I looked over my shoulder and she made a movement liked she shrugged. "I'm just saying. I don't want to see you get hurt again." I smiled at her concern, and then she left that train of thought and hopped right on another. "Coming to kickboxing tonight? Lita's back teaching, but Ben's going to take the class with me...like my own personal trainer." She winked.
I giggled at my friend, my life, and my absurd circumstances. "Yeah, I'll be there."
Clarice's attitude never really changed with me. If I was happy, sad or peeved she was still snippy, curt and too picky to ever be truly happy. By the end of my work day, I was welcoming the stress-relieving side effects of heart thumping physical activity. The class was packed, as it usually was on a Monday night, and as I looked around at the thirty or so other participants in the mirror-lined room, I fed off the energy building and let myself get excited. Tracey and Hot Ben stood in the back and were mostly ignoring everyone else. He played with her ponytail while she felt his bicep. I couldn't help but notice that his blonde highlights exactly matched the shade of her hair. I stopped watching them after that.
Lita, dressed in skin-tight, black aerobic pants and a black workout bra, turned on the hard, fast music and skipped out to the front of the slightly springy, wooden floor. She led us through a series of warm ups, her brown ponytail bouncing behind her, as she went over her weekend mishap, a fiasco involving a sick dog and a box of missing chocolate-covered cherries.
Several people around me matched my laughs as we listened to her, but she had us sweating through the laughter in no time. Then we got down to business. By the end of class, I was drenched and sore and high with endorphins. I drove straight to Teren's house, all gross and sweaty. He didn't care. Before I'd even had a chance to knock, he opened the front door and pulled me in for a kiss. I showered and changed while he finished making dinner. Afterwards, we had a lovely meal on his patio and watched the sun begin to set.
And then I asked him...
"Will you meet my family tomorrow night?"
He glanced at me with a serious expression. "I don't know, Emma...that's a big step." He grinned as I glared at him. "Of course I will. Shall I pick you up after work?"
I leaned over the table and gave him a kiss. "Yes...you shall."
Patting his lap, Teren laughed at my comment, as I walked around the table to him. Plopping myself down, I snuggled into his warmth, and together we sat and watched the sun sink all the way from sight.
When I got home that evening, I called Ashley to let her know that Teren would be joining us for dinner tomorrow. I called her, for one, because she was my best friend and I told her everything, that I could, anyway, and secondly, because she was my go-between for Mom. I love my sister. She assured me that she would let Mom know that Teren and I had patched things up and were together and happy, and under no circumstances was Mom to badger him about the breakup. No, my daughter was a wreck, how could you do that? No, what are your intentions now? And definitely no, are you going to marry her and give me grandchildren?
I got enough of that on his side.
Chapter 7 - The Taylor Women
The streetlights flashed across Teren's face as his brows drew together in concern and his eyes softened with sympathy. Aside from the light jazz coming from the radio, the car was pin-droppingly quiet as he regarded me with compassion. My own face was a mixture of quiet acceptance and ancient grief. I bit my inner cheek to stop the emotion I could feel seeping into my body, seemingly absorbing into my skin from the stillness of the car and the solemnity on his face. Finally, his husky voice broke the calm.
"I'm so sorry about your father, Emma."
I'd told Teren about my family's situation, so he'd be prepared when he met them. It was a hard story for me to tell, even after all this time. I didn't cry anymore when I told people what my father had done for my sister, but the ache opened again. It took a few deep breaths and quite a few "let it go" mantras in my head to seal the wound shut again, but after a few moments of Teren's calming gaze, I did.
He'd been sweet and sympathetic while listening to my story, and now he was holding my hand as we drove to the charming cafe that had become almost a second home to my family. A trio of women that I had just invited a man into. This should be interesting. At least they wouldn't eye him like a meal, like I was pretty sure Halina had eyed me.
"Thank you." I replied quietly, my voice still a little thick. Clearing my throat, I added, "It was a long time ago, but Mom still doesn't like talking about it, so please don't bring it up." He gave me a look that clearly said I'm not an idiot and then he turned back to the road. "I should warn you about my sister." I really didn't like talking about the fire either, and mentioning Ashley's appearance was my least favorite part of it-her scars didn't define her-but a heads up was warranted.
Teren turned back to face me. "What about her?"
"She was injured really badly in the fire...she's quite scarred." I sighed.
"Oh." His voice oozed understanding and he squeezed my hand.
"She's all right now, although, she's had so many surgeries I can barely remember them all...but they've done all they can and she's still pretty..." My thoughts drifted off for a second.
He squeezed my hand again. "Don't worry. I'd never stare or make her self-conscious in any way."
I nodded and watched him drive for a moment. All of a sudden, I blurted out, "Can we tell her?"
He knew exactly what I meant. He glanced over at me with a furrowed brow. "It's not something I just go around telling people, Emma. It's...private."
This time I squeezed his hand. "I know that, Teren but..." I sighed. "She's my friend and my family. If I'm going to be a part of yours, I could really use her support."
