The Dare-Tiana (BianaxTam)

The Meeting of the Families

Tam still felt guilty. Leading Biana on like that. Truthfully, she was like his other half. Even at school, you'd rarely find Tam without Biana unless they were in classes.

He knew her well enough to know her love of all things romantic, and often gifted her roses or left notes in her locker.

After two weeks of dating, Fitz finally had had enough.

Biana was leaning against Tam at lunch, but they were both engaged in different conversations.

Biana was talking to Marella about the upcoming auditions for the musical theatre club.

Tam was taking with Lihn.

Fitz slammed his hands on the lunch table to get everyone's attention.

"Okay so, your situation is complicated," he looks at Tam, "but I invoke the ancient Vacker rule of  throwing the meet gala."

Sophia and Biana both went wide eyed, and Keefe dropped his sandwich.

"You can't be serious Fitz." Sophie said.

"Yeah seriously Fitzy, that's not something you okay around with. You're talking about..." Keefe's voice trailed off.

Biana looked at Fitz. "You can't!"

Fitz gave her a look. "You know the rules, once a meet gala is called there is no going back."

Dex gave Fitz a look. "What's a meet gala?" He asked Sophie.

"Every single living Vacker will come to Everglen when a meet gala is called to meet a possible addition to the Vacker family."

Dex's wrench, which he'd been fiddling with, clattered to the floor. "There must be hundreds. Fitz! Why would you call that?"

Fitz looked at Tam. "Because Biana hasn't formally introduced her boyfriend to our parents."

Biana glared at Fitz. "I'm so sorry Tam."

"So this is happening?" Tam said after a bit of silence.

Biana nodded. "And there's no stopping it."

Tam didn't know why Fitz had called such a big event, because for the next week Biana was elbow deep in preparations. Sophie and Keefe had decided to use the week to prepare Tam.

On the day before the gala, Sophie had helped him get the perfect outfit.

Both Keefe and Sophie gave him a worried look, before Sophie went home.

Keefe stayed long enough to say, "Just so you know, nothing can prepare you for the full wrath of the entire Vacker family."

Keefe wasn't kidding. And neither was Dex. The entire Vacker family in its glory was hundreds of people, scattered around Everglen.

Family friends also attended this event. Grady, Edaline, and Sophie were spotted chatting with Fitz and Alden. Keefe was talking with a younger Vacker boy.

  Biana clung to Tam like he was going to disappear. Every so often she whispered, "I'm so sorry."

They braved through the grandparents, who deducted that Tam was an appropriate match for their granddaughter. 

The aunts and uncles were easier to endure, though there were multiple.

"This is my Aunt Marcia Vacker from the southern Vackers."

"My great uncle twice removed."

The cousins were bearable.

"My half cousin three times removed."

"My great, great cousin."

Then the parents. By the time they reached Alden and Della, Tam had seen so many Vackers, that the kind face of Della was comforting.

"Hi Tam, it's very nice to seen you again." She gave him a lovely smile.

"It's very nice to see you as well Mrs. Vacker. You as well Mr. Vacker."

Biana but her bottom lip as Tam was interrogated by her father.

But surprisingly, the gala ended with a large cheer in Tam's honor, a sign that the family approved.

Before Tam left, they went to the gardens.

"Thank you for going through that." Biana told him. 

"Well, it's worth it, because at the end of the night I get to give you this." Tam produced a beautiful necklace with a teal stone.

"I actually made it myself." He blushed.

Biana beamed. She tackled him in a hug. "I love it so much. Thank you."