Meet the Parents: Mom

I'm feeling a bonus post today.  Happy Wednesday :)
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I woke up earlier than I needed to Thursday morning, and nerves didn't let me go back to sleep.  I got up and washed the couple dishes in my sink and got stuff out to make breakfast.  As I was finishing up, Brody came down the stairs, looking perfectly disheveled.

"Just in time to eat and not have to help!" I teased.  "Seems about right."

"I'm so glad you noticed, I've worked hard to perfect this ability," he said with a grin, sliding his arms around my waist from behind and kissing my cheek.  He let go and walked to the cabinet, taking out plates, then silverware.  After we ate, I started to get up to clear the dishes, but he stood quickly and grabbed my plate.  "I've got it," he said.

I let him wash the dishes and went upstairs to pack.  I had been putting it off because I wasn't sure what to bring.  I packed the basics first.  When Brody came upstairs, I made him help me choose an outfit for dinner with his dad.  He helped me pick out a dress and I quickly found shoes and accessories to go with it.  Lauren would have been proud.  Brody showered while I finished packing clothes, and then I showered.  I dried and straightened my hair, put on just a little makeup, and after trying on about 5 different outfits, trotted downstairs to get a second opinion on the one I choose.

Brody approved, though I'm pretty sure he'd have approved a paper sack.  I went back upstairs, threw my hair dryer, straightener, curling iron, and makeup in my bag, and then I was ready.  It was a little after 11, and we decided to head out.

As we drove, Brody glanced over at me.  "So, ready to hear about the family?" he asked.  Now he looked nervous.  I was definitely ready to hear about them though, because he had been so tight-lipped about them up until now.  I nodded.

"Okay, my mom is a wonderful woman.  She obviously took my sister's death really hard, but she does well now.  She shows her love through food, so she'll probably shove food at you all weekend.  It's okay to say no."

"Do you know anything about me?  Like I'd ever turn down food," I joked.

"Good point," Brody replied with a laugh.  "My sister Jen is almost 27, so she's your age.  She's kind of got youngest child syndrome, so she can be whiny and a bit spoiled.  But she's really fun and she's been really successful at work.  She's a hard worker.  She lives in Philadelphia now so I don't get to see her as much as I'd like."  He paused. I wondered why he was so nervous.  So far it seemed like a normal family.

He continued.  "My brother Ken is...well...he's Ken.  He still lives in Seattle, and I'm not entirely sure if he'll be there.  He does what he wants.  After Heather died, he really had a hard time with everything.  He started drinking a lot, staying out until all hours.  He lost job after job.  Finally, my mom kicked him out.  I was shocked, because my mom is not really the kicking-out type, but I think she realized that it was the only way.  He's mostly sober now, and he's usually got a job, but Ken's a lot like my dad, so he can be unpredictable and abrasive.  He gives me a lot of shit for not coming to visit him more often.  Of course, he never comes to visit me either."  There was a trace of bitterness in his voice, and I guessed that Brody and Ken had been pretty close at one point.

"And your dad?" I asked tentatively.

Brody sighed.  "I don't even know what to tell you about him.  I guess just don't even worry because if he finds fault in something you say or do, it's not a reflection on you at all.  My dad is a liar and a cheater, and you already know he's controlling and overbearing.  My best advice to you with my dad is just to say as little as possible."  How reassuring.  Needless to say, I was not looking forward to that part of the weekend.

Brody changed the subject and we talked about other things the rest of the way.  I got more and more nervous as we got closer.  When Brody parked in the driveway of a beautiful house that was immaculate from the outside, I decided I would just stay in the car.  This house outclassed me all on its own.  Brody squeezed my hand and gave me a reassuring smile.  I took a deep breath, and we got out.

As we were gathering our stuff, the front door opened.  A petite woman with thick, dark hair came out onto the front step and waved happily at us.  When we got to the step, she ushered us in.  "Hi mom," Brody said, setting his bag down and giving her a hug.  "This is Olivia."  Brody's mom turned to me, beaming.  Her smile put me immediately at ease.

"Hi, Mrs..." I trailed off.  I realized I didn't know her last name.  Or her first name, for that matter.

"It's still Adler--I never changed it back--but please call me Thalia, dear."  She pulled me into a hug, all while keeping hold of one of Brody's hands.  I could see now why he's constantly touching me, it seemed like the thing to do in this house.  Brody's mom had to be in her 60s, but she didn't look a day over 40.  I hope I look that good when I'm old enough to have grandchildren. 

