Page 36 of Feel It All

I run back over to my place to shower and get ready. Right before I head back over, my phone starts ringing. Great, just what I needed, to feel stressed before dinner.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, sweetie. I was calling because it doesn’t seem like you know how to make calls. Considering I haven’t heard from you since I sent Claire over and you broke her heart.” She uses her usual judgmental tone.

Oh great, starting with a guilt trip right off the bat. “Sorry mom, I have been meaning to call, but I have been busy. But that was not okay what you did with Claire. I told you we weren’t going to be together.”

“Too busy for your mother? Goodness, Graham. I was only doing what’s best for you, why can’t you see that I just don’t want you to be like your father?” It’s always the don’t-be-your-father speech. Just once, I would love to talk to her and not hear those words.

I take a breath and run my hand over my face. I don’t want to fight with her. Especially now. “I understand, you thought you were doing something for me with good intentions, but you didn’t listen to me.”

“You don’t know what you want Graham, your father never knew what he wanted either. So I had no other option but to show you.”

I hear a knock at my door; I know it is the person I want. “Actually, Mom, I have started seeing someone here in Aster, and…I think I’m going to marry her.” That felt weird to say, but in a good way. It wasn’t a scary thought but weird because I never thought I would find someone I did want to marry. Now that I have her, I don’t want to let her go.

“What! Marry her? Graham, are you serious? What is going…”

“I’ve got to go, Mom; I will talk to you later.” I open the door and see the girl I love just smiling at me.

“Don’t you dare hang up on me.” Mom is still rambling in my ear.

“Sorry, but I’ve got to go, I promise I’ll call you later.”

“Graham Taylor, so help me…”

Click.

“Hi, buttercup, you ready to go?” I close the door behind me.

“Yes, the real question is are you ready?” Winry nudges me with her elbow.

“You mean to have dinner with not only my boss but my girlfriend’s dad?”

“Yup, come on. Don’t worry. It will be fine for you. For me, on the other hand, I’m sure my family will bring up every embarrassing moment I have had in my life.”

“I can’t wait.” I kiss her forehead, and we hop in my car.

“So, who was on the phone?” Winry asks, buckling up.

“My mom, she was quick with a guilt trip because I haven’t called her. I told her that my new girlfriend was occupying all my free time.”

“Graham, you’d better not have. I want her to like me.” Winry playfully smacks my arm.

“Oh, she will love you.” Just not as much as I do. I take her hand in mine then bring it up to kiss the back of it.

We make it to her parents’ house right on time. I hop out and open the car door for Winry. She is so beautiful. She has her hair up in a ponytail and is wearing light jeans and a black fitted tank top. I want so badly to take her back home and kiss her all over, but for right now I will just have to settle for holding her hand.

We don’t even make it to the door and her mom is rushing out on the front porch ready to pull us in a hug. “Winry, Graham, I am so glad you guys came.”

“Thank you for having me, Mrs. Bennett.”

“Oh, please, I’m so happy you are here.” Her mom gives me a sincere smile. “Come on in, Dad is almost done with the burgers and your sisters are already here.”

Once inside, her sisters jump to give hugs. Apparently, the Bennett family is full of huggers. It’s odd to see a family so close when all I have seen is my parents, and they definitely were not the show-your-feelings family.

“So, Graham, has Winry told you about her birthday Saturday? I was hoping you could talk her into doing something. She won’t let me do anything anymore.” Mrs. Bennett gives Winry a sideways glance.

“Well, the last party you planned everyone got food poisoning from the cake.” Waverley defends her sister as she munches from a bag of barbecue chips.

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