“So, tell me again how you’re so sure they’re going to like me…”

“Because I love you. And I know they’ll see that.”

The last time I had met the parents of a girl I was dating was back when I was a sophomore in high school. And that was only because the two of us were too young to be able to do anything without a chaperone. As we walked up the driveway to meet my fiancée’s parents, while I was definitely nervous, I still didn’t feel that pit in my stomach that I thought I would have by now. She unlocked the front door, grabbed my hand, and pulled me inside. As we walked in we were greeted by who I could only assume was her brother, Evan. He was wearing a pair of basketball shorts and a tank top that showed off his clearly well toned abdomen. His short black hair naturally framed his face and I could see wisps of a beard on his face.

“Hey Evan! What’s up? Are Mom and Dad home?”

He nodded as he stared at me, trying to figure out who I was and why I was here.

“Mom! Emily’s here! And she brought a girl home!”

“I could have done that, dumbass…”

He grinned at her, shrugged, and then walked off. After a moment I saw a very petite Japanese woman walk down the stairs and towards the entryway where we were standing. My heart started racing as she walked closer, and I felt Emily let go of my hand briefly and pull her mother into a tight hug. As the two pulled away I could see where Emily got her beauty. Her mother was gorgeous, her almond shaped eyes were the same deep brown and although there were a few wrinkles around her eyes and mouth she still seemed young and vivacious. Her black hair had strands of white in it, but it only made her seem even more beautiful. The older woman stared at me for a second before smiling at me and extending her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you Miss…”

“Allie. It’s a pleasure to meet you as well Mrs. Jameson.”

“Call me Kim, please. I feel old when someone calls me Mrs. Jameson.”

She glanced back at her daughter and raised her eyebrow.

“Well, don’t just stand there in the doorway, Emily. Take your girlfriend into the living room and I’ll go get your father.”

“How did you kn-”

“You’ve never brought a girl home before… and besides that, you’re practically glowing.”

Emily blushed, grabbed my hand again, before indicating for me to take off my shoes, and then lead me further into the house. As we entered the living room and sat on a huge sofa with a floral design on it, I looked around the room at the house that was obviously filled with so much love. There were photos of the family everywhere and several trophies on various shelves in different parts of the room. In each corner there was a plant that hung from the ceiling with their leaves draping down below them. In the center of the room was a huge wooden table that appeared to be made of what used to be some sort of heavy wooden door. The aged wood had been stained a dark reddish-brown and I could see small indentations and lines across its surface from years of use. As I looked back around the room at all the pictures of Emily and her family, my eyes started to well up with tears. Emily looked at me with a look of deep concern and squeezed my hand tightly.

“Are you OK?”

I nodded and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

“I haven’t been in a living room like this since my parents died. After their accident I couldn’t bear to have all their stuff just laying around and looking at photos hurt too much. I put all of it away in storage, but looking at all these pictures of you and your family… I didn’t realize how much I missed it.”

She moved closer to me on the couch and then hugged me tightly before kissing me. While every kiss from her had a deep sensuality behind them, I could tell this was more intimate than sexual. I lost myself in the feeling before someone cleared their throat. We pulled apart and blushed at her parents who were standing across the room.

“Do we need to come back?”

Emily laughed as her father walked over to us and she burst off the couch and into his arms. He was tall, well over 6’. He had salt-and-pepper hair and a beard that looked well maintained. While I wouldn’t call him athletic, I could tell he took care of himself just up to the point of having just a little bit of a ‘dad-bod.’

“Hi Daddy! I missed you!”

“I missed you too, angel! Why aren’t you at school?”

She pulled away and pursed her lips slightly.

“There was a huge gas main break on campus and they had to cancel classes until it was taken care of. Well… that… and I wanted you to meet someone.”

My heart raced again as her father turned towards me.

“Daddy, this is Allie Raynier. And she’s going to be my wife.”

My heart thudded in my chest and I felt all my blood run cold at the sudden bomb that had just dropped in the room. Both of her parents looked at her and then at me and then back at her with looks of surprise and shock. Her father shook his head a few times and at first I thought he was upset, until I saw the huge grin on his face. He motioned for Emily to sit back down and sighed softly. He walked across the room and sat in a very plush leather recliner while her mother sat on a loveseat diagonally from us.

“Your wife, huh?”

Emily nodded and grabbed my hand tightly.

“Yep. I asked her to marry me three days ago and she said yes.”

It was her mother’s turn to sigh and I could feel her piercing gaze on me as she spoke.

“How long have you two been dating?”

“Counting today? Eight days.”

“Emily Lynn Jameson! Are you crazy?!”

“I have never been more sane in my entire life, Mom.”

I met her mother’s eyes and although I could see a look of immense shock and doubt, she didn’t appear to be upset or angry.

“So, Allie. How old are you?”

“I’m 28.”

“Do you go to school with Emily?”

I shook my head.

“No. I met her online in Hol- in a video game.”

“What do you do for work, Allie?”

As intimidating as these rapid-fire questions were, I still didn’t feel that sinking feeling even once.

