He returns with clothing and after he steps out we dress and join her Dads downstairs for breakfast. Rachael brings her lap top with her and apparently there is a video of the Haka on several facebook pages which Randy and Peter watch with interest. She goes through and shows some of the photos to her Dads who are laughing a little and have different reactions to my barbarian getting up. Most of the day is spent at Rachael's place as the rest of my girls come over at around noon and we make a big powwow of the grouping with Peter going into new styling for hair and clothes while Imelda, Randy and I are in the garage tuning up bikes.
Do we attend the big matchup between the Olympic Forest Knights and the Pine River's Panthers? Of course we do, I make it a point to get there early and thanks to my new in with the team My girls and I are on the field as the game goes on, we don't interfere with the coaches or the players but Lou is more than happy to see me and it's when I see him looking at Amy in the stands do I smile. Around the third quarter the game damn near stands still as I watch Lou break through the line and nearly decapitate Reginald in a high hitting sack. Both sides quiet down and while Lou is the first one up he does no grandstanding, I watch him move to Reginald's side and start talking to him. Coaches and a few paramedics take the field but Lou isn't moving. Everyone is staring for about five minutes when Reginald leaves the field on his own two feet and Lou retakes his place in the huddle. Reginald came back during the fourth but damage was done on the scoreboard as we pulled out the win. I watch Lou and Reginald shake hands before the team's head off to their respective locker rooms and buses home. We wait for Lou and his boys and it's only when he sees us does his face brighten and Amy rushes him, leaping into his arms and getting herself a big hug.
"Dude you damn near killed that quarterback out there," Matty states as we all agree.
"Yeah, when I got up and he wasn't moving I got scared. He was out for most of the time he was down but he's okay from what the medics said," Lou tells us a little relieved.
"That was an NFL style sack, I'm going to have the game posted on the school website Monday and see what we can do about getting it out there so scouts can see that shit," I tell Lou who looks at me a little discouraged.
"I don't want to glorify myself hurting someone," He tells me when Amy retorts his attention.
"College scouts need to see you do things like that, including you waiting for him to wake up. Sportsmanship and talent, isn't that what you told me this morning," Amy says and Lou's face reddens, we heckle him a little bit and I get a hug from Amy before we all depart for home.
Last week of school comes and goes before winter break and we're only into it for two days as I start to state the obvious, Dad hasn't set up the tree. My father has had the tree set up every year by the second day of winter break and here we are on the third day and no tree. I bring it up at dinner when Mom and Dad both stop eating and decide to break some news to us.
"We're not having Christmas at home this year, your father and I will be taking you with us as we go up to the mountains," Mom says as we are all dumbfounded.
"It's important and we'll be packing tonight so I want everything taken care of so we can leave very early tomorrow, Guy you will be leaving your bikes and Katy will be driving the second car with us up," Dad says laying down the plans for the trip up.
We're taking a Christmas vacation to the mountains, what the hell is this? My father always said Christmas was meant for homes and families and now we're going up the mountains. I'm hoping they have a cabin or something because if this turns into a camping trip in the snow Katy and I are taking Liz and running for our lives. Packing goes well and I get Katy in my bed early so we can sleep soundly the night before. We're woken up at five in the morning and once dressed Dad has us lock the house up tight and in cars heading down the road, a hot thermos of coffee is in the car with Katy and me. I don't drink coffee so I steadily make her cup after cup till it's gone. We stop after a couple hours for food and bathroom breaks as I text my girls to let them know the calamity of the sudden trip. Immediately I'm texted back by Kori who says she's with her Imelda, Mom and Carl heading up to Stevens Pass to go skiing during the Christmas break and is sad to say we won't see each other, then Matty tells me she's heading up to Stevens Pass with her father since he's got a cabin up there. Dad starts to usher us back to our cars after food and I try to stop him before we disembark but he's all gone and we're back on the road when I point out the replies I have to my messages.
