Serendipity ↬ COMPLETE

Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Reunion Takes Its Toll

"Every parting gives a foretaste of death, every reunion a hint of the resurrection." -Arthur Schopenhauer

My dad drove up to the security gate at the gated community where my cousin lives, and said who he was visiting, showed his ID and all other security protocols that the guard had to follow before he let us through.

My dad pulled over to the side to wait for my aunt and uncle. When they came up behind us, we drove off again to find my cousin's house.

My dad pulled up into the half circle driveway and shut off his car as my uncle did the same. My parents got out of the car and then folded up the seats so that Connor and I could climb out of the backseat. As soon as Connor came around the car to stand next to me, I took his hand, sensing his nerves. I pushed my side close to his, and reached up to caress his bicep in my other hand. "You're going to do just fine. Just be yourself. Like you were with my great-uncle. And I promise, no more Italian," I whispered to him as we walked behind the adults to the front door of the two story mansion in front of us.

"Thank goodness," he muttered softly with a smile. He took a deep breath as Aunt Janice opened the front door and motioned us inside.

I could hear the loudness of several family members and smiled. I missed my family. I knew this wasn't all of them, and I would just have to wait as they showed up.

"Wait here. We'll go get everyone," my uncle whispered to us. My parents nodded silently as the two of them walked away toward to kitchen.

"Luann!" my aunt said happily.

"Janice! How are you?" I heard the cheery voice of my cousin exclaim happily.

"I'm great! And yourself?"

"I'm fantastic. The house was awfully quiet and I decided to get as much of the family as possible together. I'm so glad that you and Brett could make it," she said.

"Well, we have a surprise for everyone. If you could all follow us into the foyer," Uncle Brett jumped in.

"What's this all about?" I heard my other cousin, Haylee ask as footsteps made way toward the foyer where the four of us stood.

I saw Haylee first and she saw me. A sound mixed between a scream and a shriek left our mouths and we ran toward each other. We crashed into each others' arms and I hugged her tightly. "I missed you so much, Leilani!" she shrieked into my ear.

"I missed you, too, Hales!" I shrieked back with a laugh.

We pulled back from each others' embrace and laughed at ourselves. I noticed the rest of my family giving my parents hugs, and Connor was standing where I left him awkwardly. I released Haylee and made my way back over to him.

"I'm sorry," I whispered as I took his hand and started to led him to the rest of my family.

"It's okay. I understand that you haven't seen your family in a while. Go and say hi to everyone before you do anything else. It's okay," he whispered back. He stood silently and let my hand go with a smile. He stuck his hands in his pockets and I watched him watch me as I greeted my aunts, uncles, great-aunts, great-uncles, and cousins.

I quickly made my way back to him and pulled him forward. "I want you all to meet my boyfriend, Connor. He came down here with me a couple days ago," I said to the several members of my family. They all smiled at the two of us, and they all said hello. I took Connor around and introduced him to each member one-by-one. He smiled the whole time and was very polite, which made me smile deeply.

I finally introduced him to my cousins, Haylee and Lindsey, the sisters. I saved them for last because they were some of my best friends in my family. "Haylee. Lindsey. I want you to meet my boyfriend and best friend, Connor McDonough," I said cautiously to the two of them.