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Benny is finally going to attend a family event with you and it makes you so nervous. He’s already met the important and immediate family sure but this is a cousin's birthday party and Benny will stand out. He thinks you stressing is over the top but he just.. well- he’s going to find out.
–
“Mija, vas a traer ese novìo tuyo, al fiesta de tu prima?” [Honey, are you going to bring that boyfriend of yours to your cousin's party?]
You sigh.
Of course family dinner at your grandparents house would turn a quiet night in, into a mini family reunion. This is the millionth time your tìa has asked about Benny specifically.
“Si yo digo que sì, me dejaras de preguntar?” [If I told you yes, will you stop asking me?]
“Ay que bueno! Te veo este fin de semana! Besos mijita! Muah!” [How great! I’ll see you this weekend!]
Your extended family has been bugging you about when they were going to meet Benny ever since your mom slipped up and said you were seeing someone. It’s not that you were ashamed of Benny, not that at all. It’s just that you were afraid of poor Benny being an object to your tìas, or the target of scrutiny and judgment from your cousins and tìos…but you love him and maybe it is finally time to just rip off the Latino birthday party bandaid.
–
“Does this look okay?” Benny plants himself right in front of you wearing dark fitted pants and a white button down. It takes you by surprise just how much effort he put into making sure he makes a good impression, your heart swells.
“Oh boy” You chuckle. “My tìas are going to absolutely devour you babe.”
“Perfect! Then I’m ready when you are.” He says excitedly and that makes you sigh.
“You and I have very different expectations about how this is going to go and I’m never going to be ready for this.” You confess.
Backing away, he scans your face still not comprehending how big of a deal this is for you, so you alter your explanation.
“Hmm okay, Ben,” you say frankly, “Hear me out. Unlike some of my cousins, I don’t bring just anyone around my family so this is a big deal for me but I’m also hesitant because of how they’ll tease and hound you.”
Benny reaches toward ready to speak but you beat him to it, to finish your statement.
“I’m obviously not ashamed of you Ben but bringing in a tall, lanky white boy to a yard full of mixed brown people… You’re going to stand out.”
“I’m still not seeing the problem here.” Benny smiles and drags his hands over your arms.
“Just wait babe. I’m hoping my mom won’t abandon me and helps me out as much as she can.” You say while a giggle escapes you. “Just wait.”
–
When you arrive at your cousin’s house for her daughter's party, it was just like you imagined. Your mom abandoned you in the driveway and ALL eyes directed toward you and Ben. It took less than two seconds on property before the swarm of tias came your way. Well, more like Benny’s way.
“Mija! Who’s this?” One of your aunts asks even though you know she already knows.
And it’s begun.
With a deep breath, you start on the semi formal introductions. “Titi, you know this is my boyfriend Ben.”
“Claro niña pero no me dijistes que él es tan guapo.” [Of course honey but you didn’t tell me that he’s so handsome.]
Benny recognizes ‘guapo’ and smiles while you playfully roll your eyes.
“Call me Benny.”
Your aunt sends an approving smirk your way when Benny offers his hand. “Ay mira. Un gentleman. It’s so nice to meet you Benny, call me Adina. I was beginning to think my niece was never going to bring a partner around.”
Your eyes go wide at her comment.
“TITI!”
“I’m just saying mija!” She explains, “This one must be special if he’s here.”
And with that ego boost evident on Benny’s face, your boyfriend is being dragged out of the kitchen and into the yard to meet the rest of the family.
–
It’s hard to lose Benny in the yard when he towers over a majority of your family members. It only took a total twenty minutes for your aunt to drag him to every table and announce that you finally brought a boy home.
You hung back while he was bombarded with questions from your aunts, cousins and family friends. Simply smiling and letting Benny take the brunt since he was so confident about this not being overwhelming.
‘How long have you known each other?’
‘Do you two live together?’
‘Do you have a brother?’
‘What do you do for work?’
Knowing that the next step in introductions is to force food onto him, you make your way to the buffet table to make him a plate when you notice him making his rounds at the final table.
“Did you really leave him with Titi Adina?” One of your cousins interrupts as she comes to stand next to you.
