Another lil Benley collection

Meeting The Girlfriend

As the weekend approached, Miranda found herself bustling around the house more than usual. She fluffed the cushions on the couch for the third time that morning and glanced at the clock, noting that Joey should be arriving any minute now.

Ben glanced at Miranda with a grin. "Bet he's bringing a ton of laundry home."

Miranda chuckled, shaking her head. "No doubt."

Joey leaned back in his car seat, his fingers drumming along to the radio on the steering wheel. His girlfriend, Amy, sat beside him, glancing around at the passing scenery with a mix of excitement and anxiety.

"Are you sure they're going to be okay with this?" Amy asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Joey smiled "Yeah, they'll be fine. It's just...no one knew I was dating anyone. It's going to be a surprise."

"And are you sure they're going to like me?" she asked for the hundredth time, her voice wavering slightly.

Joey reached over, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "Amy, they're going to love you. Just be yourself. My dad is really chill, my mom has a huge heart, and Tuck and Pru are going to think you're awesome."

She took a deep breath, nodding. "Okay, if you say so."

He leaned in and kissed her forehead before getting out of the car. Amy followed suit, taking another deep breath as they walked up to the front door together.

Inside, Miranda was bustling around the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on lunch. Ben was in the living room, watching a game with Tuck and Pru. The sound of the front door opening made everyone look up.

"Hey, everyone," Joey called out, stepping inside with Amy close behind him.

Miranda wiped her hands on a towel and came over, her eyes lighting up at the sight of her son. "Joey. It's so good to see you" She hugged him tightly before turning her attention to Amy. "And who is this?"

"Mom, Dad, everyone, this is Amanda. My girlfriend."

Amy stepped forward, offering a shy smile. "Hi, you can just call me Amy. It's so nice to meet you all."

Miranda's eyes widened in surprise before she broke into a warm smile. "Well, it's lovely to meet you, Amy."

As they all sat down to eat lunch, the table buzzed with casual chatter and laughter. Ben leaned over to Miranda, whispering, "Looks like Joey found a reason to stay in college now, huh?"

Miranda shot him a glance, clearly not amused by the comment. She turned to Amy with a warm smile. "So, Amy, what are you majoring in?

Amy looked up from her plate, her eyes brightening. "I'm majoring in Environmental Science. I've always been passionate about finding ways to protect our planet and promote sustainability."

"That's wonderful," Miranda said genuinely. "What inspired you to choose that field?"

Amy smiled, feeling more at ease. "I've always loved nature and being outdoors. When I was younger, I used to go hiking with my family a lot. Seeing the beauty of untouched landscapes and the impact humans can have on the environment made me want to make a difference. Plus, I had an amazing biology teacher in high school who really encouraged me to pursue my interests."

Miranda nodded, impressed. "It sounds like you're really passionate about it. We need more people like you working to protect our environment."

"You know, I'm a bit of an outdoorsy man myself." Ben spoke up

"Mountain man over here loves camping." Miranda laughed

"Something about the great outdoors, you know. Makes you feel alive."