Faith

Back to Boston

Ariana and Sawyer jumped out of the cab. Her chest felt tight and her heart pounded, eyes scanning the street as she walked up the familiar driveway towards her family home. She paused, looking up at Sawyer's kind, smiling face, any anxiety he felt at meeting her parents, he was doing a pretty damned good job at masking it.

He squeezed her hand gently inclining his head towards the front door, "Come on Darlin', let's not loiter in the doorway all day. Your mom and dad will be dying to see you..."

Ariana reached up, giving Sawyer a swift peck on the lips before gripping the door handle, opening it and stepping into the hallway, shouting, "Mom, Dad, hey, it's me? We're a little early!"

From around the kitchen door frame, Ariana saw her father's figure dropping the newspaper he'd been engrossed in, onto the breakfast bar. Jamal jumped to his feet and made his way towards his only daughter to throw his arms around her. Ariana could count on one hand how many times she'd ever seen her father cry, but she could have sworn there were tears in his eyes as he squeezed her tightly, pressing kisses into her cheeks, telling her how much he'd missed her. He clutched her shoulders, holding her at a distance as he looked her up and down: she was still his baby girl, still the same sweet Ariana who'd left Boston three months ago. She'd put on a little weight - which was good - she'd looked too skinny before she left - her hair was bleached a little with the sun, her skin tanned... Life in the countryside certainly seemed to be suiting her, he mused.

Sawyer stood watching the emotional scene as Ariana and her dad reunited. Feeling almost like he was intruding on a private moment, he shuffled, looking down at his feet, trying to give them a little space.

Ariana turned her face to the side to smile at Sawyer as Jamal looked up, "Daddy, this is Sawyer.
Sawyer, this is my dad, Jamal... I think you guys will really hit it off you know..."

Jamal looked Sawyer up and down, swallowing hard, as Sawyer extended a hand to shake his,
"Good morning, Sir, it's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much for having me this weekend. Ariana's told me a lot about you and her mother - I've been very much looking forward to meeting you both."

Jamal half-forced a smile onto his face as he regarded the strapping blonde youngster, "Morning Sawyer. I've heard a lot about you too. I think it's important we get the chance to know each other over the next couple of days, you understand that, I'm sure."

Sawyer was slightly taken off-guard by the subtly disguised, brusque tone of Ariana's father, "Yes, Sir, " he nodded his head profusely, "Of course. You know, my father said the same thing, that it was important, he wouldn't be happy if I had a sister who was halfway across the country with people he'd never met either..."

Jamal pursed his lips, "Your father sounds like a smart man."

Ariana's eyes widened as she looked at her dad - was he being really rude? Sawyer didn't deserve this - he'd been nothing but kind and generous to her: what was her father playing at?!
Jamal turned abruptly on his heel and started towards the kitchen, "Your mother's still at work, she should be back just shortly. Coffee?"

Ariana looked at Sawyer as she shouted behind Jamal, "Yes please, Dad... Sawyer, would you like some?"

Sawyer shook his head, "Naw, it's fine."

She reached out and took his hand, giving it a soft squeeze. All the way here he'd been the relaxed, calm one.

Ariana had been so very anxious; but the one thing that she didn't expect from this trip, was for her father to be so curt with Sawyer. She stared into his golden-green eyes and whispered, "I'm so sorry."

Sawyer shrugged, "He doesn't trust me. It's ok, I guess I just need to prove to him that I'm trustworthy."

Ariana reached up and wrapped her arms around Sawyer, quietly hugging him in the hallway until she heard her father shout, "This coffee is getting cold!"