You let out a chuckle. “He was dead set on not needing me next to him so I’m letting him find out.”
“Girl, you are brave. If I left my man with any of our Tias, I’d almost guarantee an argument after we left.”
“I’m kind of surprised he’s keeping up to be honest but I can see the light fading.” You laugh and continue to fill two plates. “I think it’ll kick in when Tio Chuchu gets here with the sound system and he realizes we won’t be leaving after we eat.”
You laugh with your cousin some more at the food table until you see Benny start to make a beeline for you.
“Oh shit, here he comes. Talk later?” She nods and the two of you scramble, leaving you alone as Benny approaches.
“Babe, I could’ve gotten my own plate.”
Oh he’s so cute.
“Are you trying to get me disowned?” You say, walking past him to set the plates down at an empty table.
“Whoops sorry, I forgot about that whole thing,” he admits, “Your aunts are really nice though. They kept calling me ‘chulo’” [attractive].
His pronunciation makes you giggle.
“Well chulo, get to eating before someone comes and scolds me for not feeding you.”
You wait a beat.
“So how many of them called you ‘flaquito’?” [skinny]
“All of them.”
“Thought so. Now eat.”
–
Your meal was mostly uninterrupted. An occasional lurking tìa or two to make sure the two of you were eating but not anything particularly overwhelming. At least until Benny’s plate was clean.
“Diablo nena, no le das comida?” [Damn girl, don’t you give him food?] Your Titi Adina jumps in. “Benny hunny, do you want some more? There’s plenty of food.”
Benny remembers not to say no so he happily accepts another plate and glances at you to make sure he didn’t get you in trouble.
“Good job babe.” You tell him when she’s out of range.
“Mhm yeah but what do I do if I’m full?”
Your hand hits your mouth in a heartbeat. “Full is not a word Latinos know, so we just take it all and whatever you don’t eat, I’ll cover it in foil to take home.”
He starts to nod in understanding but a yawn stops him and you anticipate his next sentence.
“Good deal babe. So when do we leave or do we wait till after cake or something?”
You really want to laugh but his innocence is sincere. Instead, you kiss his forehead as you stand, hoping he reads your silence as his answer - that you two will not be leaving any time soon.
“If you need a break at any point, we’ll just go to the front yard or the kitchen okay?”
Benny responds by wrapping his arm around your legs and gives your hip a gentle kiss and says okay. Hyper aware that this physical affection will draw attention, you pull away and like clockwork, your Tio Chuchu makes eye contact from across the yard and you smile.
“Ooh Ben, you have to meet my uncle now! He’s going to absolutely adore your help.”
Benny looks up at you, confused and follows your eye line.
“I thought I met everyone?”
“Baby…you’ve only met like a third of the family.” You laugh and start to pull him away from the table.
“Wait, what about the food?” Benny scrambles. “Your aunt isn’t back yet.”
“Chuchu is here. Food waits. The party is about to get started and he’s likely going to ask my big strong boyfriend for some help setting up the DJ table.”
“Started!?”
His earlier cool is fading and tired Benny is starting to peek through his exterior. Suddenly every worry and warning you had for him was beginning to make sense and the feeling of being overwhelmed was creeping in.
“Started??” He repeats quieter now that you two are zig-zagging through the full yard of people.
“I told you this would be a marathon, Ben. Just give me the signal and we’ll take a break.”
Benny’s eyes go wide and you stop short to press your chest to his.
“I love you Benny boy, okay. You get through this kid's birthday in one piece and if you’re still awake when we get home, I’ll give you that treat you so confidently asked me for earlier.”
He chokes on his breath and forces a smile at you.
“Can I get a guess-timate on how much longer?”
You so badly want to just whisk him away and thank him for putting up with your family but it’s going to have to wait.
“How about this?” You propose. “Dance with at least my Titi Adina and my cousin hosting then we can go after cake? I’ll take any heat. Deal?”
He contemplates for a split second.
“Deal.”
“Perfect!” You turn in his arms. “Vamos a empezar esta fiesta!” [Let's get this party started!]
Benny is in for a long night.