"Nice to meet you, Thalia, thank you so much for having me this weekend."  I tried to be polite, but it came out sounding stiff and rehearsed.  She didn't seem to notice.

"Brody, I just sent Ken off to pick up Jennifer at the airport.  Take your stuff to your room and I'll get you guys something to drink.  Are you hungry?"  She looked from him to me.  We both shook our heads.  "Okay then, what would you like to drink?  Coffee?  Tea?  Hot cocoa?  Water?  Something else?"

"I'll find something, mom," Brody said.  "What would you like, Liv?"

"Tea actually sounds really great," I replied.

Brody's mom smiled warmly.  "I was just going to make myself some peppermint tea, is that alright?"  I nodded and returned her smile.  She hurried off to the kitchen and Brody and I grabbed our bags again.  He led me up a flight of gleaming hardwood stairs and to a room at the end of the hall.  It was set up like a guest room, but had a few relics of Brody.  Track medals, football pictures, a framed newspaper article.  I looked around at them, smiling at this glimpse into Brody's life before I met him.

"I never lived in this house, and neither did any of my siblings, but my mom put some of our stuff up in each of the bedrooms." He rolled his eyes as he said it.

"I like it," I said, fingering a gleaming medal hanging from a hook on the wall.  "I didn't know you were a high school track star." 

"I wouldn't go that far," he replied.

I spotted a photo of him and a black German Shepherd--the same dog in the picture at his house that I had admired the first time I was there.  "Who's that?" I asked, pointing at the dog.

"Heath," Brody replied, grinning at the picture.  "He was awesome."

"He's gorgeous," I said, looking at the picture a little longer.

Brody interrupted my thoughts, asking, "Would you like to see the rest of the house?"  He took me around, showing me where everything was.  I paused at a wall full of pictures.  He told me about some of them, then pointed to what looked like a senior photo of a beautiful girl that looked a lot like his mom, but much younger.  "That's Heather," he explained.  I nodded, unsure of what else to say.  I was completely intimidated by all the photos, because it was clear that Brody's entire family had more than their fair share of attractive genes.  They were all olive skinned and dark haired, and I felt out of place with my fair skin and blonde hair.  A completely ridiculous way to feel, of course, but it was there.

When we made our way back down to the kitchen, there was a steaming mug of tea sitting on the marble island.  "Do you want any honey, sugar, or milk, dear?" Thalia asked.

"No thanks, this is great."  I replied.  "Your house is beautiful."

"Thank you, it took me awhile to get things how I wanted it, but I'm pleased with it now."  She was fussing over something in the oven.  Brody walked past her to look in the fridge, and came back with a Dr. Pepper.  As he walked past, his mom turned to him and whispered, "She's so pretty!"  I blushed.

Brody laughed.  "She can hear you," he whispered back.  She shrugged. 

"Sit, please, keep me company while I cook!" she instructed us.  I offered to help, and she quickly turned me down.  "Guests don't help with dinner," she admonished.  We sat and chatted with her while she cooked.  She asked me questions about my job, where I went to school, and Wisconsin, and I managed to answer without saying anything stupid.  Brody kept his hand on my leg, and his touch was reassuring.

About an hour after we had gotten there, the door opened and two people walked in.  I assumed they were Ken and Jennifer, and Brody got up to greet them.  Jen went to take her bag upstairs and Ken came into the kitchen.  Brody introduced us, but he seemed largely uninterested.  He gave me a brief, insincere smile and then walked back out of the kitchen. 

Jen was much friendlier, hugging me and asking about my boots that she had seen by the door.  She was sweet and made me feel welcome very easily.  When we sat down to eat, Ken reappeared.  He sat down across from me and I could feel him studying me.  I was turning to Jen to ask her a question when Ken interrupted.

"So, do you know that you're the first girl Brody's brought home since high school?"

"Um, no, I guess I didn't know that," I stammered, caught off guard.

"You are."  He said it matter-of-factly and didn't elaborate.  After an uncomfortable pause, Jen turned to me and we started talking.  We made it about two sentences in before Ken interrupted again.

"You don't look like a slut."  Again, it was very matter-of-fact.

Brody's mom exclaimed, "Ken!" at the same time Brody said, "Jesus, are you serious?"  I just stared at him while my face got hot.

"What?" he asked.  "That was sort of a compliment."  He rolled his eyes.  "I'm sure she's really classy and honorable compared to the other chicks Brody used to 'date'."  He rolled his eyes again and used air quotes when he said "date", making his meaning very clear.

I felt Brody stiffen next to me. "Knock it off," he growled to Ken.  Jen started talking loudly about something that happened at work the day before, and Ken went back to his dinner, completely nonchalant.

