Jakinda invited him to her family's Memorial Day celebration.

This was going to be a big deal. Not only was he going to meet her kids, but her whole family. Jakinda said their annual family cookout started with just family and then expanded each year to include more and more people. It was always in Bellefontaine Park in North County. They rented out half the park.

What was he going to wear?  Yes, he was worried he had to impress them. Nothing too big and sagging, or else they would think he was a young thug. Nothing too dressy or business-like, they would think he was a square. He needed to be as casual as possible.

He found a Cardinals red jersey, crispy ironed jeans and a fitted red cap over his locs. The only reason he wore a hat was because he needed a retwist. Had to cover up the fizzy roots.

He should not care this much about how he looked.

"You looking fine boy, like you're too hot for me."

Jakinda with a white one-piece shorts romper showing off her small waist, ample ass, and thick thighs. His eyes had to train themself not to stare at her ass all day. That would be disrespectful around her children and family. He was into Jakinda for a lot more than her body.

She was sexy, beautiful, hot, all those things but also intelligent, caring, hard-working, and loved him as well. That meant a lot to him, and he did not want to mess things up.

"I just want to make sure I'm not coming in looking like a scrub." He looked himself over again. Why did it matter what he had on? And why was he thinking too hard about this?

That made Jakinda laugh and push him away. "Nobody says that. Boy, you are not a scrub. You have a job, your own car, your own place. At twenty-eight, that's damn good."

That brought up a question he needed to know. Jakinda told him about her children, how she raised them, and how they were now. She barely talked to her son and he would be there today. Seemed like they would not like her dating, much less a younger man. "Have you warned your son and daughter about me?"

"I told my daughter I was dating someone and I am sure she ran her mouth to her brother."

"I mean, did you tell her I was younger?"

Jakinda said nothing, her face blank as she blinked her eyes. "No. Should I have?"

He was torn about that. On one hand, it did not matter the fact that he was fourteen years younger. On the other hand, they should have been warned. Would they take it easy like he did with his mother?

He was making himself nervous. This was the most anxious he felt in their relationship since it began. Why was he so nervous?

As soon as they pulled up to the park, there was a crowd of people. The parking lot was nearly full. He could hear music in the background, but the chatter of festive people overpowered the music. He could see at least two dozen people mingling about the area.

"Are we late?"

"No, my father likes to get here as early as possible, and others like to come along and hang out."

He nervously scratched the back of his head even though there was no itch. "So uh...who all is going to be here again? Your parents? Your kids?"

"Ha! That's the least of them. You know my father remarried, so my stepmother and her son. My half-sister as well. My mother remarried and will also be here with my stepfather. Everyone from all sides of the family gets along. So my aunts, uncles, and cousins from all sides. Their wives and kids, their co-workers, hell, neighborhood folks as well."

"Wow." And that was all he could really say.

That seems like too many people to meet. Maybe this was not the right time to meet them all, at a family function. Maybe he should wait to just have dinner with one set of parents. And then meet the kids later.

"Come on Nikko, it'll be okay." She gave him a pat on the shoulder "And even if someone gives you a hard time, so what? Right? Remember, age is nothing but a number."

"Yeah," he said, but did not mean it.

They stepped out of the car and he went to the truck to grab the things they brought. Sodas, beers, and several bags of chips. Everyone was to bring something, and there were tables of food, snacks, and refreshments. Someone must have been on ice duty because there were plenty of bags of ice in at least five coolers.

One folding table held all the paper products: plates in three or four sizes, paper bowls, napkins, rolls of paper towels, plastic utensils, and lots of cups. There even were to-go containers for the plenty of food that would be left over.

There were two large grills and one smaller one. They were not even using the ones that came with the park. There were all kinds of food on each grill with men hard at work making sure they were cooked to perfection. Smelled like a lot of pork steaks, ribs, burgers, brats, and chicken. His stomach rumbled a bit while they sat their chips on a table already filled with bags of Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Red Hot Riplets, Andy's Hot Fries, sour cream and onion chips, barbecue chips, pretzels, tortilla chips, and various dips to go with them. He added their Sundance Hot corn chips and Cheetos cheese puffs to the table.

"If you're hungry, you can help yourself to whatever is here, and whatever meat is done," Jakinda said to him. "We kind of just eat all day while we're hanging out here."

Did not have to tell him twice. He did not know where to start, but he grabbed a plate.

Jakinda was at his side, grabbed a paper bowl, and poured some Red Hot Riplets in it, then added some sour cream and onion dip.

He looked over the chips, but he wanted some real food. On one of the big tables, there was homemade potato salad, as well as store-bought, a clear bowl of seven-layer salad, cold pasta salad, bags of chopped salad that needed to be mixed, some kind of Frito pie, a fruit salad, a full tray of Hawaiin rolls, and two trays of mostaccioli wrapped tight and in an insulated container.

He did not care if he was about to go in on something that no one else had dug into, he wanted some mostaccioli. He carefully pulled out a pan, unwrapped it, and put a serving on his plate. Now he did not know if he was supposed to put it back or what.

"No, leave that out. It's always the best thing here," someone said who walked up to his side.

With one glance over at the young lady standing beside him, he knew it was Jakinda's daughter, Minah. Looked like the spitting image of her but fairer skinned with braids down her back.

"Did you make it?" he asked her.

"Oh, you got jokes. Do I look like I sweat in a kitchen?" She waved the plate she was holding over her body and he was not going to divert his eyes and glare at his girlfriend's daughter. He already knew they had the same body shape.

"So who made the mostaccioli?"

"My gran." Minah loaded her plate with some of the pasta. "I've never seen you here. Another hot guy one of my lil cousins dragged along?"

He was just about to say something when Jakinda walked up to them.

"Hey, I see you met Nikko."

"What? This is Nikko?" Minah's face said it all. Her mouth was in an oh shape, her skin a shade darker, whether in shock or embarrassment. "The guy you're seeing?"

"Nikko, this is my daughter Minah. My little mini-me as I say." Jakinda put an arm around her daughter's shoulder. "Everyone says we look like sisters, not mother and daughter.

"Yes, I see the similarities," Nikko said.

"Mom!" Morah said, her eyes still taking him in. "Whoa! I don't even know what to say."

He braced himself for her daughter to hate him. Think he was too young. Shoo him away and become a conflict in their relationship. Jakinda was still holding back because of his age, and this could be the beginning of the end for them.