True Beauty lies Beneath the Skin (Phan)

All the Times That We Fucked Up

Here's to us, here's to love
All the times that we fucked up
Here's to you, fill the glass
'Cause the last few nights have kicked my ass
So let's give them hell
Wish everybody well
Here's to us, here's to us

"You asked a guy you haven't even been on a second date with to meet your family?!" Iesha shrieks, "Are you crazy?!"

Phil was currently sat on the couch with very big eyes as Iesha stood over him with this exclamation.

"He said 'yes'..." Phil replies, sheepishly.

Iesha blinks, "Is he crazy?!"

"Look," Phil says, "I really like this guy...The night that the snow storm happened, he stayed the night - completely innocently. We didn't even mean for it to happen either; we were just sat on the bed and Bella fell asleep between us. Dan and I kept talking, drifted off, and when I woke up the next morning, they were both asleep next to me, and...I don't know...It was a sight I could get used to."

Iesha sits down next to Phil, "You really want things to get serious with him, don't you?"

"I know that this is taking it fast, but...it's not the kind of taking it fast that I'd usually do, if you know what I mean - "

"I always know what you mean."

"Then you know that this is a much more wholesome version of 'taking it fast'."

"And what are your parents gonna think when you walk into the house you haven't been in in five years with a blue-haired date and his six-year-old daughter?"

"I'm hoping it'll portray me as a responsible adult. Look, I just didn't want to go alone! My parents like you, but they would expect me to bring you with."

"I'm not giving you this lecture because I'm jealous you didn't ask me to go with you; if anything, I'm relieved I'll get to avoid the awkward tension. I'm just trying to get you to understand that this may backfire."

"Look, Dan completely understands that this isn't the normal 'introduce the boyfriend to the family because you're in a super committed relationship' kind of thing. He's helping me out because I'm scared. He knows that I don't expect anything like this on his part until he's ready; we've talked about it all already."

Iesha then softens, "Aww, look at you being an adult! Was turning thirty-one really all it took? Are you set now?"

Phil laughs, "Mentally? I think so. Once I can prove to my family that I'm sober and am actually taking responsibility for my life, absolutely."

"What exactly do they know?"

"I told Martyn I've sobered up - whether or not he believes me, I'm not quite sure yet - and he said that they knew about the bus crash and have been looking to contact me for quite some time now; Martyn seeing me at the restaurant was what finally pushed him to call me."

"Do they know Dan and Bella are coming?"

"I told Martyn they were, and he said he'd bring his girlfriend, Cornelia too. It's just going to be a lot of introductions, I guess."

"That's a good start though."

Phil smiles, "Yeah, I guess."

x

A few days later.

"Yeah, we'll be right down," Dan says into his phone before hanging up, "Bel! Phil's here!"

"Daddy, look! I found my lost puzzle piece!" Bella exclaims.

"That's great, sweetie. Now, did you get your medicine?"