The Most Fateful Day

The Parents: Part 1

*Courtney's POV*

     "Are you sure they aren't going to freak out?" I ask Duncan who's driving us to my parents' house. 

     "Court, they'll be fine..." he reassures me.  Then he mumbles, "At least I hope so..."

     "Duncan!  The wedding is in one month!" I exclaim.  Then I think about another aspect of the situation...  "Did you ask them for my hand in marriage?"

     Duncan lets out a heavy sigh.

     "Did you or did you not ask them for my hand?" I ask a little louder. 

     "Look.  I tried, okay?  I drove all the way to your parents' house before I proposed and when your father answered the door and saw me, he slammed the door in my face." Duncan explains.  In the past, my parents didn't really approve of Duncan, but I mean it's been twelve years...  Wait a minute...  I come to a sudden realization.

     "Shit!  My parents don't even know about us, do they?" I start to remember that I never told them myself. I only told Bridgette and Heather. Maybe some people at work, too... Oh no.

"Wait, did you not tell them?" Duncan slams his foot on the brakes. He turns and looks at me with a serious expression on his face. I try to make an innocent facial expression and just kind of look away.

"Well..." I say. I rake my hand through my light brown hair. "I haven't really talked to them since I moved into my apartment."

"This'll be interesting..." Duncan sighs as he restarts the car. His hands tighten around the steering wheel as we head down the street and pull into the driveway of my parents' house. It's a nice, light brown house. It's two-stories. We both get out of the car and walk up the steps to the porch. "Maybe you should go first, Princess..."

"Yeah... That might be for the best..." I say as I go up to the door and ring the doorbell. I take a deep breath.  The door opens revealing my mother. 

     "Courtney!" greets my mom.  "It's been a long time, come in!"

     "Hi, mom." I say as I step into the house.  Just when I enter, my father appears behind my mom. 

      "Hi, Courtn-" My father stops.  His eyebrows come together and the tone of his voice changes to stern.  "What is Duncan doing here?"

     "Well, dad, um..." I stutter.  He still doesn't like Duncan.  Ugh.

     "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Barlow.  It's been a long time," says Duncan, stepping forward and putting an arm around my waist while extending his other as an offer to shake my parents' hands.  I let out a sigh of relief, maybe a little too soon.  My mother takes shakes his hand politely, but my father refuses it. 

     "Mr. Nelson, are you going to explain why you're here, exactly, with my daughter?" Dad inquires, crossing his arms.  I sense Duncan starting to grow angry.  I squeeze Duncan's arm.

"Can we come in?" I ask. If they don't chill out about this, I'll start to blow my top and nobody wants me to blow my top...

"Yes, of course." Mom says. Dad lets out a disgruntled sigh. I lead Duncan to the living room and we take a seat on the love seat. My father sits in one of the recliners and eyes Duncan suspiciously. A few minutes after a lot of uncomfortable silence, my mother walks in with four cups of tea. "Here you go..." she says, handing everyone a cup. Duncan and I both thank her which causes her to smile a little bit.

"So, are you two going to explain why you're here together?" Dad asks, taking a sip of tea. Duncan looks over at me and I take a deep breath.