Book 2: What Happens Here - Chicago (What Happens Here Series)

Chapter 48 - Ethan

Meeting Jasmine's parents had gone a lot better than Ethan had expected. Initially he had been nervous, but after speaking to her parents via videochat prior to meeting them in person had helped, somewhat. He now understood Jasmine's initial stress when he'd introduced her to his parents. When he considered how he'd felt meeting Jasmine's parents versus meeting Christine's had been the fact that meeting Jasmine's was a much bigger deal to him because of the significance that Jasmine played in his life. While he'd cared about Christine, meeting her parents hadn't affected him in the same ways that meeting Jasmine's had.

When they'd arrived at the terminal, and he'd caught sight of her parents, he'd gently squeezed her hand that he had been holding during the duration of the ride to the airport. When Jasmine's eyes had popped open and she'd gotten excited, she'd somehow morphed into a big kid, and he couldn't help but smile.

Jasmine's excitement was even evident in her voice, and her actions when she'd finally spotted her parents standing by the curb with their luggage. Excitement radiating through her, she'd said, "Ethan! There they are!" He chuckled, and pulled up to the curb behind an SUV, and before he could step out of his truck and open the door for her, Jasmine had opened her door, and was embracing her mother. Smiling, Ethan shook his head, and lowered the back door of his truck bed, and walked around to meet the two most important people in Jasmine's life, and hopefully his future "in-laws."

When he'd walked towards Jasmine's parents, he knew instantly that the beautiful African American woman was Jasmine's mother, because she was an older version of Jasmine. She had the same long beautiful wavy hair, although hers had streaks of gray. She had the same lean build, but her coloring was much lighter than her daughter's mocha coloring. Her father, Nathaniel Ellis was much different than what he had expected. Mr. Ellis stood at the same height as Ethan, which was 6'3", and with his lean build, it was obvious that he stayed in shape. His head was completely bald, and his skin was a couple shades darker than both his wife and his daughter. The only facial hair that he wore was a salt and pepper goatee, which made him look very much the former military man that Jasmine had mentioned that he'd been.

Nathaniel Ellis was a hard looking man. He had an edge about him that was evidence of his years in the Marine Corps. Jasmine had shared how after serving in the military, her father had gone to law school and had been a prosecutor, before becoming a District Court Judge. Standing next to Jasmine's father, and knowing that he was such an accomplished man, had Ethan feeling very small in his presence.

With Jasmine embracing her mother, Ethan moved up behind her and meeting the sharp gaze of Mr. Ellis, Ethan addressed both of her parents as he said, "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, it's nice to finally meet you in person." Reluctantly breaking her mother's embrace, Jasmine gave him a sheepish grin as she said, "Oh, I'm sorry. Mom, dad...this is Ethan Daniels. Ethan, these are my parent's Nathaniel and Bernadette Ellis." Ethan smiled when she slipped her hand into his, and laced their fingers, and extending his free hand towards Mr. Ellis, Ethan said, "Sir, it's nice to finally meet you." Ethan received a firm hand shake from Jasmine's father, and to his surprise, a welcoming smile, which seemed to soften his features, as he said, "Ethan. It's nice to finally meet you as well. We've heard a lot about you. Please call me Nate." Ethan nodded his head and smiled at Jasmine's father before he said, "Yes sir", and when Jasmine smiled and she squeezed his hand, Ethan smiled down at her, and winked as he said, "I hope that all of those things that you've heard have been good?"

Ethan turned to Jasmine's beautiful mother, when she said, "Yes, they have all been great things Ethan", and smiling at her, he said, "That is great to hear Mrs. Ellis, and I can see where Jasmine gets her gorgeous smile." Ethan noticed Jasmine's mother's blush as it covered her light brown skin, and he smiled when she said, "Oh...why thank you Ethan. That's nice of you to say, and Nate and I want you to know that we appreciate how happy you've made our daughter, and how you've taken such great care of her since she has been here in Chicago." Ethan directed his comment to both of her parents when he said, "I love your daughter, and I'm going to make it my life's mission to ensure that she's always taken care of." Jasmine glanced up and smiled at him as she said, "I love you too babe." Smiling, Bernadette said, "You can call me Bernadette, Ethan, and that's really great to hear, because after what she went through in her last relationship, it's nice to know that she has finally met someone that truly cares about her. I can honestly tell you that we haven't seen her this happy in a very long time Ethan, so seeing that beautiful smile back on her face, where it belongs, is a wonderful thing to see."