AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As far as I knew, she hadn’t talked to them since her trip last weekend, which hadn’t gone so well.
Her dad stayed pretty quiet, but Mia’s Mom approached slowly, half eager and half terrified, if I was reading the expression on her face correctly.
“Polly,” I said, putting out my hand to shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
My fucking heart was pounding out of my chest with nervous energy. I’d tried so hard to pretend that I was too old to get nervous to meet the parents, but nope, I was nervous as fuck. So nervous in fact, that the hand I extended to shake was trembling a little.
Mia’s Mom frowned at my hand, then swatted it away before she pulled me in for a hug.
“We’re huggers around here, Owen,” she said so sweetly, patting my back in the most motherly hug I’d ever received. And that counted all the three or four hugs I’d gotten from my own mother growing up.
We’d grown up in a decidedly not huggy family.
When the hug ended, I awkwardly pulled my arms back, then looked up at the man who was maybe five years my senior and had raised the girl I loved.
“Patrick,” I said, putting out my hand to him next.
Yes, Patrick Senior and Junior. It was all a complicated mess.
He hesitated, looking me over for a moment before folding his arms up against his chest, proving that while his wife might have accepted me, he certainly didn’t.
I lowered my hand after feeling like an idiot, then was surprised when he took a step forward and engulfed me in a hug.
“Now,” he whispered between pounding my back a little too rough, “My wife insists that she prayed about this whole thing, so I’m trying to put my faith in her and in God that he knows somethin’ I don’t. But I’ll tell ya right now, you better never hurt my little girl or I’ll have to go shine up my twelve gauge and go a-huntin’.”
I snorted a laugh and tried to back away, but he held me fast.
“We heard the whole lot there about you two, and I ain’t happy about some things, but I’m trying to respect Mia’s wishes. Don’t piss me off now, Owen. We might be huggers, but I’m also a daddy bear.”
The very vivid image of a none-too-gentle bear hug came to mind, and I figured he got his point across rather perfectly, if I was honest.
This time Mia’s dad began to back up, but I held him in our long, awkward hug for a moment longer so I could respond.
“None of this worked out the way we’d hoped. But it doesn’t change the fact that I love your daughter with my whole heart and soul. If I ever hurt her, I’ll load the shells into that twelve gauge.”
Meeting his eyes, I saw a pleased smirk tilt his lips.
“Now I see it,” he said with a nod, then backed away. “Welcome to our home. ”
I tilted my head in thanks.
“I appreciate your welcome, after everything. There was a hiccup in the plans though. Might I introduce my mother?”
Just like that, all eyes moved to Mother, who stood by the door with a stark look of distaste written across her face.
“How do you do,” she managed, though she held onto her hat with talon-like fingernails, unwilling to part with it.
I knew my mother. I’d grown up in the upper crust, or at least, what my mother had wished was the upper crust. We’d always been just on the outside looking in, and it had made her go mad with needing everything to be perfect and proper and just so. This cute little home, while darling and comfortable, would be like a hell hole to someone like her who has spent her entire existence trying to impress an invisible somebody.
“Well then, welcome,” Gran Gran said, snatching the hat out of my mother’s hand. “Why don’t you come on in and sit down and I’ll get you a nice warm drink. And don’t ya worry, I’ll spike it.”
Mother was finagled toward the old, floral couch and plopped down there before Gran Gran returned with what looked like a cider hot toddy. At least, I hoped there was some whiskey in it to loosen her up.
A hand slipped into mine, and I looked down to see Mia smile hopefully up at me.
Yes, I had hope, too. I let my mind wander to the future, and I started to plan out what kind of honeymoon we might take.
Patrick Jr., the teen, broke the moment as he shoved several books my way.
