Coffee and Love

Mother Knows Best

As Phil finally went to tell me I was blinded by a set of headlights coming around the turn to my Aunt's street. I covered my eyes, completely distracted from Phil's words. "I'm sorry, Phil, what did you say?"

"I said I was traveling." Phil smiled.

He continued to speak, but I was once again blinded by the car, this time as it pulled into my Aunt's driveway, which was strange because our entire family was inside the house and neighborhood visitors usually just walked over. "Sorry, I missed that again. Someone's here. What did you say?"

"I asked if you were cold. You're not wearing a jacket." Phil said "And don't even try to say your Wilson sweatshirt counts. It doesn't."

I laughed, but then realized Phil could only see my face due to the way I was holding the phone. There was no way for him to know what I was wearing. "How did you..."

"Because I can see you. Look up" Phil informed me before ending the call. I glanced up to see him standing next to the car in my Aunt's driveway, a silly grin on his face.

"PHIL!" I shouted eagerly, throwing myself into his arms. "How are you here? You're supposed to be in London!" I held him close.

There was a squeal from the front porch I had abandoned and I turned to see Molly peeking her head out the door, my family behind her. "I told you this was a great surprise!" Molly clapped her hands happily.

"They know?" I asked, turning back to Phil.

"They know. I know. Dan knows." Sam said from the driver's seat of the mystery car. I hadn't even realized it was her.

"That's not your car!" I protested.

"No duh, you would've recognized my car, so I borrowed my grandmother's. I picked the boys up from the airport about an hour ago. It was all part of the plan." Sam shrugged.

"Plan? You planned this?" I looked at my friends.

Dan poked his head over Sam's shoulder "I asked Sam if she wanted to spend Christmas together before she left for America. She said yes and we made plans. Phil wanted in on these plans, but wanted to surprise you, so we've been super sleuthing around to make everything work. Your family has been in on it for at least a month now."

"I was surprised when Dan informed me last week I needed to pick up both of them." Sam admitted. "But I was sworn to secrecy."

I looked at Phil, unable to wipe the silly grin off my face. "This is a really great surprise, Phil." I kissed him passionately. "The best Christmas present possible."

"Surprises are great. Christmas is great. Come inside before you make the boy freeze to death." My mother called through the door. "Drive safe Sam."

"I will, Mama Zuleger." Sam called through her car window. "You two have fun and I'll see you for lunch tomorrow still, right, Nikki?"

"Definitely." I waved her off and led Phil into my Aunt's house. "Guys, this is Phil...my boyfriend."

"Hi, everyone." Phil said, waving awkwardly, his gloved fingers fumbling for mine. "It's nice to meet you all."

Molly was up and in front of Phil before anyone else in the family could say anything. "I've been watching you for like five yenars. Your videos are amazing. And then Nikki started making videos. And I always told her you two would be like the cutest couple. Then she went to London and I told her you were going to fall in love and you did! Now you're going to get married and have a family and-"

"Molly, maybe we should finish the tree?" her boyfriend Luke suggested gently.

"Oh. Right, Nikki, let's finish the tree." Molly grabbed my hand.