“I uh… I actually just quit my job today. But before that I was an assistant manager at Beau’s.”

Her eyebrow rose and she cocked her head slightly.

“You quit your job? Why?”

“I live in Aspen. Which is four hours away from the campus. While I could have commuted to and from Boulder every day, I didn’t like the idea of eight hours of my day being spent on driving. Plus I worked primarily the evening shift, so with the drive that meant I wouldn’t likely get back to Boulder until 3 or 4 in the morning… And I have terrible night vision, and driving that mountain pass at night is already hard enough.”

“Are you planning on moving up to Boulder or do you plan to live with Emily in her dorm room?”

“I was probably going to rent a place for a few months until Emily graduates, after that we’ll decide together what our plan for the future is. After I figure out what I’m going to do with my house in Aspen, anyways.”

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“You already own a house?”

I nodded.

“I inherited it from my parents when they passed.”

“She’s like… super rich, Mom.”

Kim gave her daughter a look of surprise and cocked her head again before nodding slowly. She looked back at me and shifted forward in her seat until she was leaning towards me.

“So, you’ve only known Emily for eight days and you’re ready to quit your job and just uproot your whole life for her?”

“Absolutely, without a single doubt in my mind. Emily completes me in a way that no other person ever has. To be apart from her would be like being apart from a piece of myself. I’m not a religious person… but I can say with certainty that she is my soulmate.”

I felt Emily kiss my shoulder softly and rest her head against me before her mother turned back to her.

“Emily. Why do you want to marry her?”

“Allie… Allison makes me feel like the most important person in the world. She encourages me to push myself out of my comfort zone and to try new things. She gives me the confidence to know exactly what I want. I love her with every fiber of my being. Just like she said… She completes me.”

Her mother wore a very solemn look as she nodded her head slowly again. I held my breath until I saw the warm smile spread across her face and she stood up and opened her arms.

“Get over here, you two! I’m so fucking happy for you both!”

Both of us were on our feet instantly and we wrapped our arms around the smaller woman. We were all crying softly when I felt a large hand pull us into an even tighter embrace.

----------------------------------------

“You girls are staying for dinner, right? I’m going to make my world-famous chili dogs. With my own homemade chili that’ll put some hair on your… heads.”

“Smooth, Dad.”

“Why thank you, dearest daughter. I’m glad I get to show off how suave and sophisticated I am.”

“Right, hon. Sophisticated…”

We laughed as Kim rolled her eyes at her husband. The three of us chatted quietly at a dining room table while Emily’s dad was busy in the kitchen.

“So, you two are… sleeping together, right?”

“Ohmygod. Yes, Mom. Allison and I are having sex. Lots and lots of sex. Why do you need to know that?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure with having Jade there and all. And I know how thin those walls are. You always were so self-conscious about that stuff.”

“Jade doesn’t live in the same room as me, Mom. When the second semester started she took the other dorm room attached to mine. And I told you and Dad… Allison makes me feel way less self-conscious about stuff. So even if other people can hear us… I don’t actually care.”

Her mom turned to me and gave me a sly grin like the cat who got the canary.

“When you get your own place, just make sure your bedroom is well insulated. Last thing you need is for your neighbors to hear how vocal she can be.”

“Ohmygod, Mom. Why?!”

I started chuckling while Emily blushed a bright crimson.

“She definitely has a set of pipes. I’ve had to push her face into the pillow a few times just so the rest of the dorm wouldn’t think I’m killing her.”

Emily quickly turned towards me and glared as she blushed even harder. I knew she’d likely ‘punish me’ for that later, but that made it even more worth it. While her mother told me all the embarrassing stories about my future wife that she could think of, Emily busied herself in the kitchen helping her dad cook. As Kim finished laughing from me telling her about our topless journey through the dorms, I saw a more serious look on her face and she placed her hand on top of mine.

“I can tell how happy you make her, Allie. I’ve never seen her this way before. Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”

“Uh-oh… time for another interrogation?”

She gave me a wry smile and shook her head.

“When did your parents die?”

“When I was 16. They died in a car crash.”

She nodded her head and sighed.

“I can’t imagine what you had to go through… But it seems you’ve become a strong, independent woman in spite of everything. Or maybe because of it.”

I nodded and smiled at her.

“Thank you. It was… really hard. I barely finished high school. But I got through it.”

“Do you want to have kids?”

Whoa. I had not been expecting that question all of a sudden. I crinkled my brow for a second as I thought about what she had asked. I honestly wasn’t sure how I felt about having kids, so I just told her the first thing that came to mind.

“I’m not sure. I’m not opposed to it if that’s something Emily wants. But it’s also not something I have to have either. I think that if both of us decide it’s right for us, then I’m all for it.”

“You seem wise beyond your years, Allie.”

I snorted as I laughed through my nose.

“Hardly. I’m just making it up as I go.”

“I’m going to let you in on a secret… We all are. There isn’t a manual for how this is all supposed to go. You and Emily are forging a life together and the only ones who can figure out how to do that correctly are the both of you.”

