White Lies

The Seven Part One

To ease the tension on her shoulders, Blanche rolls her neck and looks skyward out the window. Tufts of white clouds scatter on the blue sky. Hunter, sitting beside her in the back of a rented SUV, reaches to massage the back of her neck. She peers at him through narrowed eyes. A warm smile spreads on his face. He can be charming when he wants to be.

"How are you feeling, babe?" Hunter leans over to kiss one corner of her mouth. His other hand ghosts over her rounded belly.

Even the long six-hour flight from New York City to Bar Harbour hasn't been enough for Blanche. She's hoped for a little more time to get over the anxiety of meeting Hunter's parents, despite Hunter's constant assurances that his entire family will adore her. She can't help but feel... insignificant.

But she isn't about to tell him exactly that. "I'll be fine. Just have a bit of a headache," she says, rubbing her fingers over her temples.

Hunter regards her, knowingly, and whispers in her ear, "I said it before and I'll say it again, you have nothing to worry about. My parents will love you." He pauses for another kiss along her jawline. "Maybe even more than they love me."

Blanche tilts her head, leaning one side of her face over Hunter's hair. The short strands tickle her cheek. The previous night, as they prepared for their trip back to his hometown, he'd asked her to give him a haircut. Upon entering their bedroom, Hunter handed her a pair of sharp scissors and a comb.

Ever since the debacle with Perry, they'd been bombarded with phone calls, police visits, and several conversations with Jay concerning the fight. Blanche is sick of it all. As soon as Perry came to, while in the hospital, he called his own lawyers and demanded that they file charges for assault. The charges are dropped before a full-out investigation began. Jason isn't just a good family and divorce lawyer; he is an excellent criminal lawyer too with the help of his peers.

The trip to Maine is something she's been looking forward to as a form of relaxation and escape from all the stress Perry has caused, but the anxiety of having to meet the rest of Hunter's family has weighed down on Blanche. She's never been in this position before. Having only gone out with Perry, whose parents have abandoned him many years ago, Blanche has never had to endure headaches of bad in-law relationship.

"Babe." Hunter touches her chin with a thumb. "Just remember, if Mom says she wants to show you my baby pictures, do not say yes." There's playfulness in his eyes, and it tickles her from the inside out.

Blanche leans to kiss his lips. Hunter cups her face with both hands and as soon as his tongue dances between her lips, they hear, "Ew! Gross! They're kissing again!" from Jay's little boys.

Hunter inches away from Bee and narrows his eyes at the boys. "Then look somewhere else!" He turns to Bee and in a not-so-low voice, he says again for the umpteenth time during the plane and car ride, "I'm so glad we're having a girl."

A little laugh gurgles from Bee and it's enough to ease her stress, at least for the rest of the ride. But as soon as they stop in front of a large white clapboard farmhouse, the butterflies return. Before they step out of the SUV, Hunter squeezes Bee's hand and raises it to his lips. He gives her a reassuring smile when he helps her out of the car.

"Relax, Blanche, I promise you'll have a great time," Marianne squeezes one of her shoulders while they walk towards the house.

"They're here!" a tall, blonde girl shouts from the porch that wraps around the house. She comes barreling towards Hunter and Blanche.

Hunter lets go of Bee's hand as the girl jumps into Hunter's arms. She wraps her long legs around him and returns Hunter's tight embrace.

"Coral, stop! Stop it!" Hunter unwraps her from him and sets her on her feet. "Can't you see I'm with someone?" He waves a hand towards Blanche, who's stepped away from the mauling girl. "Bee, this is my immature little sister, Coral. Coral, Bee."