Page 46 of A Night To Remember

“Yes. Let me go get our jackets.” Charlie headed to the coat closet.

Jake turned to Kristy “Alright, kiddo, we have to get going.” Jake affectionately tugged on one of Kristy’s pigtails.

“Okay,” Kristy agreed. “Can I take my toys?” she asked Jake.

“Maybe not all of them. I think just one will be okay. Which one do you want to take?” he asked.

“Can I take my doll?”

“You sure can. How about putting your jacket on?” Jake said, taking Kristy’s jacket from Charlie’s hand.

Charlie watched on the sidelines, annoyed at how Kristy had deferred to Jake instead of her.

Little traitor.

Charlie didn’t know what to expect when she met the Foxes. All week she fretted about what they would be like, wondering what they’d think of her. Would they be snobby? Would they look at her with disdain because of what she had done to Jake? Would they be uncomfortable about the fact their son had had an affair with some strange black woman? Jake had already assured her his parents didn’t care about race, but she still had her doubts.

Charlie trembled, a wave of nervousness spreading through her body. Oh, why did she agree to this dinner? She just knew they would hate her. Her heart beat faster as they pulled up to a large modernized farmhouse in the suburb of Fairfax. The house was surrounded by a rose garden. By the look of the well-kept garden, Charlie could tell the people who lived here took pride in their home

Before they walked through the door, Jake, with Kristy in one arm, looked over to Charlie and smiled. “Don’t worry, Charlie. My family will love you.” He gave her a tender look, taking her hand in his, and Charlie relaxed a bit, knowing she had Jake’s support. At times like this, she wished that she wasn’t such a coward. She wished she could let go and love him.

A short, pleasantly plump woman with a huge smile greeted them at the door. “Come in. Welcome. Jake, we were wondering what was keeping you.”

“Hi, Mom. I was going to call, but I forgot to charge my cell phone, so the battery is pretty much kaput,” he explained, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Mom, I’d like you to meet Charlie Brown, and this is Kristy. Charlie, this is my mom Moira Fox.”

Jake’s mother seemed quite friendly. If she felt any animosity toward Charlie, she hid it well. “It’s very nice to meet you, Charlie. Jake has said so many wonderful things about you. I expected you to be pretty, but his description didn’t do you justice.”

Charlie shot Jake a curious look. He gave her a sheepish grin.

“Thank you for having us.” Charlie smiled hoping her nervousness didn’t show.

“It’s my pleasure, dear.”

Charlie felt immediately at ease in this woman’s presence. If the rest of the family was as nice, the night would go smooth.

Moira turned to her attention to Kristy. “Hi, sweetie, you must be Kristy.”

“Who are you, lady?” Kristy blinked at the stranger.

“I’m Nana.” Moira gave Kristy a warm smile.

“This is my mother, honey.”

Kristy took a moment to process this. “Like Mommy’s Mommy?”

“Yep,” Jake said.

“Grandma?” Kristy asked.

“Yes, but you can call me Nana. Just like your cousins,” Moira said.

“Okay. Hi, Nana. Wanna see my doll?” Kristy practically shoved her toy in Moira’s face.

Moira laughed. “Oh, Jake, she is a delight. And she’s just as cute as a button.” Her warm hazel eyes welled up for a second. Charlie watched the exchange still holding Jake’s hand, relieved Jake’s mother seemed to accept her granddaughter so readily.

Moira was examining the doll under Kristy’s watchful eyes. “Daddy gived it to me,” Kristy explained with an air of importance.

“She’s a cutie. What’s her name?” Moira asked.

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