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"I need you to return to New York and get ready to drive me back to New Jersey tonight.”
"Yes, of course, sir."
"Thank you, David."
As the day wore on, I felt excited about meeting Elizabeth’s parents. I knew that they’d had a close relationship as Elizabeth grew up.
Meeting her parents under these circumstances was far from what we would have planned. It was a step toward the life I wanted to build with Elizabeth, and I was ready for it.
I busied myself to get everything done quickly and efficiently so I could head to New Jersey as soon as possible.
Meeting Elizabeth's parents was an entirely new territory for me, and I couldn't deny the nervous excitement coursing through me.
I'd never met the family of any of the women I’d casually dated in the past. But being with Elizabeth felt completely different; she was carrying my child.
I wanted to make a great first impression.
Throughout the day, Elizabeth and I exchanged texts as she filled me in on her parents: her father was a retired Army Lt. Col, and her mother was a therapist who’d worked in the Army before starting a private practice.
As I sat in my office, my phone buzzed with another message from Elizabeth.
Elizabeth Parker
My dad can be a bit reserved at first. But once he warms up, he's a total sweetheart. My mom is the talkative one, and she's super welcoming.
I chuckled at her description and quickly replied.
Thanks for the heads-up. I'll do my best to make a good impression. Anything I should avoid talking about?
You can probably avoid politics and controversial topics. You know, the usual things people avoid talking about until they know each other better?
Inodded, making a mental note to avoid heated discussions. Elizabeth had also mentioned that a bottle of wine would be the perfect gift for her parents. I delegated that task to my assistant, Amelia. She had excellent taste in wine and always knew where to find the best bottles.
I buzzed Amelia and asked her to drop by my office. Moments later, she walked in.
"Sir?" she asked brightly, setting a stack of files on my desk.
"I'm meeting Elizabeth's parents tonight and want to bring them a nice bottle of wine. Can you grab one? You know what I like."
Amelia's eyes twinkled with mischief, and she flashed a knowing smile.
"Meeting the parents, huh? Sounds serious. Don't worry, Mr. Hartman, I've got you covered. Red or white?"
"Red," I replied, smiling back at her. "Something that'll make a good impression."
She took my credit card with a nod.
The hours passed slowly, each minute feeling like an eternity as I awaited the evening. Although Elizabeth had said she didn’t have much growing up, her parents sounded intelligent and accomplished, and I wanted to make a good impression.
The clock on my office wall moved slowly as I counted the minutes until I could leave for the day. It was 4 p.m., and I had plans to leave work earlier than usual to avoid the worst traffic driving into New Jersey.
Meeting Elizabeth's parents was a big deal, and I wanted to ensure everything went well.
Driving home, my mind raced with thoughts of the evening ahead. I stopped by my bedroom to change into something more comfortable and settled on a crisp white shirt, black slacks, and a sports coat, and then I headed down to find Hilda.
I found her in the living room. Elizabeth had told her parents that we had an engagement party planned for two weeks from now.
Although she thought it was a lie, it sounded like an opportunity for me to move our relationship in the direction I wanted.
