Page 67 of Her Paramedic
Talia laughed. “That’s okay. I’d rather her be excited to meet me than not want to.”
They entered the house, and when they rounded the corner into the living room, his mom was on her feet and pulling Talia into a hug.
“It’s so good to meet you! Slate has told us so much about you; I feel like I already know you.”
Talia giggled, hugging her back, and Slate shook his head because she hadn’t even made it three seconds.
“It’s nice to meet you, too. I’ve heard great things about both of you,” Talia responded.
“Corrin, let the young lady breathe,” his dad stated, and his mom pulled back as if she hadn’t realized she’d been hugging Talia since she stepped foot inside.
“Mom, Dad, this is my girlfriend, Talia. Baby, these are my parents, Solomon and Corrin Stoll,” Slate introduced.
“It’s nice to meet you both,” Talia stated as his dad pulled her into a hug that was far shorter than his mother’s.
“Have you eaten, Talia? We were going to get lunch and then go to the farmer’s market,” his mom informed.
“I haven’t yet, and that sounds like fun,” his girlfriend responded.
“Great! We can leave in a few minutes,” his mom replied.
“I’m going to put your bag up, and then we can go,” Slate said.
He left them alone, sure his mother would have asked Talia a hundred and one questions by the time he returned. He placed her suitcase by the closet and grabbed his wallet from his dresser before exiting the bedroom. Slate wasn’t surprised to find his mother sitting on the couch with Talia engaged in conversation while his dad watched them, amused.
“Are you ready, son?” his dad asked when he noticed him.
“I am if you all are.” He turned his attention to Talia. “Your EpiPen is in its usual spot?” She nodded as they headed to the door.
“You have an allergy?” his mom asked as she and Talia walked ahead and he locked the door.
“Yes, to Kiwi.”
Once they were in the car, Slate headed downtown. He didn’t particularly care where they went for lunch, but figured they might as well go somewhere close to the farmer’s market. Then they could head to the store last. They chose a Mexican restaurant twenty-five minutes later, and he pulled into the parking lot.
They were soon seated with their drinks, waiting for their food, as his mother asked Talia about herself.
“Slate says you have a younger sister.”
“Biologically, yes, but I’ve pretty much adopted three others,” Talia responded.
“Being the oldest must be nice. I’m a middle child,” his mother replied.
“It has its perks, but I think being the baby probably would have been more fun. Though my sister and I got in trouble equally.”
They continued conversing while they waited for their food, and then as they ate. His mother was talking primarily to his girlfriend, allowing his father to get a word in now and then. Slate didn’t mind. He wanted them to get along, and becausehe was sure his mom only mildly remembered that he and his father existed, they seemed to hit it off.
To Slate’s protests, his father paid for lunch when they finished, and they headed to the farmer’s market. There were typically over three dozen booths, and he knew his mother would want to stop at each one, especially the ones that gave samples of their produce. Slate was prepared to be there for a while before they headed to the grocery store.
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Talia looked at a stand selling strawberries. They were big and a luscious red. Two cartons cost six dollars, and considering one in the grocery store cost nearly that, it was a steal.
“Would you like to try one?” the man behind the stand asked.
“Yes, please,” she responded. “They look delicious.”
He grabbed the strawberry she’d been eyeing and washed it off for her. Immediately, when she bit into it, the sweet juices exploded in her mouth. As good as it looked, it tasted even better. Talia wasn’t sure she’d ever had a strawberry that good.
