Chapter 21
Summer break
After everything that happened, I’m emotionally and mentally exhausted. Having dinner with Ryan’s family was nice, but it sent me into emotional overload. Ryan held my hand, reassuring me it was okay, and I was quiet throughout dinner, listening to everyone talk. They also allowed us to stay in the dorm until our new place was ready.
I wondered how many more cousins there were on Ryan’s side and if I would end up meeting them. At one point, I asked Ryan about Dean. He explained it this way. They didn’t trade in on who they were and wanted to know as individuals, not because of their family. They only called family when it was necessary. Unfortunately, in our case, it was most of the time. I respected their decision and didn’t push the issue. I had enough to deal
