Welcome to the Family

            Madison couldn’t avoid it anymore. She had to see her parents and her sister before she went back up to Philadelphia. Madison knew exactly why her mother wanted her to stop by. She knew that her mother knew that Delilah, Emiliana and Arabella had already met Parker considering the fact that the five of them went to the same college. It was time for Parker to meet the parents. Madison also knew that Kelly would likely give Parker the line of you break my sister’s heart, I’ll break you; but Delilah, Emiliana and Arabella did that already. Sometimes it just sucked being the youngest in the family.

            “Everything will be fine; Mads.”

            “Ha. It will be anything but fine.”

            “Have some faith; your dad won’t kill me. My Mom said he’s a good guy.”

            “Parker, Parker, Parker; Mama’s got a real bad temper. And daddy’s got a shotgun.” Madison said quoting the song Welcome to the Family by Little Big Town.

            “It will be fine.” Parker assured Madison.

            “Sure it will.” Madison commented when they got to the front door of the house.

            Noemi answered the door as expected.

            “Senora Madison, it’s good to see you. It’s been far too quiet without you and your sisters here.”

            “Hi Noemi, it’s good to see you too. This is Parker Ryan, my boyfriend.”

            “It’s nice to meet you, Senor Parker. Senora, your parents and your sister are out back barbequing.”

            “Thank-you.”

            Madison and Parker headed out back, hands laced together.

            “Here we go.” Madison said as they stepped out of the house.

            Jethro was at the barbeque cooking burgers and grilling the vegetables while Jenny and Kelly sat at the patio table under the umbrella with cocktails in front of them. It was still warm out, fall hadn’t quite come yet. Jenny and Kelly were in sundresses and wedge sandals while Jethro was in a t-shirt and Bermuda shorts with flip-flops.

            “Looks pretty normal.” Parker said to Madison.

            “This is them pacified. It isn’t normally like this.”

            “Are you just going to stand there, Madison or are you going to introduce your friend?” Kelly asked.

            “Parker; I’d like you to meet my parents, my father; Jethro and you already met my mother; Jenny. This is my other sister, Kelly, the one Lila, Lena, Aria and I told you about.”

            “You’re Mr. Gibbs’ daughter from another marriage.” Parker stated for a bit of clarification.

            “Yeah pretty much.” Kelly responded as she took a sip of her sangria.

            Jenny was even a bit uncomfortable as well with Parker’s inquiry. The level of Jenny’s French 75 was getting successively lower.

            “Nice to meet you son.” Jethro said as he placed his gun where it was visible.

            “Oh god, here we go.” Madison said when she saw the gun.

            “It’s nice to see you again, ma’am.” Parker said as he pulled out one of the open patio chairs for Madison.

            “Parker.”

            “Told you. Mama’s got a real bad temper and daddy’s got a shotgun.”

            “How’s the burgers and stuff coming, Dad?”

            “Almost done, Kelly.”

            During lunch things had evened out some. Jethro was being protective as expected. Jenny wasn’t that far behind Jethro when it came to protecting Madison. Kelly on the end was giving Parker a warning glare as Madison expected.

            Sometime later when everyone was discussing things over drinks before Madison wanted to leave.

            “Well this was nice but we have to go, Sam is making dinner and we have packing to do. I’ll text you when we leave and when I get in.”

            “Sounds good.”

            When Madison had stepped into the bathroom Kelly pulled Parker aside.

            “Knowing my other sisters they have already told you what I’m about to tell you, but seeing as I am the oldest and they are my kid sisters and everything I’m gonnna say it again.”

            “Hmm.”

            “You break her heart, my sisters and our parents will be the least of your problems, got it?”

            “Yeah. And Kelly; I won’t break her heart.”

            “I’m holding you to that.”

            With that Madison and Parker headed back to his mother’s house. Kelly said that she was going to turn in after the front door closed behind Madison and Parker.

            “See that went well.” Parker said as they walked to the car Sam had let them borrow.

            “It only went well cause Mom and Kelly were drinking. And Dad was making sure you weren’t going to do anything with me while we were there.”

            “Could you be any more pessimistic?”

            “I’m not being pessimistic, I just know my family.”

            Soon after their talk on their way to the car Madison and Parker were driving back to Sam’s. Parker let Madison drive them home in Sam’s car.

            “You drive like your father.”

            “We all do, he taught all of us how to drive. Besides this is nothing compared to how Ziva drives.”

            Back at the house as Jenny and Jethro helped Noemi clean up from dinner they were discussing how things had gone.

            “He seems like a good kid, I don’t see why you were so adamant about them dating.” Jethro said.

            “How many times do I have to say it Jethro, I don’t like the fact that Madison is dating him because he’s Sam’s son.”

            After Jenny finished her sentence her phone rang with a Face Time request from Jaylyn. Jenny accepted the request.

            “What’s going on J?”

            “Nothing, girls are down for the night and Kasey isn’t home yet so I thought I’d see how dinner with Madison and Parker went. Jethro didn’t kill the kid, right?”

            “I heard that.” Jethro called.

            “Hello Jethro.”

            “It went well. Jethro thinks Parker is the best thing ever, Kelly looked like she was ready to kill the kid herself and I’m still coming around.”

            “Jen, he’s a good kid and you’ll warm up to him. Besides its quite reasonable for Kelly to want to kill Parker, she’s just being the protective older sister like Delilah, Emiliana and Arabella are likely being. And if I remember correctly you were just as overprotective of me every time I brought a guy home.”

            “Well J someone had to be protective of you when you started dating.”

            “And your reason for being protective of Madison?”

            “You should know why, you’ll be there in a few years with your girls.”

            “I’ll be a bit more laid back when they start dating when they start dating.”

            “Until one of them comes home and says that she’s pregnant.”

            “Hey Jen, why don’t you do me a favor and go screw something like your husband.” Jaylyn said completely pissed off now as she ended the Face Time call with Jenny.

            “Don’t say it, Jethro.”

            “I’m going to say it.”

            “I know, I crossed a line with J just now but she can’t be her girls’ best friend and their mother at the same time.”

            “Why not? You’ve managed to be both for our girls and you’re trying to be both with Kelly.”

            “Jethro just leave it.” Jenny said as she left the kitchen and went to her study.

            Jethro was gonna go down to the basement but remembered that Tony had mentioned that the Phillies were playing the Marlins and he had decided to watch the game in the living room while Jenny cooled off in her study.