Beatiful Strangers

4

We go out to the front porch to get some privacy

"You didn't tell me he was going to be here! What the hell Paris?! I looked like a total fool. He probably thought I was stupid for even coming around." he starts yelling once I shut the door

"What?! No he didn't. We're just friends now. And he's part of the family so he was always going to be around. I thought you knew that."

I knew this would happen but I was hoping I could avoid it.

I had to introduce Drew to my family so he could see how serious I was

"I thought he wouldn't be here. I thought you'd know how meeting him here would make me feel."

"Well I don't. How does it make you feel?"

"I don't know, your whole family loves him and he's your sister's best friend. I bet your mom loves him but I could sense she wasn't too keen on me immediately I walked in. Hell what am I even doing here P."

I immediately feel bad. I guess I hadn't considered what seeing Jesse here would do to Drew. I should have at least given him a heads-up so he'd know what to expect.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just assumed you'd know. I should have known to tell you. But I promise that you have nothing to worry about."

I hug Drew around the waist
"Look at me." I command softly
"I came here with you. I love you and only you. I was still hung up on Jesse back then but you have nothing to worry about so tell me you won't see Jesse as some competition."

He looks like he's given up on his argument.
He sighs and kisses me on the forehead
"I won't see Jesse as competition."

"Good." I say standing up on my toes to plant a kiss on his lips
"Now can we go back inside?"

"Yeah sure."

I take Drew's hand in mine and walk back inside the house.

This is the one thing that drew Drew to me; he was open about how he felt, he didn't bottle it up like some guys who are afraid to let their emotions show for fear of loosing their masculinity.
But he wasn't like that. And I loved it because I didn't want to have to second guess everything I said and did around him.

"The lovebirds are back." Heaven announces from the dinner table.
She's setting up for dinner so I let go of Drew's hand so I can go and help her

It's a reflex so I don't realize until a second too late that I've left Drew standing awkwardly in the middle of the living room and he's torn between following me around like a puppy and just staying put.

"Can you come help Heaven with the table, baby? I want to check up on mom in the kitchen.
He shoots me a grateful look for helping him with the awkwardness and I head to the kitchen where Jesse is helping my mom with dinner.

I was going to use this chance to talk to mom about how she's openly making it clear that she doesn't really like Drew and tell her to cut him some slack but now Jesse is here and I feel it's a conversation we should have without an audience.

Jesse is cutting veggies up for the salad bowl while my mom is bringing dessert from the oven. They're almost done preparing dinner so I just stand at the counter and watch them.

I hope for Drew's sake that at least my dad likes him or he'd be crushed.
I don't know why I had to run my mouth that night after a couple of shots. Why couldn't I just pass out when I got too drunk like a normal person. It would have been better if it was a total stranger but with my terrible luck it just had to be the one guy I'd end up falling in love by with.
Jesse has Danielle's heart totally and I guess she was hoping he'd end up getting married to one of us so he could be her son-in-law or something meanwhile she's shuffling between indifference to Drew and total dislike for some inexplicable reason.
It isn't fair to him cause she isn't giving him the chance to show how amazing he is.

"Jesse can you give us a minute?" I ask once he's done with the salad

"Yeah sure." He says cleaning his hands on his jeans
"Do you need me for anything else Mrs B? Should I take the salad to the table?"

"Yes please. Thanks Jesse, you're a sweetheart. The girls' dad will be here any second now since he got off work about 10 minutes ago and I want everything to be ready when he gets here."

Jesse leaves with the salad bowl leaving only I and Danielle in the kitchen.

"So...?" She asks

"You're giving Drew a tough time and I don't think it's fair. He really wants to make a good impression on you guys and he really wants you to like him but how is that going to be possible if you've already made up your mind not to?"

"It's not that I don't like him. Your dad was supposed to be 'bad cop' while I would be 'good cop' but you know he's a total softie so he can't. So I'm going to be the bad cop so I can see how much effort he puts into impressing your family." She gives me an injured look
"At least that was the plan."

"Well I didn't know that." I say suddenly feeling bad
Honestly Danielle is the literal best when it comes to guilt tripping

"Now you do. But I can still stop or whatever if he's not comfortable with it."

"Really?" I ask surprised

"Of course not." Danielle says shocked that I'd actually believe that

"One of us has to grill him to see if he's worthy of our Paris. Why would you believe that I'd go easy on him? He still needs to prove himself."

"But he's the first guy I'm introducing to you guys why would you intentionally scare him off?" I jokingly ask

"Because we want you all to ourselves and any guy that runs away from a relationship with you because your parents were to hard on him probably wasn't as interested in you as you thought. If he thinks you're worth it then he'll swear it out and earn our approval. It's as simple as that."

"I see." I say simply

"Sure you do baby. Help me take all this stuff to the table your dad is on his way."

Just as she says that I see my dad walk through the front door

"Where's my baby girl?" my dad yells for me from the front door
"Daddy!!" I yell running to give him a hug
I've missed him so much