Teren was silent, and just when I thought he was going to say no, he nodded and looked my way. "Are we telling your mother too, then?"
I grimaced. "God, no...she'd freak out."
Laughing, he shook his head and turned back to the road again.
We arrived at the cafe a little while later and Teren opened my door, just like the gentleman he was. I studied him as I stepped from his car: black, fitted shirt that matched his hair, worn un-tucked over perfectly faded jeans-he looked amazing. I adjusted my own short, black skirt and pink cashmere tank top and fluffed out my bouncy brown hair-I looked pretty amazing too. We made a cute couple. Teren smiled as I laced my arm through his and we strolled into the cafe locked together.
The hostess gave me a Not bad face as she eyed Teren, then she nodded to a table in the back corner. I smiled at her and pulled him in that direction. I started getting nervous as we made our way down the aisle. I peeked over at him to see if he had butterflies too, but he seemed calm and relaxed, like he was meeting my family for the umpteenth time instead of the first. It bothered me some, that he was so at ease, when I had been such a bundle of nerves before meeting his parents. But I decided that that was simply because his family could have ripped my throat out at any minute. My family was pretty...tame, in comparison.
We approached the booth in the back and stopped at the end of it. I noticed Teren's eyes widen just a little as he absorbed the sight of my sister, but his smile never wavered and his gaze was polite, not the unabashed staring that her disfigured head and body usually inspired. My mom and sister were a little more unabashed in their staring at him. They were both pretty curious about this attractive man who had me reduced to a quivering pile of sobs last week.
"Mom, Ash, this is Teren. Teren, my mom, Linda and my sister, Ashley."
Teren politely extended his hand to my mother. "Hello."
Her lips tugged up at the corner. "Hello, Teren. It's nice to finally meet you."
"And you." He extended his hand to Ashley without a second's hesitation. "Hello."
She smiled warmly, her eyes, the only part of her face not affected by her horrific, warped flesh, twinkled at the polite man before her. "Hello."
"May I?" Teren pointed to the seat on the bench next to Ashley, and she nodded. I took the seat next to my mother, who was smiling at him in approval. I ran my foot up the side of his jeans a bit as I smiled at him. He glanced over at me and grinned softly, his hand touching my knee under the table.
We made small talk, Teren asking every polite question there was regarding my mother and sister's lives, until the waitress, Debby, came to take our order. She didn't even look at the three of us women, knowing exactly what we would order. Instead, she eyed Teren, a little too enthusiastically, if you asked me, especially considering the fact that she was married. Teren ordered a really rare steak, which made me bite my cheek to stop the grin; my vamp liked it bloody. He noticed my gleeful reaction and winked at me. I coughed into my hand to not laugh out loud.
My mother kept up a steady stream of conversation about her and Ash, while we waited for our food. Once we were served and all digging into our plates, Mom moved onto Teren's family. "What do your parents do, Teren? Emma said she visited with them not too long ago."
I sputtered on the sip of soda I'd just taken, but Teren calmly answered her. "They run a ranch near Mount Diablo."
My mother seemed as taken aback by that as I had been, although, probably for completely different reasons. It's just not every day that you meet or hear about actual ranchers-human or otherwise.
"Oh...interesting. Maybe someday we could visit?" She smiled at the idea and my sister brightened as well. I sputtered again on the second sip of soda I'd tried taking. My mother shot me a look. "Are you okay, Emma?"
"Yep, just fine," I croaked.
Teren directed a low laugh towards me, then smoothly answered my mother. "Maybe someday that can be arranged. They're pretty busy right now. It's just the four of them. The help won't arrive for another few weeks."
My mom perked up, interested in his story. I was as well. I'd never heard him talk about his family to someone not in "the loop."
"Four of them? Who all helps out on the ranch?" Mom asked.
I cringed, wondering what he would say to that. He smiled and answered as effortlessly as if he were telling the truth. "My father, his wife and her two sisters." I blinked at him but tried to keep my expression even.
My mom shook her head. "Your father must have his hands full, with a house full of women." Teren grinned and I inadvertently giggled. Jack had quite a handful with those women. My mom ignored me; she was too interested in Teren's family dynamics. "So...I couldn't help but notice you said 'his wife' and not 'your mother'..."
Teren looked away and then back at her. His face looked solemn. "My mother died a few years ago...cancer. My father remarried."
Mom stretched her hand out to touch his arm, while I tried not to gape at him. I'd never heard him lie about his family, but I suppose, if our families were ever going to meet, he would need an excuse for his mom's young age. I made a mental note to memorize his lie, in case I was ever asked about it. "I'm so sorry, dear." Mom patted his arm affectionately and by the look on her face, I knew that he had completely won her over.
Sure enough, for the rest of the evening she beamed at him, and the entire table talked and laughed in companionable comfort. Just like that, Teren fit right into my family, like he had always been there. And I loved him just a little more.