Once You've Tasted Love

Chapter 25

"Ahhh...feels good to be here again" Gary said as soon as we pulled up outside his parents house. 

"It looks like a nice place, really does." 

Gary smiled "I know. It IS a nice one too." 

We got out of the car and were already greeted by two little kids who came running out the door "Uncle Gary!"

"Hello you two!" They hugged each other.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Gary’s mum walking towards us too. "Liam, Hannah! Let him get inside first."

Both kids pouted "Sorry nan." 

Gary chuckled and hugged her "It's okay mum. Merry Christmas." 

"Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to you too Love, come here" she said to me and gave me a big hug. 

"Merry Christmas." I smiled, a bit nervous. I know, I had already met Gary’s parents, but this now was Christmas and I didn’t want to fuck it up.

"Grandma who is this?" the little girl asked and tugged at Marjorie’s sleeve.

Before Marjorie could say anything Gary pulled me towards him and answered her question "This is Clara, my girlfriend. She is a really nice and funny person, and if you're nice to her she will be really nice to you too." 

I bent down to greet them, both of them were a bit shy but very nice.
We got inside and Gary and I went to put our cases into his old bedroom "Wow. Your bedroom is smaller than I imagined."

He chuckled "Believe me, now you can actually sleep in here. Back in the days before Take That this was more like my studio." 

"Oh really?" 

Gary nodded "I wrote 'A million love songs' in here." 

I gasped "No way!" 

"Yep. And as a fan of mine you know my song 'Open Road' ?" 

I nodded. 

"That one too. Ask my mum it's true." 

I stood there mouth wide open, not quite believing what he had just told me. I must have frozen, because Gary suddenly stood in the hallway, pulling me out of my trance "You coming' or what?" 

I took his hand and he guided me towards the living room. "There they are!" his dad said and I scanned the room. Next to Gary’s parents sat another pair, which I assumed must have been his brother and sister-in-law. 

"Sorry. Had to show Clara my old room slash studio. Merry Christmas everyone." 
Everyone laughed and Gary went to give his brother a hug while I had to ask his mum "Tell me, did Gary really write those hits up there?" 

She nodded "He used to come home from school, go up there and write a song. By teatime he was finished." 

"Yes and you got on my nerves a lot with that" Gary’s brother added, grinning, and then came towards me "Welcome to the family love. I'm Ian and this is my wife Lisa."

The rest of the day was very relaxing, we mostly sat around drinking tea and a bit of alcohol, eating delicious food from Marjorie, but I honestly and sadly had to keep Gary off from eating too much, otherwise I knew he would regret it in a few days time. Problem was he didn't really want to listen to me and I felt like a mother that had to tell her child off the whole time and yes, I felt really bad. "Ok Gary. Eat. But DON'T come to me in two days whining that you put half a stone on" I said sternly and added in a far more soft way "You know I feel bad and daft about having to tell you this all, but I only want to help you."