Forbidden

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"How do I look?" Kieran asked, nervously pulling at his black tie. He was dressed in black slacks and a white long sleeved, buttoned up shirt. His hair was ruffled and he attempted to smooth it as he glanced at his reflection in the mirror.

I couldn't help but stifle a laugh. "You look fine," I say, fixing his tie for him.

"Just fine?" he asks with a worried voice.

I shake my head at him. "You look very handsome," I correct myself.

He smiles and presses a kiss to my forehead. "And you," he says looking me over. "Look gorgeous. You should wear a dress more often."

A blush forms on my cheeks. I had decided to make this dinner a little more formal than it needed to be. After all this was going to be the first time my parents have ever seen Kieran and since I plan on spending the rest of my life with him, I naturally want this night to be perfect.

I glance over at the clock on my desk and look back at Kieran. "It's five minutes until six, you should probably head out."

Kieran nods and walks over to the open window. He lifts one leg over the ledge and blows me a kiss before hopping completely out of sight. I run over to the window, looking down at him as he lands the high fall.

Then with one last look at my reflection, I exit my room and go to see my parents' progress.

Down stairs in the kitchen I can smell the aroma of roast beef and vegetables. My mother is slaving away over the hot kitchen stove while my father is busy setting the table in the dining room. Both are dressed to perfection. My mother is wearing her favorite red blouse and black slacks, while my father is dressed in a nice suit and red tie.

I quickly give them my approval and help my mother finish getting dinner ready.

Within five minutes the doorbell rings and my mother frantically finishes up with the food. Then together the three of us walk over to the front door to greet my boyfriend.

I open the door and smile to see Kieran on the other side looking as handsome as ever. His smile reveals adorable dimples and I could tell my mother was already sold.

"Come on in, Kieran." My mother says.

Kieran nods and steps in. He shakes my father's firm hand and then returns my mother's hug.

"It's so good to finally meet you," she says in a welcoming voice. "My name is Leah and this is my husband Peter."

"It's nice to meet both of you," Kieran says politely.

I sneak my way over to him and take hold of his hand. He shoots me a grateful look.

"Well I have dinner all cooked and ready to go in the dining room." My mother says.

We follow her to the table and I take a seat next to Kieran. My parents sit on the other side of us.

My father leads us in prayer and then we pass around the food, putting a good portion on all of our plates.

"Dinner looks wonderful Mrs. Charter," Kieran comments as he cuts into his chicken.

"Well thank you Kieran, it's always nice to be appreciated." my mother says.

I smile at Kieran and then look at my dad for a reaction. As usual around new people, his face shows no emotion.

"So Kevin," my dad starts. I put a hand to my forehead and give Kieran's hand a squeeze. He squeezes back to show he isn't offended and my dad continues, "What do your parents do for a living."

It was probably the worst question my dad could have asked. Kieran's parents have been dead for two hundred years.

Kieran clears his throat and sends me a look. "My parents died shortly after I turned nineteen," he says.

"Oh Kieran, honey I'm so sorry," my mom says, giving him a sympathetic look. "That must be so hard."

Kieran nods but before he can say anything, my dad interrupts him. "So do you have foster parents or anything?"

Kieran shakes his head. "I'm nineteen so I'm old enough to be on my own, sir."

My dad frowns. "How are you going to go to college if you don't have any providers? You are going to college, aren't you?"

I feel like kicking my foot out and stomping hard on my dad's foot. What was his problem? For all he knows, Kieran's parents have just died a little while ago. How can he be so unsympathetic?

"Yes, I plan on going to college. I'm going to have to get a student loan but I plan on getting a college education and starting my life over." Kieran says.

I grab Kieran's hand again and give him an encouraging smile. I know he's working hard to start his life over and begin a new one. With all of the changes in the world since his time, I know it can't be easy for him to adjust. And without owning anything, he's going to have to start from scratch. But we both have forever and that's more than enough time to have a good life together.

"Student loans are pretty hard to pay off. You're going to need a pretty good job for that once you get out of college. What do you plan on doing with your life?" My dad asks. His voice is unnecessarily harsh.

I know Kieran hasn't decided yet and before he can say so, I say, "What's with the interrogation dad? His parents are dead; you can be a little more sympathetic." I've locked onto my dad with the fiercest gaze I posses and I can tell he's cracking under my glare.

Out of the corner of my eye I can see Kieran looking at me. I can tell what he's thinking, just take it easy Heather. But I can't! My dad's being a jerk and he has absolutely no right to be one!

"No it's alright," Kieran says. He looks back at my father and finishes, "I haven't decided yet what I want to do with my life. There are so many options and I want to make sure I make the right one."

With my eyes I silently dare my father to say something negative about that.

Knowing that there's nothing left to say, my father just nods and cuts into his chicken.

My mother clears her throat and attempts to demolish the unease that fills the air. "So how did you two meet?" She asks.

I send her an appreciative look and she gives me a small smile. She's embarrassed about my dad's behavior, as am I.

Kieran answers for me. "Heather was walking in the woods one day and we stumbled across each other. I spend a lot of my time in the woods and so I showed her a few of the best places."

"That sounds so romantic," my mother says with her chin resting on her hands. She was always a sucker for the mushy gushy stuff.

Kieran smiles and I can tell that at that moment, my mother couldn't be happier for me. It's as if she knows that he's the one for me and she's giving me her approval. If only my dad was so easily won over.