Finding You

Meeting the Family

"Before we go in, I feel like there is something I should say." I lean against the car as he rummages through his bag for his laptop case. How do I tell him that my momma loves him already, or that my daddy only acts tough, or that my baby sister is hell bent on embarrassing us in some way?

"I'm ready." He huffs, pulling my bag out of the car. I touch his arm softly, grabbing his attention. "Okay, I'm listening." He holds my hands and I take a deep breath in.

"This is a big step for me, especially since the only person I've brought home to meet them is Alex. They're still grieving the loss of that relationship so I'm begging you, if there is any part of you that is uncertain of us, don't go in there. I won't hold it against you but I can't watch their hearts break again."

"I love you, Natalie. Take a deep breath. I'm so excited to meet your family I can hardly contain myself." He kisses me softly and I half smile.

"I haven't been home in over a year so I'm a little nervous." I sigh.

"Hey, I'm here. We'll get through this."

"I know. I know. You put your laptop on the back seat by the way. I'm sure daddy will come help you get the bags out of the car." I tell him and he rolls his eyes at me.

"They'll like me right?" He asks nervously. He shuts the trunk.

"I don't know how they couldn't." I smile as he locks the car.

"Did they like Alex?"

"Up until he divorced me for another woman."

"Did they know about everything that happened?"

"No, they don't even know about the babies." I tel him and put my hands in my pockets.

"Why didn't you tell them?"

"That required me acknowledging that it happened. It just seems like too late to bring it up now. I think it would crush them."

"Gotcha. So all Alex talk should be avoided?"

"Like the plague but we are in the Deep South, there's no such thing as a secret here." I walk to the porch with Brad right behind me. I knock on the door and pull him beside me. Momma opens the door.

"Well goodness gracious!" She pulls me into a tight hug and I can't help but smile at the familiarity of her. Nothing has changed.

"Hey momma." I smile and she puts her hands on my cheeks.

"It feels good to have my baby home." Her eyes fill with tears and I shake my head, grabbing her hands in mine.

"I think it's about time that you met Bradley." I turn to Brad and he holds his hand out. I can't help but raise an eyebrow. I should've warned him about the hugs.

"Oh, save that for Bobby." She smacks his hand away and hugs him tightly. I chuckle as he wraps his arms around her.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Suther." He tells her and she rolls her eyes.

"Call me Jo." She tells him and he smiles.

"Yes ma'am."

"Now, y'all come on in before we waste all the cool air." She pulls us into the house and I shut the door behind us. Other than rearranging the furniture to the summer layout, everything is exactly how it was when I was last here.

"Your daddy is outside with Bill trying to catch the snake that's been harassing the birds." Momma tells us and we follow her to the kitchen.

"He does this every year. He knows he isn't gonna catch it." I tel Brad and he nods.