Waiting Four You

Tobiasty-Tris (Tobias)

The prospect of having dinner with the Priors is extremely intimidating with what Tris and I have to tell them, but we can't keep this a secret from them forever. Andrew will learn about the baby soon enough through the council.

As I pull the car up in front of the Priors' home, I notice just how much Abnegation and Dauntless seem like different worlds. The only other car on the street belongs to Mr. Black, and he only has it because it is necessary for his job.

"Ready?" Tris asks me as she slowly reaches for the door handle. I can hear how nervous she is in her voice.

I give her a reassuring smile before opening my door. Tris quickly follows suit and we walk up to her childhood home hand in hand.

Before we can even knock, the door flies open to reveal Natalie Prior on the other side. She latches herself onto her daughter in a hug before practically dragging us both inside.

As soon as the scent of dinner reaches my nose, I can tell there's going to be a problem. Natalie cooked ham, and we've found over the past week that anything pork upsets Tris's stomach.

Just as the thought crosses my mind, Tris pulls away from her mother to rush for the bathroom. The expression on Natalie's face falls for a moment before turning thoughtful. She eyes me for a moment before latching her eyes on my ring. I know that she understands its significance, and I have a feeling that she has figured out what we have to tell them already.

"You know, when Andrew told me you were coming, he didn't mention that you had news for us," Natalie tells me. "Now what do I need to hide from her keen nose?"

Her words cause me to look down sheepishly. "Anything pork."

Natalie's laughter catches me off guard. "To be honest, I'm just glad it didn't happen before either of you left Abnegation."

I look back up to see the disappointed look that I was trying to avoid. It seems like her amusement was only at my reaction.

"Go check on her while I fix dinner. Andrew will be home soon."

Just before Natalie turns to head back into the kitchen, I see a twinkle of amusement. She's probably guessed that Andrew doesn't know yet, and she also knows that he's the one we fear the reaction of most. Tris loves and adores her father, she won't be able to handle his disappointment.

All too soon, we are seated at the table with both of Tris's parents eating a simple Abnegation meal with chicken instead of the ham that Natalie had originally made. If Andrew notices the difference, he doesn't say anything.

"Mom, Dad," Tris says, breaking the silence. "Tobias and I have something to tell you."

Andrew and Natalie turn away from their meals to give Tris their full attention. Natalie has a knowing look on her face while Andrew's is one of confusion.

Tris takes a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

Andrew almost chokes on the bite of food he was chewing on. Natalie gives him a reproachful glare before he even gets the chance to speak.

I can tell how hard this is for Tris. She desperately wants her parents to be proud of her.

"I can't say we're not disappointed," Natalie says gently. "And I can't speak for your father, but I can't wait to be a grandma."

Natalie's face splits into a grin that I doubt we would have seen outside of the house.

Tris looks to her father for his reaction. His expression still reads shock at the surprising news. "Dad?"

Andrew shakes his head a couple times before putting on his own smile, although his is smaller than the one on his wife's face. "I have to agree with your mother. I'm disappointed that you didn't wait until you were older, but I am excited for my grandchild."

Tris lets out an audible sigh of relief, and the conversation moves on to catching Natalie up on Tris's initiation and her appointment as a leader. The interaction between Tris and her parents reminds me of dinners with Aunt Hana.

Unlike my grandfather, who understands my hesitation to call him by any familial title, Hana refused to let me just call her by her name. She had waited so long, hoping that I would transfer to Dauntless, to get to consider herself an aunt, and there was no way she was going to let me get away with just calling her Hana or Mrs. Pedrad. Every time I spoke to her, she would correct me until saying Aunt Hana became as natural as breathing.

"Tell Hana I said hello," Natalie tells us just before we leave.

"We will," Tris replies before giving each of her parents one final hug. "Remember, don't tell Caleb what we told you. I want to be the one to tell him."

Her parents agree to keep quiet about the baby, and we head home to Dauntless.

Please tell me if anything I put seems out of character for the Priors. They aren't exactly in the picture for very long in the actual series, so I don't have a very deep viewpoint of them.