Connection

I love you for the part of me that you bring out (Perrie)

Today was the day Jade and I decided I would meet Karl and Norma. I was so nervous to meet Jade's family, even though she reassured me that they would love me. She and her brother were very close, and I knew he was a bit protective of her, so I wanted him to see how special Jade was to me and how I intended to make her happy.

As we pulled up to her childhood home, my nerves were at an all-time high. Jade and her mom lived in a two-story house on a very busy street, with loads of stores and restaurants. Having driven in a big city before, it was no surprise to me that the streets were bustling with cars and people, it was no wonder that I heard loud car noises all day when we video called.

Jade took my hand, sensing my nerves, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry, they're going to love you" she whispered, and I couldn't help but feel reassured by her words.

As we walked into the house, I was greeted by the sight of Karl and Norma sitting in the living room. They both stood up to greet us, Karl was tall and broad-shouldered, with a stern expression on his face. Norma, on the other hand, was small and delicate-looking.

Jade's mother, was all smiles. She hugged Jade tightly, then turned to me and gave me a warm embrace as well. "Welcome, welcome!" she said, her voice musical and kind. "We're so happy to finally meet you."

I returned her smile, feeling a bit more at ease. "Thank you for having me over" I replied.

Norma gestured for us to take a seat on the couch, and Karl offered us some refreshments. I accepted a glass of water, my throat feeling dry from all the nervousness. Jade leaned into me, her hand resting on my thigh, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for her presence.

Karl cleared his throat, breaking the silence, and turned to me. "So, tell us a bit about yourself. What do you do for a living?"

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his gaze on me. "I'm an interior designer" I replied.

Karl raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? That's impressive. What kind of projects do you work on?"

I felt my nerves ease slightly as I launched into a passionate discussion about my work. Karl seemed genuinely interested, nodding along as I spoke. Norma chimed in every so often, asking me questions and offering her own thoughts on design. Jade sat next to me, smiling proudly as she listened to me talk.

As we chatted, I realized that Karl was very nice and welcoming, he even cracked a few jokes. I began to feel more and more comfortable as the evening went on, and before I knew it, it was time to go.

As we said our goodbyes, Karl surprised me by giving me a hug and saying, "You two are cute together. Take care of my sister, okay?"

I felt a swell of emotion in my chest as I nodded, promising that I would. Jade and I left her home, hand-in-hand, feeling relieved and happy that everything went well. We walked down the busy street, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. I couldn't help but feel grateful to have Jade in my life-she brought calmness and joy into my world.

"See, I told you they would love you" Jade said, smiling up at me. I smiled back, feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders.

"Your family is lovely, I'm glad it all went well. I was pretty scared" I said playfully.

"As if anyone can not love you" she said and all I could do was smile thinking about how lucky I was to have her.

It was relatively early night when we left Jade's house, so as soon as we entered the car, she told me she had plans.

"I want to take you somewhere" she said, her eyes with a mischievous glean.

"Where would that be?" I asked, arching my brows curiously.

"You'll see" she replied with a smile and put the address on my GPS.

When we got there, I realized what it was, it was the karaoke. Jade always said she wanted to hear me sing, and I promised her I would go to the Karaoke when I came to Brazil.

As we walked into the dimly lit room, the sound of off-key singing and laughter filled the air.

Jade led me to a table in the corner, where we ordered drinks and browsed through the song choices. I felt my nerves start to creep up again as I scanned the room, watching as people took turns belting out tunes.

Jade nudged me, sensing my hesitation. "Come on, don't be shy. Let's sing a duet together" she said, grabbing my hand.

I couldn't resist her infectious energy, and soon we were flipping through the songbook, trying to choose the perfect duet. We finally settled on a classic, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" by Elton John and Kiki Dee.

As the music started, I felt my nerves dissipate, and I belted out the lyrics alongside Jade. Our voices blended together seamlessly, it was exhilarating and I felt alive.

"I can't believe I just did that" I exclaimed, still feeling the high of the performance.

Jade grinned at me.

"You were amazing! I knew you had it in you". She said.

We settled back into our seats, watching as other people took their turn on the stage. I felt a sense of freedom and joy wash over me as I allowed myself to let go and enjoy the moment.

As the night wore on, we sang a few more songs. I couldn't remember the last time I had this much fun.

As we stepped out of the karaoke room, the cool night air hit us, Jade wrapped her arm around my waist, pulling me close to her.

"That was incredible, thank you" I could tell that the thank you wasn't only about going to the karaoke with her and I shared the grateful feeling.