Uncle Rob came to stay with Kate and her family while he was on a business trip. It was her Dad's idea, he hadn't seen his brother in eight years because he lived so far away, and because life gets in the way of catching up with family and friends sometimes. Ryan was more excited than Kate had ever seen him. He hadn't been himself for a while since he realised that he was turning fifty. Rob was his older brother and had already crossed that invisible line. But from what she overheard when Ryan and Melanie - her mom - spoke, he felt younger already. Kate had just turned eighteen, she sympathized with her dad about feeling old. She felt old already and anyone who had reached their twenties was positively teetering on the edge of the grave.
Uncle Rob arrived at noon on Thursday when nobody was home. Dad had secreted away a spare key for him and he used this to enter the house and dump his bags in the guest room. He had been told to relax and grab a beer and that Melanie would leave something for him to eat in the refrigerator. Rob sat in Ryan's lazy-boy and after three beers and a sandwich, dozed off.
Kate arrived at four, dragging her younger brother Mark behind her. She was angry because she had to drive around looking for him, he never stayed put where she told him she would pick him up. She was about to unlock the front door when she saw it wasn't locked. She jumped away from the door in fright, bumping into Mark, who was perpetually grumpy at this stage of his life.
"What's the matter stupid? Did you forget Uncle Rob's supposed to be here?" He pushed passed Kate into the house and she took the opportunity to smack him on his head for being rude, and for being her baby brother. Mark spun around for vengeance shouting, "Hey!"
As he got to Kate she was saved by Uncle Rob appearing behind Mark.
"Uncle Rob!" Kate exclaimed and gave Mark a sadistic smile. Mark was reluctant to turn his back on the enemy to see if it was true, then he heard his uncle speak, still not quite awake from his doze.
"Hey guys. I'm here - finally. Katie is that you? And you," he said ruffling Mark's hair.
"Are you out of diapers already?" Mark smiled his choirboy smile for his uncle.
"No he isn't Uncle Rob, he still has to wear them at ni-." The rest of her words were cut off as she ran around the kitchen table, Mark chasing her with murder in his eyes.
Rob laughed and then grabbed Mark as he passed him running to catch his sister. He pulled him off his feet and gave him a tight hug.
"I don't believe that, he just about a man already." Mark nodded and smiled, pleased with the attention he was getting. Kate rolled her eyes.
"Can I fix you something to eat Uncle Rob?" She asked.
"No, Melanie - your mom did, thanks."
"I'm hungry." Mark quipped. Kate sighed and opened the refrigerator and began to take things out to feed the hungry lion. As she turned back to the table top she felt someone staring and looked up. Rob was staring at her with a peculiar look on his face. He realised that she was looking back at him and quickly stammered out an apology.
"You look exactly like your mother looked when she was your age." He said by way of explanation for the staring.
"Really?" Said Kate. "I had no idea you knew her back then."
Rob laughed again and then said, "Your mom dated me before she dated your dad. As a matter of fact, she dropped me for him. Ryan and I didn't speak for six months because of her. Damn, how I wish I could have those days over again. They were good times."
Kate gave her brother his sandwich and told him to chew before swallowing. This conversation may have been interesting to her uncle, but she had friends to phone and homework and couldn't wait to escape.
"Well...Uhh... If you don't mind, I have lots to do, I'm going to put my stuff down and change and then I'll come back down again."
"No, please, you don't have to entertain me. Your dad will be here soon. Do what you have to do. I'll keep an eye on Mark." He said and winked at Mark.
"Okay, if you're sure..."
"I'm positive - go." With that she escaped upstairs and promptly posted on her facebook account what a drag the next two weeks were going to be, hash tagged with 'mylifesucks'. Kate was half doing homework, half chatting on her laptop when she heard her Dad's voice. She heard him laugh loudly. She wanted to see him with his brother so she went downstairs.
"Hi Daddy." Her dad had his back to her, speaking and laughing with his brother. He turned around when he heard Kate's voice.
"Hi Honey." He enveloped her with his big arms and she cuddled against his chest, she lifted her head and her dad planted a kiss on her mouth.
"So? Do we look like brothers?" He asked her and moved to throw an arm around Rob's shoulders.
"Jip. You definitely do." They were both old, that's what she saw, but for some reason she thought that they were both still handsome, they had aged well.
"Uncle Rob says I look like Dad and him and you look like Mama." Mark chirped up, looking very pleased with himself, as if he had planted the family DNA himself. Kate rolled her eyes.
"Oh I don't think Kate's picked up half of her dad's family traits. Has she Ryan?"
"Not the one you're thinking of. Melanie didn't take to it either, if you remember?" Kate looked from one to the other quizzically.
"Which trait?" She asked.
"The way we love family." Her uncle replied. She shook her head, not understanding.
"That's the real reason Uncle Rob is here. It's a 'tradition' we pass on when someone turns eighteen. Some family take to it, some don't. It really doesn't matter either way because people are different. We just pass it on. Like Rob said, Mama doesn't care for it. That's her choice but she won't stop you from having the experience, and then it's your choice whether you want to continue the tradition or not."
"What is it?" Now she was curious. He dad glanced at Mark, who was also looking at them questioningly.
"Later." He said.
"Come on dad, that's not fair!" Mark complained.
"Sorry son, you have to be an adult so you can judge wisely."
"But I am an adult, Uncle Rob said so." He whined. Rob laughed and rubbed his mop of hair.
"Almost. And you'll get your turn, when you're eighteen."
"But -."
"That's final." Ryan said sternly. Kate was as disappointed as Mark was when their father and uncle refused to elaborate, but she still smirked at Mark because she would find out later, he wouldn't. Mark kicked out at her with brotherly love and her dad jerked him back.
"Behave, or no dessert." Ryan told his son and shook his shoulder slightly so that Mark knew he meant it.
"Hi everybody, I'm home." It was Melanie's voice in the hall. Mark went to his mother and immediately tried to wheedle her into telling him about the family tradition that the male members of his family insisted from keeping from him. Kate heard her mom laugh and then she stepped into the den where they were. She immediately went to Rob and gave him a kiss and a hug, and then kissed Ryan. Kate thought that maybe Uncle Rob had exaggerated about the fight between him and her dad, they all seemed fine now.
Kate set the table for dinner and both she and Mark spent dinner listening to their parents and uncle catch up on all the news. Mark was delighted to find out he had a string of second cousins and wanted to visit them all.
"It's actually not a bad idea to have a family reunion somewhere." Ryan said. Rob shrugged non- committally.
"I don't know so much about the cousin's wives. Never had the pleasure."
"Mmm... They might not know or accept some family." Melanie mused with what was an obviously loaded remark that meant something to them but nothing to Kate or Mark. It made Kate want 'later' to come quicker, she was intrigued.