When We Were Us

Birthday Party

The week after I submitted my proposal for my senior paper,Finn invited me to his sister Hanna's birthday party.I was flustered.I wasn't sure I was ready to start meeting his family members yet.But, and this is something I've started realizing,I can't seem to say no to Finn. So I  bought a gift and went back home over the weekend.

On Saturday,the day of the party,I was a nervous wreck.Finn asked to meet me outside the bar we had first met,which had become our meeting place for almost everything.But as I was waiting,I got a text from Finn.

Finn-Hey.I was asked  to pick up the cameras so I'm running late.My brother Rim and his wife Jenny will pick  you up.

Oh hell no, this was too much!I was about to text him that I was bailing when I heard someone honking.I looked up and there was a car parked across the street.A man who looked suspiciously like Finn was waving.I waved back still unsure whether it was Rim.Knowing that it was too late to escape,I crossed the street.

"May?"He asked.Darn,it was him!Once I confirmed,he got out of his car and gave me a bear hug.

"Nice to meet you!"He said kissing me all over the face.As if that wasn't uncomfortable enough,a woman who I presumed was Jenny also joined in the kissing fest.

After we got in the car,I prepared myself for an uncomfortable interrogation.Instead Rim and Jenny ignored me and were all about each other.They kept chatting and teasing each other,often turning towards each other for pecks and kisses.Although I still felt awkward,I decided I liked Rim and Jenny.If I remembered correctly,they had been married for five years yet they still seemed so in love with each other.

Eventually we stopped in a neighborhood I didn't recognize.Finn appeared out of nowhere and opened the door for me.He hugged me and kissed me on the cheek in front of his brother and his wife,which embarrassed me immensely.

"I forgot to ask you where the party is."I told him.He told me the name of a recreational park that was thirty kilometers outside the city.I was shocked.I thought we were going to a house party with lots of people where I could blend in and leave when it got to be too much.How was I supposed to escape now?

"Don't worry.We'll take the van."He said pointing at a black van.

"Finn!I thought it was a party."

"It is.There's like fourteen of us."He said nonchalantly.

"Who's us?"

"Rim and his wife.Do we count the baby since she's pregnant?Nev and his fiancee.Hanna and her best friend.My uncle,my father's brother,the one who runs the school for the hearing impaired.He's like a dad to us.Mom,step-dad and his three kids."

"Finn!"I was freaking out. "You didn't tell me it was going to be a family affair!"

But Finn seemed relaxed.

"Don't you think it's too early to meet you family?"I asked him.

"No.What' the big deal?It's just my family."He said.Maybe they were some super progressive family and he was used to bringing girlfriends over to meet them(I felt a pang of jealousy nut I refused to address it). But it still didn't make it okay.I was about to tell him so when a younger looking version of Finn came up wanting to meet me.It was Nev and his fiancee Kara.Kara was beautiful,just like Rim's wife Jenny.I felt plain compared to them.Next thing I knew I was meeting all of his siblings and step-siblings.Eventually,it was time to meet the adults.His uncle was nice and I liked him immediately.Finn's step-dad was polite but reserved.And then there was Finn's mother.

Maybe I was being paranoid.But I knew she didn't like me the moment she set my eyes on me.For one,she didn't even shake my extended hand.She just looked at it and frowned.She said a simple hello and walked away.I looked at Finn and I noticed a slight frown.He didn't say anything so I decided to ignore the whole scene.