Protecting Taylor

Chapter 38

Adam drove up the long driveway that led to Taylor's parents house in Nashville. It was a really pretty property and the house was gorgeous. Taylor was sitting in the passenger seat and I was in the back behind her seat. We are here to spend thanksgiving with Taylor's family.
I don't remember the last time I had a thanksgiving meal. Maybe this was my first. My mom might have made all the food and had a dinner before she died, but I don't really remember it.
Today was Wednesday and we plan to leave Saturday. Taylor really loved her family, I could tell. Every time she sees them it's like she hasn't seen them in years. So, she was very happy to be here and spend time with her family.
Andrea was already at the door waiting and opened it when we reached the porch.
"Hey mom!" Taylor said hugging her mom.
"Hey sweetie!" She greeted back.
A big dog came running up to us.
"Hi Kitty!" Taylor said petting the dog.
The dog came up and sniffed me.
I pet the dog's head and it licked my hand.
"Hi!" I said softly to the dog.
Kitty wagged and wagged, then the dog put its paws on my shoulders and started licking my face.
"Oh my god! Kitty get down! No!" Andrea said pulling the dog off of me.
"It's okay!" I said petting Kitty.
"Kitty loves when people come over." Scott chuckles.
"Kitty is just a big happy child." Taylor giggles.
Andrea sighs and turns to me.
"Are you excited for thanksgiving?" She asks.
"Yeah." I smiled.
"Good, good!" She said hugging me.
She hugged Adam and we took off our shoes by the door.
"Welcome home kid!" Scott said hugging Taylor.
"Welcome to our home other kid." Scott joked ruffling my hair.
"Teffy!" Austin said coming in from the other room.
"Are we still doing that?" Taylor asked playfully rolling her eyes at her brother.
"It never ends." He says and they exchanged a hug.
"Hey what's up man?" Adam asked and they did a bro hug.
"Nothing much, ready for all American thanksgiving?" He asked.
"You bet." Adam laughed.
"How about you my favorite badass?" Austin asked pulling me into a hug.
"I'm good!" I laughed as the side of my face was squished up into the side of his chest.
He gave my hair a good ruffle and released me.
"Is this where you guys grew up?" I asked.
"No, I mean we grew up in Pennsylvania before this one," Austin gestures at Taylor, "decided we need to pick up and go to Nashville to sing country music." He continues with an annoying southern accent.
"This isn't the house we moved into either." Andrea said.
"Oh, Austin, you loved Nashville way more." Taylor rolled her eyes.
"I did." He sighs and playfully flicks her which starts a playful shoving match.
We all went into the living room where I sat on a couch with Taylor and Adam. Scott and Andrea told stories about Taylor and Austin from when they were kids and they took a trip down memory lane. It was the kind of talking and exchange of words that seemed to feel like it only lasted a few minutes, but in reality it was hours.
"Do we want to go out or eat in?" Andrea spoke us as it was nearing dinner time.
"I'll take us all out, since you're cooking tomorrow. My treat." Taylor said.
"It's really not a big deal, Taylor, I do it every year." Her Mom argues.
"Come on, everyone. Where should we eat?"
"You pick sweetheart, we eat in Nashville all of the time." Scott says.
"Okay, how about Etch's?" Taylor suggests.
"Sounds fine with me." Scott agrees.
Andrea nods when Taylor looks to her for confirmation.
"I'm down with that." Austin nods.
"Alright, then it's settled considering neither of you have been there." Taylor says to Adam and me.
We pilled into Taylor's parents' SUV and Scott drove us all to the Etch's place. It was a lot more modern looking in Nashville than I thought. I expected barns and jacked-up-trucks, but instead was greeted with a city. The only difference here was how welcoming it felt.
The restaurant wasn't huge, but it was fancy and Taylor requested a private room from the star struck host.
Taylor handled it as gracefully as always and smiled at him. She let him blush and stumble over his words while still keeping a smile on her face.
He led us back to a room with a table set up to accommodate to the six of us. A waitress came up and took our drink orders before the host even had the chance to exit the room. She had a southern accent, but it wasn't super strong.
I heard a huffing noise, then something lightly hit the side of my face. I flinched slightly and looked down at the table when a straw wrapper lay. Then, I looked across the table to see the culprit. Austin.
I unwrapped my straw and left some of it on the end and shot my wrapper at him. He was prepared for it though, and blocked it. We both started laughing and while everyone was looking at what we were laughing at, Taylor took it as a chance to shoot her straw wrapper at Adam. His mouth fell open in playful shock and it brought on a fresh wave of laughs. Next thing I know, Austin is hit in the face with a straw wrapped and he spins around to see his mom shrugging while laughing.
Suddenly, one flys across the table and hits Taylor in the forehead. We burst out laughing and when the waitress comes back to take our order she looks like she's unsure as to what she is walking into.
"Do y'all need another minute? Or are you ready to order? I can start y'all off with an appetizer if you'd like." She says.
"Um, I think we're still looking." Adam says while everyone tried to get themselves back under control.
"Okay, I'll come back in a few." She says.
As she is walking out, a straw wrapper hits her in the back, but she doesn't notice. As soon as she is out of the room everybody starts laughing and Adam puts his hands up to show he was guilty as charged.
Once everyone was under control, we looked at the menus and figured out what to order. The oblivious waitress came back and took our orders. The rest of the meal was filled with lots of laughing. This must be what a family is like, I thought to myself.
It felt nice feeling like part of a family. Taylor's mom was sweet as could be and funny and her dad was proud of her and hilarious. They were amazing parents. Then of course there is Austin, who from day one seemed to be the older brother I never had. He liked to mess with me and joke around. Then, there's Taylor, who wanted to be a part of my life from the second she saw me. It must have been amazing to grow up like this, but all I have is the here and now before it's gone.