"I'm so sorry," Brody whispered to me.  I just shook my head and took a bite of the roasted lamb on my plate.

"This is amazing," I said to Brody's mom after a pause.  "I don't think I've ever actually had lamb before."  Across from me, Ken snorted.

"What the hell?" Ken said, suddenly.  "Don't kick me."  I was starting to understand why Brody grew uneasy when talking about Ken.

"Then stop being an asshole," Brody shot back.

"Both of you need to stop right now," came Thalia's firm voice.  She turned to me.  "I apologize for the behavior of my sons.  Both of them."

The rest of dinner was quiet, but uneventful.  Everything was amazing and I ate a ton.  I tried to help Thalia clear the dishes and clean up but she firmly shooed me away.  Brody took my hand and led me up to the room our stuff was in.  He closed the door firmly. 

"I'm really sorry.  I didn't think he'd actually be such an asshole in the middle of dinner.  He was really out of line," he apologized.

"At least he didn't assault me a bar hallway," I said in a terribly timed attempt at a joke.  Brody's face darkened more.  "I'm kidding, I'm sorry.  That was a bad choice.  Am I really the first girlfriend you've brought home since high school?"

"You're really the first actual girlfriend I've had since high school, hence Ken's reference to sluts," he said miserably.  "I mean, I've sort of dated a couple girls since then, but nothing really serious.  No one I felt strongly enough about to subject to this disaster.  I actually broke up with a girl in high school to avoid bringing her to meet my family."

I smiled.  "So you feel strongly about me, huh?"

His face finally softened.  "Of course," he said, brushing a piece of hair away from my face, and kissing me gently.  "Strongly enough to trust that you won't hate me for bringing you here."

"Your mom and your sister are lovely," I said.  "And I couldn't hate you.  I am a little relieved that you're just as nervous as I am though!" He laughed.

There was a knock on the door.  "It's me," came Jen's voice from the other side.  Brody told her to come in.  She sat down next to us on the bed.

"I'm so sorry about Ken," she said, taking my hands in hers.  "I had a talk with him, and I'm pretty sure he's gotten his head out of his ass.  He's leaving tomorrow anyway, but there was no reason for him to be so rude."

I was blushing again.  "Thanks," I said quietly.

"Anyway, do you guys want to go get a drink or something?  There are usually a few places in town open tonight."  She looked at us both hopefully.  Brody looked at me.

"Sure, that sounds nice," I agreed.  Jen offered to drive but Brody shook his head and said he would.  We went into the city and he found an open bar.  We went inside, and I was surprised to see how many people were there.  We stopped at the bar and then found a table in the back.  We spent two hours there, Jen and I getting to know each other, and Jen and Brody catching up.  It was really low key, and relaxing after what had happened at dinner.

When we got back, the kitchen was spotless and Brody's mom was sitting in the living room watching the news.  We sat with her and passed a pleasant hour or so chatting and watching TV.

After we got ready for bed, Brody pulled me away from my bag, where I was searching for my Kindle.  He hugged me tightly.  "Thank you for putting up with my family," he said.  He pulled back and kissed me.  After a few seconds, he deepened the kiss and grabbed me by the hips, pulling me against him.  I pulled away.

"We can't have sex here," I hissed.

"Why not?" he asked, kissing my neck and running his hands over my ass.

"It's your mom's house!  And your sister is literally on the other side of the wall!"

"Nah, she's still downstairs watching TV.  She's a total night owl.  We just have to be quiet."  He kissed me again, sliding his hands back up my hips and running a finger along the inside of the waistband of my shorts.  He used his other hand to move my hair and craned his head to kiss the back of my neck.  I shivered.  I could feel his lips move into a smile against my skin.  He continued to tease the back of my neck with his lips and tongue and that was all it took for me to change my mind.

What is it about needing to silent that lends itself to seriously amazing sex?  I have never had a harder time being quiet.  Afterwards, he curled around me, pressing his chest against my back.  I was almost asleep before I realized that putting some clothes on, just in case, was probably a good plan.  Brody laughed at me, but I still pulled on shorts and a t-shirt.  I climbed back into bed and wriggled back into the same position I'd just been in.

"This isn't as much fun when you have clothes on," he complained.  

"Sucks for you," I responded, yawning.  He chuckled softly.

"Yes, it does," he agreed.  He pushed himself up on one elbow to kiss my cheek.  "Goodnight, Liv."

I was already almost asleep and barely heard his whispered, "I love you."  I couldn't make my mouth move, so I just squeezed his arm.  Then I was out.