"We're being set up, I love our parents but if this turns into a horror movie I say we run and don't look back," Katy jokes as we continue our drive.
Several hours and a few bathroom stops allow Kori and Imelda with her parents to catch up to us. It's a lunch break that has Matty and Rachael with their Dads and now we're a convoy heading up the mountains towards some plotted event by our parents. I don't like surprises and Dad knows this so him putting a surprise on me is big. We finally arrive at a resort and Dad takes it even further as we take a side road and continue until we're at a large villa. There are a couple vehicles parked out front and we finally disembark as Dad leads the pack inside, it's warm and we're all a little road weary when I damn near hit the floor in shock.
"Merry Christmas everyone," Loretta says as we are greeted by her and the entire Texas clan including Imelda's Mom.
Greetings go around and everyone's spirits are up save for one person, Dad, he's reserved and on the defensive as everyone goes about their greetings and introductions. I watch Imelda almost pick up her mother in a hug; Katy and Mark's girlfriend Vicki exchange a very long hug and start talking about college a little. I watch Liz and Bethany meet face to face for the first time and they immediately start going on about how amazingly weird this is, I have to agree.
"Okay before we start settling down we should probably bring our stuff in first and get it to the rooms," my Dad says, taking control of the situation.
All the Washington men folk buckle down and head back out and it's a few moments later that they are joined by Mr. Delauter and Mark Junior. I watch as my Dad is simply taking directions to rooms and making it a point to keep things all business like for the unpacking. Dad doesn't even stop once the vehicles are unpacked as he starts settling into his room with Mom trying to get him to come out and socialize. I take note of the sleeping arrangements; all the parents have a room. My step sisters, all three of them, have a room to share along with Mark Jr. and Vicki having a room of their own. Then there's my room, no bed at all, just big ass padding on the floor for me and all my fiancés to share together.
We all gather for dinner in the main dining area and I figure out this used to be a part of the hotel by the kitchen. Loretta and Mrs. Ortega have been cooking and once we're all seated in various parts of the living room I have to be the one to ask the questions.
"Okay so we rented a hotel for us to sleep in," I put it out there and Loretta picked it up immediately.
"Yes and no, this is only part of the hotel. We wanted this to be the first big family Christmas so all us parents started talking about where to do it and it was decided that up here would be best," Loretta states happily," Everyone pitched in and while it's not cheap having all of us under one roof for a couple weeks is worth it to me."
I can see people nodding in agreement and voicing such a save for my Dad, he's got a look on his face I think I get sometimes when I'm doing something I'd rather not do. I figure I'll need to talk with him soon but thankfully Mom is right there to coax him into being pleasant as he meets Imelda's mother for the first time. I'm watching the room and while everyone is happy Loretta keeps looking at Dad like she's waiting for the other shoe to drop. Yep I'm looking at a Merry Christmas alright. After dinner most of us start to turn in and I pull Loretta aside to talk with her privately which happens after a big welcoming hug.
"Mom, we gotta talk. You and Dad under the same roof is not a good idea," I tell her plainly.
"Guy he is your father and I'm your mother and after what I dragged that man through he can take me somewhere privately and verbally abuse me till he gets it out of his system," Loretta tells me being painfully honest.
"Mom I know you were a drunk back then but you've changed, hell it took me weeks but I figured that out and so can he," I explain but she's holding back.
"Guy you are a sweet boy but there is a reason we will do this privately between him and I. There are things that your father will need to say to me and I can take it," Loretta tells me before ushering me off to my room.
I pass Mom and Dad's room to find them barely conversing about how this can be a good thing for everyone. When I say barely conversing I mean that my Mom is talking and Dad is grunting responses. I reach my room and there are five women in flannel pajamas all spread out on a big ass cushion waiting for me, okay so this vacation has a couple good perks. I am required to wear pajamas of my own and while I really want to play around once we're all in bed and the lights are off I'm off to sleep quickly.