The Best Of Me

Chapter 17

Harmony

   "I know it's early but I really do love him Melody." "That's great I'm happy for you little sister. Just be careful." "Brantley would never hurt me." "He would never mean to hurt you Harmony but that doesn't guarantee it'll never happen" "I know." I hugged my sister. I was so glad that her and my parents had decided to make the drive and surprise me. I'd been so busy with work I hadn't had time to go home to visit. Truth be told I wasn't ready to go home yet. I had come a long way towards healing but there were some things I could never get over. Being with Brantley really helped a lot. "Please don't say anything to mom and dad about Brantley's, um.., problem." "I wont tell them your boyfriend is a recovering alcoholic even though I really do think they'd understand. I mean he's sober, right?" "Yeah I just don't want them to unfairly judge him before they even get a chance to meet him. I will tell them soon." "When have you ever known them to judge anyone unfairly?" "Melody, He's my boyfriend. As soon as I tell them about him they're going to judge him." "You're right. Let's go tell them about him. I want to see you squirm as they question you about him." We left my bedroom to go talk to my parents. I had never been so nervous in my life.

"So let me get this straight. You're dating Brantley Gilbert? I've heard of him. Leann is friends with his brother I've heard plenty of stories about him." Oh, God, What had he heard about Brantley? "He likes to get in bar fights and he drives a motorcycle. You don't ride on the back of that thing do you?" I just looked down. I could hear the disapproval in my dad's voice and I wanted to cry. "That boy is trouble from everything I heard. Did you know he flipped his truck when he was 19 because he was drinking and driving?" "Yes Daddy but that was a long time ago. Brantley is a different person now." "We'll see" "He's a really good singer and he writes his own songs. He even wrote a song about the accident." We looked over at my mom. She'd been so quiet I forgot she was even in the room. "I've heard so many great things about him. Just give him a chance. For Harmony's sake. She's obviously head over heels for him." "Do you remember what happened last time she fell the a bad boy?" "I'll never forget but Brantley isn't Justin. At least meet him before you judge him." "Alright then."

I could tell that my dad wasn't convinced and my mom wasn't entirely sure either. I had to convince them. It was important that they like Brantley. "See the thing about Brantley is that he thinks he's this typical bad boy because he drives a motorcycle, has tattoos, wears chains, and isn't afraid of a fight. I mean it's all true he does have scars on his knuckles and I've seen him beat someone to a pulp. Brantley is tough as shit, Don't get me wrong, but he's really such a softy inside. Most of the fights he gets in are to defend someone else. He can't stand to see a man mistreat or disrespect a woman and he damn sure wont sit back while another man raises a hand to a woman. He is most definitely a mama's boy and he's not ashamed to show it. Brantley writes love songs like no one else and he sings them even better than he writes them. You can't tell me that the writer of songs like The Best Of Me, Fall Into Me, Play Me That Song, You Don't Know Her Like I Do, and many more is this tough ass bad boy. So yeah on the exterior Brantley may be this bad ass biker who's covered in tattoos and sometimes gets in bar fights but that's just the side he shows the world. The Brantley that I know has a huge heart and would give the shirt off his back to help someone out. He loves with his whole heart. He loves his mama and Jesus. I could go on and on all day but you just don't want to hear it. Brantley is a great man and that's why I love him."

The room was completely silent and I knew my parents were trying to process that last part. "I really do love him. He's helped me through so much and he's such a great guy. I promise after you meet him you'll love him." "Harmony forgot to mention he supports the troops, too." Everyone looked at Melody and my dad said "Well I can't wait to meet this guy" and just like that the tension broke. I text Brantley and told him my parents were in town and couldn't wait to meet him. He text me back that he'd take us all out to dinner that night. I was nervous about my parents meeting Brantley but I couldn't wait either. But what if they didn't like him? Their approval was really important to me. No matter what happened tonight things wouldn't change between me and Brantley. I loved him and I would be with him no matter what.

