any kids any time soon I am only a year and a half done with school. Two if we do anything relating to that we will use protection. Three why are we having this conversation on Christmas Eve when you just found out we were in a relationship?"

"Because I love you and don't want anything to happen to you. You are my oldest cousin that's a girl and I will do anything to protect you. I promise that if he does anything to hurt you I will hurt him."

"I know you will, Alex, even though you live in California. Thank you for your concern and all but I think that I can handle myself."

"Okay whatever you say Hannah." He says as he walks away leaving me in the kitchen with J.

"So J what do you think of the family so far?"

"Well I have only really talked to Papaw and Charlotte so I don't exactly know what to think."

"Well let's get out there and talk to them because they are probably going to tell you a whole bunch of embarrassing stories of me when I was little. So don't laugh too much even though you will probably be in most of them."