I nodded solemnly and looked over at Emily. She was laughing at something her dad had said and as I looked at her I fell in love with her all over again. As she turned towards me she caught me staring at her and she blew me a kiss and looked back at her dad as he said something. She nodded and walked over to me.

“My dad wants your help cutting chile peppers cause he knows I hate spicy food. Do you mind?”

I shook my head and stood up. I knew that this was her dad’s subtle way of getting to talk to me alone, but I figured if the conversation went anything like it did with Kim, it was nothing I couldn’t handle. I walked over to her dad and he gave me a huge dopey smile. He motioned to a knife and cutting board on the counter set in front of a small pile of red and green chile peppers, and I picked up the knife and started chopping.

“I hope Kimiko wasn’t too hard on you… she can be a bit intense at times.”

“Nah, we got along just fine. She’s just being protective of Emily… so I get it. You guys have to make sure I’m not some super shady ex-con axe murderer looking to prey on your daughter’s virtue.”

His eyes shot up and he gasped in mock surprise.

“Are you an axe murderer?!”

“I prefer a machete. It makes a bold statement while being easy to handle. If it’s good enough for Jason Vorhees, it’s good enough for me.”

“No… a chainsaw is where it’s at. Leatherface, Ash from Evil Dead, hell… even your man Jason knew a chainsaw makes a statement.”

“Actually, that is a common misconception. While the stylistic caricature of the killer in a hockey mask evolved to feature a chainsaw, Jason himself never actually used one.”

He looked at me with a cocked eyebrow but didn’t say anything. I gave him a grin and elaborated.

“I like my horror movies. The classics anyways. Freddie. Jason. Michael Myers. Ghostface. Pinhead. They defined the horror genre. Movies nowadays try to replicate them, but so many fall short of the true horror that the originals evoked.”

He gave me a stunned incredulous look.

“Did Emily tell you to tell me that?”

I shook my head.

“Nope. I like what I like.”

He continued to face me but spoke loudly enough so that Emily and her mother could hear.

“Emily, you have to marry this girl!”

“Planning on it, Dad. Why… what did she say?”

“Unlike some people she has an impeccable taste in movies.”

“Ugh! Allie! Seriously?! You like those cheesy movies?”

“Absolutely! Nothing beats curling up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and all the lights in the house turned out watching someone get brutally murdered in often some of the most hilarious ways.”

“Oh. My. God. Emily. She's perfect!”

“I am many things, Mr. Jameson… perfect is not one of them.”

“Agree to disagree, Ms. Raynier. And please… call me Marvin.”

We smiled at each other and I went back to chopping peppers. As we finished prepping everything, Marvin turned towards Evan who had just walked into the room.

“Hey, dude. Dinner will be ready soon. Are you going to join us or are you hanging out with your friends?”

“If it’s your chili dogs I’m definitely staying home. Did I hear something about you marrying Emily?”

I grabbed a paper towel to dry my hands I had just washed and turned around to face Emily’s brother. The family resemblance was uncanny, and he looked like a younger, taller version of Aaron. His Broncos tank top was slightly damp from what I assumed was sweat and his arms had a slight sheen to them that confirmed this. He gave me an inquisitive look as he rested his arms on the entryway to the kitchen. I smiled at him and walked across the kitchen and held out my hand.

“Evan, right? I’m Allie. I’m happy to meet my other future brother-in-law.”

He shook my hand awkwardly and glanced from me over to his sister. He shrugged and gave me a half-grin.

“Cool. Imma go shower before dinner, Dad.”

He gave me another look like he was studying me and then turned and went downstairs.

Dinner was absolutely divine. Marvin’s chile definitely had a serious bite to it, but not so much that it took away from the flavor. As I ate, I enjoyed watching Emily interact with her family, who also made it a point to include me. While it was reminiscent of having dinner with my clan mates, it was also vastly different in many ways. I could sense how much Kim and Marvin loved their kids, and even how much they seemed to care about me. I hadn’t realized how much I missed something as simple as eating at a dining room table. Things I thought I had dealt with rose to the surface and I felt my eyes quickly grow wet with tears. Emily turned towards me and put her arm around me in concern.

“You ok, babe?”

I nodded and used my napkin to dab the tears on my face. Her family had turned towards me with an equal look of concern. Seeing that just made me cry even harder and I shook my head and tried my hardest to make it stop.

“I’m s-sorry. I didn’t mean to to upset everyone. I uh.. I’m going to go to the bathroom.”

I rose from my seat but Emily refused to let go of my hand. Her eyes pleaded with me to stay but that just made me cry even harder as she stood up and hugged me tightly. I felt huge arms wrap around me and Emily and I leaned into the hug without letting go. I heard Evan murmur something about clearing the dishes and then felt another hand pull me into another tight embrace. No one said anything and just held me as I sobbed into my fiancée’s shoulder. I hadn’t felt this loved… this protected… this safe… in a long time. In that moment I didn’t just feel like the girl who was marrying Emily. I felt like their daughter.