When we pulled into the parking lot I was relieved to see that Brantley was already there. My mom hated it if people didn't show up on time. Brantley had drove his truck and he was standing next to it wearing a t shirt and a pair of jeans and what looked like new boots. His jeans looked pretty new as well. They weren't ripped or dirty or anything. Brantley cleaned up pretty damn good. He wasn't even wearing his chain wallet. I introduced him to my parents and threw my arms around him to give him a hug and kiss. "Trying to impress my parents?" I whispered in his ear "Of course babe. It's important that they get a first good impression." "Yeah well next time don't try as hard. Just be yourself. You do look damn good though." Brantley took me by the hand and together we walked into the restaurant.

"So Brantley I've actually met your mom. She seems like a very nice woman. Now that the two of you are dating I should probably call her so we could get together for lunch or something sometime" "I really think she'd like that ma'am" "Oh please call me Mom you're dating my daughter now." "As long as you don't call me Dad. At least until you're married. Sir will be just fine until then." Everyone laughed at my dad. "I wasn't even joking. How do I know this is going to last? You say you love each other but how do you know?" My mom just gave my dad "The Look" and he shut up.

My dad was laughing at something Brantley said. I was so glad to see them getting along so well. It really meant the world to me. "I have a show tomorrow night. Why don't you guys come watch me play." "I have to work tomorrow." "Can't you see if Ashley or Becca could cover for you? It's just one night and your parents are in town." "Well, I guess technically Becca owes me so I'll see what I can do." "Even if you can't get out of work I could take mom and dad to the show." "Thanks Melody. I really hope I can get it off though. I'm so glad you guys are here." I rode back to the apartment in Brantley's truck and listened to him talk about how great my family was and how he couldn't wait for me to meet his family. Today had been one of the best days of my life.

"I always wondered what it would be like to drive a motorcycle honestly. I think I'd be a little scared but they do seem like a lot of fun." "It's a freedom you've never experienced sir. The feeling of the wind and watching the trees fly by. It's definitely something else. As long as you're aware of your surroundings and fully alert at all times. I could teach you if you want. There's this little dirt road right outside the city that no one ever goes down. It would be the perfect place to practice." Did Brantley really just offer to teach my dad how to ride a motorcycle? "It sounds really fun but I don't want to take the chance. What if I scratch your bike? Or worse crash it?" "I don't think you will but if you do no worries I have insurance. I have a helmet, too. So as long as you do exactly as I say you'll be safe." "Sounds good. When can we start?" "How bout now? We can take my truck to my place to get the motorcycle. Great let's go."Did my dad just agree to learn how to drive a motorcycle? Holy crap. What was happening here? Brantley kissed me. "I promise to bring him back in one piece." "You better or my mom might kill you." Brantley just smiled before saying bye to my mom and sister and him and my dad left.

My mom was pacing back and forth. She would never stop my dad from doing what he wanted but I could tell she was really freaking out. Brantley had already sent me a picture of my dad on his Harley. I was definitely getting it framed and hanging it on my wall. Melody was trying to calm my mom down. I could only imagine how she would feel if she knew how often I rode on the back of that bike with Brantley. We could hear the sound of a motorcycle outside. My mom ran out and we followed. I was almost too shocked to believe what I was seeing. My dad had just put the kickstand down on Brantley's bike and Brantley pulled into the parking spot next to him. I guess the lessons went pretty great. My mom ran out and threw her arms around my dad. I couldn't help but laugh as she said "Don't even try to think you're buying one of these death traps the stress would kill me for sure." "Babe, once you take a ride you'll be begging me to buy one. Just wait. It's like nothing you've ever experienced" "I don't think so. You can't get me on the back of there." "Why not Harmony rides on the back of Brantley's bike all the time and she's just fine." I looked over at Melody and my jaw dropped. She covered her mouth as if trying to stop the words from coming out but it was too late she'd already said them. My mom turned to me and I knew she was about to start yelling at me when my dad cut her off. "It's really not that bad. You'll have to try it out sometime." Did my dad just say that? Wow. Maybe Brantley was good for my dad. 

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