We're Not Related Anymore...

You're My Dad's Girlfriend's Son?

Before the waiter can come by to take our drinks order, I hear the bell chime by the door and turn around in my seat. A family of four walks in and I get excited, wondering if this is them.

A middle-aged woman with graying dark hair enters first. She looks severe in a striped button-down and ironed pants. She seems so out of place in the Tex-Mex restaurant. She looks like she's coming over to serve the place papers, not to sit down and eat. Behind her are two girls, twins by the looks of it. They both have raven hair plated in matching braids. But the similarities end there. One is dressed in a black and white pinafore and the other is in a dress so colorful it looks like she knocked over tins in a paint shop.

My breath catches when I see the last family member walk in. At least two heads taller than his mother, is a dark-head boy. I can't be sure but I think it's the one I met on my first day of school: Jacob.

My suspicions are proved true when the woman spots my father and her resting-bored face lights up with a smile. My dad stands up and meets her halfway. He presses a quick kiss on her cheek while the rest of us kids stand awkwardly, waiting for the introduction.

"Hi," The two both say to each other shyly. Gag, adults should not be this way over each other. It's gross.

"Um, hello," I say, forcing the two to pay attention to me. His girlfriend breaks away first, her eyes landing on me. She forces a smile and gives me a quick once-over.

"You must be Maddie, I'm Lilian. Your dad's told me a lot about you." She offers her hand for a handshake and I take it, feeling like I'm meeting my defense attorney and not my dad's girlfriend.

When she's done with me, she goes to my brother and pulls him into a hug. "Josh it's good to see you again." Of course, they already know each other. I scowl, feeling like I'm the outsider in this whole shebang.

She pulls back from my brother and goes to stand behind her two girls. "This is Mary and Shelley. Girls, meet Keegan, Maddie, and Josh."

I have to stop the snort that threatens to escape me. My brother, sensing the laugh that wants to come out, moves closer to me and pinches my arm. It does the trick and all my humor vanishes as I grab my arm and wince. But seriously, Mary and Shelley? This lady may as well have called her kids 'Franken' and 'Stein'.

The girls eye us warily and I'm glad I'm not the only one meeting strangers today. I smile my biggest smile and pull out the chair next to the one I chose.

"Who wants to sit next to me?" I ask. The twin dressed in black and white, raises an eyebrow and rejects my offer with all the angst and loathing only thirteen-year-olds can muster. The rainbow one sweetly takes me up on my offer and skips into the chair I've pulled out.

"I'm Shelley," she tells me. "Don't get us confused. It angers that one," she explains while the rest of us take our seats.

I watch Jacob take the seat next to my brother. He's almost in my direct eye-line and I can't be mad about that. Lilian seems grateful that none of us caused a scene. Between Mary and me, though, one of us is bound to start something.

I catch Jacob's eye as everyone picks up their menus. His eyes crinkle when he sees me staring. "It's good to see your hand's healed," he tells me, thumbing through the food choices.

"What's this?" His mom asks. "Do you two already know each other?" She seems surprised. I wonder why. We go to the same school after all.

"I met Jacob on my first day," I tell her, not bothering to look at the options.

"What's this about a hand being healed?" Shelley asks from beside me.

"When I first met Maddie her fist was all busted up from punching some guy," Jacob tells her. My brother rolls his eyes at the story.