Eternal Sunshine ✓

13. Meet The Simmons

Love is patient,
Love is kind.
1 Corinthians 13:4

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Hard knocks sounded through the dead drop silent house. They came from the other side of the door, where a strangely widely-awake Steven stood. Visibly, he looked cool and collected, truthfully, he was a nervous wreck.

He'd never met Tasha's parents before, he'd only seen them at his eighth-grade graduation with Tasha. He couldn't even spell out the reasons for his nervousness, all he knew was that he wanted them to like him.

It took a bit before the door opened, and of course, when it finally did, it happened to be Tasha's father-Mr. Simmons-who opened it.

"Good morning, sir. I'm Steve Morrison." Steven stretched out is hand in greeting.

Mr. Simmons, who was surprised to see a white boy on his porch, shook Steven's hand and said, "I'm Jeremiah Simmons, to what do I owe your visit this early morning, Steve?"

"I'm here to pickup Tasha, sir. We have to get to school earlier than usual to set up and go over our English presentation." Although his words were respectful, Steven stood with confidence and assurance.

Mr. Simmons seemed to assess Steven for a bit. At that moment, the two were having a silent conversation, a father to a son, but man to man.

Because no matter the race or background, there was one thing every man recognized in the eye of another man-desire.

Somehow, Steven saw the desire Mr. Simmons had to keep his daughters safe and provide for his family, and similarly, Mr. Simmons realized the desire Steven had to make Tasha his.

Now, it came all down to whether Steven passed the first assessment, which was respect and character. For now, Mr. Simmons decided he had. He seemed to be a level headed kid, not arrogant, yet confident in himself.

Before Mr. Simmons had a chance to vocalize anything he was thinking, his wife came to see what was taking him so long at the front door.

"Honey, who's there?" She opened the door a little wider and saw Steven, who gave her one of his charming smiles.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Simmons, I'm Steve Morrison." He stretched his hands again and she shook it with a smile of her own.

Mr. Simmons gave his wife a look that communicated something, then told her, "Steve's here to pick up Natasha, they have a project to set up and rehearse."

Her eyebrows rose in understanding because she understood what her husband was telling her-Steven was more interested in Tasha than the said project.

"Oh, I see. Well, Tasha, as you might not know, sleeps like her life depends on it." She moved out of the doorway to give him space to enter the house. "You're invited to wait inside as I wake her up, Steve."

Steven smiled brightly. "I'd be happy to, thank you."

Mrs. Simmons smiled at Steven and turned to her husband. "Honey, please show Steve to the living room as I go wake up Tasha." Then she made her way to wake up her sleepy daughter.

Mr. Simmons led the way as he and Steven moved to go sit down in the living room. Although the house was visibly smaller than Steven's, he couldn't help but sense the family spirit that existed in the atmosphere.

Everything was so homey and put together with love, from the throw pillows with sweet words on them, to the family pictures placed on the walls.

Mr. Simmons urged him to sit down on the comfy looking couch, so he went ahead and took a sit.