Yours Truly, Austin Post - Post Malone

58

"You know what I just realized?" Hope says walking into the kitchen with a bowl of salad and her three daughters trailing behind her like little ducks. "Please tell us!" Austin says with overdone enthusiasm. Ava giggles to herself. Hope and Austin are very close and part of their relationship bonding is taking shots at each other. "Peach's standard in men has slipped. Carter looks like a faraway prince and his jaw structure is to die for. All she has now is well...you. Suppose women settle eventually, Lucky you, Austin," she says walking out onto the patio with a laugh. "I have a nice personality!" he shouts after her then turns to Ava. "Austin. Did she just call me Peach?" Ava asks picking up the platter of uncooked meat.

"Yes."

"Austin!"

"Not everyone knows I call you that because of your ass. Hope does...and my brothers...Dre too...oh, and a few friends but everyone else thinks it's because you like peaches...I think. I can't remember who I boasted to if I am being honest. Hope is just fucking around."

"Austin!"

"Peach!" he says back with a smirk.

"You have no shame."

"Your ass has no shame."

"If anyone else calls me Peach..." she warns over her shoulder as she steps out onto the patio.

"Ava, your phone keeps ringing," Gracie's mom says as Austin's dad takes the platter of meat from her. "Oh, thanks," she says picking it up and looking at who is calling her. Her heart skips a beat when she sees it's her mother that had been calling so she steps to the side and rings her back.

"Hey, mom."

"Hey...I am here. Outside in my car."

"Oh, why didn't your ring the doorbell?"

"I...I am just a little nervous, hun. Would be more comfortable with you being the one opening the door and not some random person. Sorry."

"It's ok. Come to the front door now and I will meet you there, ok?"

"Ok."

Ava cuts the call and slips back into the kitchen. "Do we want these rolls out or those? Why are there two different types of rolls? It stresses me out," Austin is complaining to his brother.

"Austin-"

"I mean, what's the point? Just get one type of roll. A roll is a roll."

"Austin."

Austin snaps his head to her and looks at her with a frown. "My mom is here," she says softly. Austin shoves the bags of rolls he is holding into his brother's chest and walks toward Ava. "You, ok?" he asks as Ava smiles at him, he's sweet.

"Yes. Just a little nervous...and you?"

"A lot nervous."

"Why?"

"She is your mom, Peach. It matters."

"She will like you."

"They never do at first," he says sweeping his hand over his heavily tattooed body, he also has diamonds in his teeth and his bottom row of teeth are all silver - honestly he is every mother's worst nightmare. But, once her mother gets over her initial shock she will be fine. Her mother does not know who she is dating - she has no idea Post Malone even exists and so he might just scare the living daylights out of her.

"Too late to wash all that off all shit off your face now, she's at the front door already," Ava says with a little laugh. "Fix your hair for fuck sake," his brother hisses as they walk out of the kitchen. Austin makes her stop and fixes his hair up in a tight bun on the top of his head and looks at her for approval - it's not an improvement but she does not care, she likes him any way he looks so she nods and continues to the door with Austin behind her trying to smooth down his very busy cowboy and Indians shirt. There's no hope for him.

"Hey Mom," Ava says pulling open the front door. "Hi...goodness but this place is something, Ava. I am sure I saw a white horse trot past," she says, a little bewildered. "There are wild horses on the property, it's big, and sometimes they wander into the yard," Ava says. "I thought I was fancy because I have a hummingbird that visits my yard every morning," her mom says looking past her into the house and then lets out a little gasp - she has seen Austin. Ava steps to the side and peeps over at Austin who is standing a little too far back so she waves him closer. "Mom, this is Austin. Austin...this is my mom, Sue," she introduces them.

"Nice to meet you, Sue," Austin says, he sounds like a schoolboy talking to his principal. Ava wants to giggle but she does not, Austin cares about what Sue thinks - this is important to him. "Hi," her mom squeaks out. "Come in, make yourself at home," he says taking a step back when he sees he has shocked her a little. Ava lets go of the door and laces her fingers into his then gives him a little smile and a wink. Her mother's shocked face turns soft and she smiles at them. "Now I have not seen that smile for a very long time," she says. "You look like a gangster, oh wow, do you look like a gangster! So many tattoos. So so many tattoos. I hope you are just eccentric and not some mob boss...but...I have not seen Ava look at someone like that for a very long time. Are you a gangster?" Ava's mom says. Ava giggles and closes the front door.

"Mom, stop saying gangster."

"But, the tattoos. The big house. All those cars in the garage..."

"You went to the garage?"

"Just a peep."

"Mom!"

"It's ok, Ava," Austin says stepping forward. "I am not a gangster. I would make a terrible gangster. I am just eccentric and...I love your girl. I do right by her and my son. I have a big family out there and they would all like to meet you and then after, when it is quiet, we can have a chat - just you and me," he says putting out his elbow for her to take. Ava's mom smiles and hands the cake she had brought to Ava then loops her arm through his elbow. "You know, I had a boyfriend once who had a tattoo. My parents thought it very scandalous and forbid me to see him again but, I would sneak out after they went to bed - he was very handsome," she says walking with him toward the kitchen. He chuckles and shakes his head.

"You sound like the type of girl my mother warned me about."

"Oh! I broke a few hearts back in the day."

They laugh as they walk through the kitchen and then out to the patio where Austin introduces her to the family and then her mother settles into a conversation with Austin's and Gracie's mothers - it feels natural and easy as if they had always known each other and later when everyone says their goodbyes, Austin takes her mother for a walk down to the orchard. Ava does not know what they speak about but whatever it is has her mother singing Austin's praises. She also has a chance to get to know Grayson and by the time she leaves, Ava can tell that Grayson has stolen her heart and she is desperate to come back for another visit. From here on Ava knows that she will see much more of her mother and their relationship will get stronger once again.

"Bedtime?" Austin asks just as she is finished packing the dishwasher. "You have just put Grayson to bed. It's still early and I am not tired yet," Ava says. "Never said we were going to sleep now did I?" Austin smirks and takes her hand tugging her down to their bedroom.