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During that time, I hatched a plan to get an opportunity to talk to her parents. Nana and Pops helped a lot, but it was next to impossible doing it all behind Bella's back. Originally, I was going to drive down to see her dad, but her grandparents said he was usually too busy. Plus, they wanted him to meet me first and see how me and Bella were together. Because, according to her Nana, "any fool can see we're meant for each other."
Then I wanted to try to talk to both of them last week. They were supposed to meet us when Bella went to look at colleges, but her dad didn't even bother to show up. If it wasn’t for the fact that I desperately need them to accept me, I would have called and given him a piece of my mind for letting Bella down like that on her special day. It broke my heart to hear her cry on the phone. Questioning why she wasn't good enough for them.
So instead, Bella's grandparents have arranged a family party, telling her parents that they just want to celebrate their daughter graduating from high school and going to college. In reality, it's a double surprise because they're going to help me finally talk to Bella's parents to ask for her hand.
Bella is already at the venue, preparing the buffet. And Nana has just called me to say Bella's parents are on their way. I'm in my truck and going to the party right now after offering to collect the banners.
The plan is to propose to her tonight while she's surrounded by all her friends and family. That is, assuming her dad says yes. So just in case, I also grabbed a congratulatory balloon. I go inside and see that the DJ has already arrived. The venue looks beautiful, surrounded by white and rose gold balloons. The food, which has all been prepared lovingly by Nana, fills two whole tables. This woman really doesn't know how to do anything by halves.
I see Bella balancing on her tiptoes as she reaches up to place a balloon high above her head. I rush over, scooping her into my arms, and kiss her passionately."I've missed you, baby."
"You were gone for twenty minutes." She laughs—that beautiful, carefree laugh of hers.
"Nineteen minutes and fifty-nine seconds is too long, if you ask me." I smile down at her.
"You're so silly," she teases as she boops me on the nose. "Now put me down; I've got things to do."
I gently set her back on the ground before reaching up and putting the balloon up myself.
"I could have done that," she says, stomping her foot at me playfully.
I hear someone call her name and see Bella's face light up as she runs over to them. She embraces the two people in a tight hug.They must be her parents. I can kind of see the resemblance between her and her mom. They have the same hair and similar face, but she looks nothing like her dad.
I'm happily watching until I notice they barely return the hug and pull away seconds later. Even with her back to me, I know that Bella's face has just dropped. Her shoulders slump slightly, and I watch as her happy, carefree goofiness morphs into a rather rigid stance. I rush over to rescue her and put my arm around her waist.If they want to upset her, they have to get through me first.
"Hello, I'm Nathaniel." I introduce myself firmly, extending my hand to her father. He returns my handshake but pays little attention to me. I extend my hand to her mother. She looks at it like she’s worried she may catch some kind of contagious disease just from touching me, before her good manners clearly win out and she shakes it slightly. "You can call me Mrs. Williams."
I try to return the politeness by pretending to be interested in their conversation about work. At some point, Bella leaves us to help Nana with preparations, but I continue trying to feign interest until I spot her out of the corner of my eye. She's attempting to move a table alone, so I leave that awkwardness behind to help her. Once I’ve taken over rearranging the room and Nana is satisfied and says it’s perfect, I glance at my watch and register that the party is supposed to start in less than an hour. I look around for Bella and see her standing at the bar next to her parents, who are engrossed in conversation with each other. Bella looks lost, just standing there watching the room absentmindedly.
I walk back over, fighting every instinct I have about dragging them outside and shaking them for clearly upsetting Bella. Instead, I decide to try and get them to acknowledge and include her. "You must be so proud of Bella for getting into her first choice of art college," I say proudly.
"Most people make it to college if they just try hard enough," her father deadpans, not necessarily in a mean way, more like he's stating a fact. Either way, it makes my blood boil, but I remain calm for Bella’s sake.
"Well, I'm proud of her," I admit with a smile, desperately fighting the need to come to her defense and losing.
"And so are we, dear," Nana adds, coming up behind me and giving us both a squeeze.
"Oh yes, we're proud too, of course," mentions Mrs. Williams, not wanting to be excluded.
"How about I get us all something to drink, and then we go outside before the party gets too crowded?" I offer.
I get the drinks and take them outside, where I see her parents telling the table, which now includes Ava and Tucker, a story about something work related. If I'm honest, I'm not particularly interested, but I make an effort to at least fake interest. I attempt to bring up Bella again, and although her parents are listening, it's clear they don't care much.
"I've got a little something for you," her pops pipes up as he reaches under the table and pulls out a gift bag. "It's nothing special, but I thought it might be useful." He smiles.
She opens the bag, and inside is a huge photo album. I see her face light up as she looks at pictures of her as a baby with her parents and other family members I don't recognize.
"Oh my God, look at how young you and Aunt Shelly look in this one, mom," she coos. I look over, and while her mom seems to be matching Bella's smile, her father looks emotionless.
Next, there are pictures of her as a child. I spot one of her at maybe five or six, covered in paint, as she sits beside her mother as they both paint.
"Wow, even at that age, you were an artist, baby," I say, full of pride, as I squeeze her leg under the table.
"She always enjoyed painting; even as a toddler, she always had a coloring book or pictures close at hand." Her mom smiles.
"She wasn't very good, though. Most of them were just scribbles," her father interrupts. Instinctively, my fists clench beside me, but I keep my cool and just throw my arm over Bella's shoulders, pulling her close. Wanting to protect her somehow from his cruelness.Why doesn't her mom stick up for either herself or Bella?
I see Bella's little face drop briefly before she plasters on that pretend smile of hers. The one I've seen her do so many times when she tries to act like she's okay, even when I know she's not.
