One Curvy Night

Chapter 13: Where we meet family

The curvy girl's POV

"You can do this!" I glanced at my reflection one last time before groaning and turning my back to the offending mirror.
"I don't know if I can do this." I mumbled as I stepped into my low heels.
The engagement party might have gone well, but it was a different thing to be surrounded by friends, and to go to dinner with your not-so-long-ago-secret boyfriend. Oh, and at his family home, with his entire family. What if his family didn't like me? They probably wouldn't. I am nothing special. Not charming, or perky, definitely not skinny, or anything I imagine mums hope their sons girlfriend will be. "No, I really can't do this." I felt tears form while I started to sit down on my bed, then changed my nervous mind and walked back to the mirror. Staring into my eyes, I ignored the rest of my body "I have to do this." I started to realise James had come to mean way too much to me, and I would- no, I could go through with this if my dream life with him could go on for just a bit longer. Sighing, I slipped on my black coat, grabbed my clutch and headed for the door. My choice was made.
"Oh my gooosh!" I clasped a hand over my eyes as I walked into a bare chest.
"Sabbie!" Peters voice meant business. "Where are you going? More importantly, what is this about a boyfriend? That you haven't told me about? You told Simon. Am I not your brother as well?" His voice broke at the last question.
I stared at him as all his emotions rushed out. He was right. I had told almost everyone close to me. Except my parents and Peter apparently.
"Peter, I'm sorry. But I never though..." I trailed off as Peter huffed and turned on his heels. His door slammed shut, a small gush of wind hitting my face, the smell of dirty socks filling my lungs.
"Urgh!" I gave in to my teenage side and stumped my foot as I slammed my own door. I couldn't stay and fix this. South his nerves, or whatever this was. I had my own nerves to control. Or try to.

"You ready, darling?" James moved his arm from behind my seat to grab my hand. We were sitting outside his parents suburban home. A completely ordinary house, with a perfectly ordinary garden in front. Still, I needed a minute to collect myself. I was a shy girl, no way around that. But now. Now I felt a small anxiety attach taking over my brain.
"Hey hey darling. Take a deep breath and focus on me." James grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face him.
" I don't think I can do this." I gasped out as I felt my sight blurring from tears of frustration. "I can't do this. I can't. I can't. I just can't." I hiccuped as I tried to turn my head away, my hands flying up to cover my face. "I'm not doing this. I'm not. Please, I'm sorry, I'm not. I can't."
"Look at me." James soft voice didn't register until his hands drifted up to grab each side of my face. "Look at me, sweetheart. I will be right next to you, protecting and comforting you whenever you need it. And even when you don't need it." He moved my hands away from my face before placing his own on my cheeks again. "I love you, and I will not lose you. We can get through this. Do you know why?" He tilted his face until he was looking up at me. "Because we are in this together. Do you understand? Together we can do anything. Including this."
I gasped several times while focusing my red rimed eyes on the reason why I was here. The reason I would face my worse fears. The reason I could get out of the car, walk up the drive way and knock on that big red door.
"Ok." I said. I wanted to do this. I needed to do this. Because I wanted us to be alright. I wanted us to be. "Ok ok ok ok."
"Ok." James smiled softly at me, still holding my head between his hands. I smiled back, relived he hadn't given up on me. That even though he witnessed my weak moments, he stayed. He stayed and accepted my anxiety. Stayed and loved me for who I was.
"Ok." He whispered again before leaning forward, softly placing his lips on mine.

The perfect boyfriend's pov

"How did you two meet, then?" Mum smiled at Sabbie. She adored her. Of course she did. My girl was pretty darn perfect.

I silently groaned. The much dreaded question. I better answers it.
"I saw her across a crowded room, and knew nothing would ever be the same again." I smirked at Sabbie as I embellished the truth a bit.
"How romantic." My mum gushed as she grabbed my girlfriend's hand. "I knew that once Jimmy found a girl worthy to give his heart to, he would give the relationship a 110%."
"Yup. That boy is a goner for sure." My step father chuckled while staring at my mum with a lovesick look. I guess he would be able to spot a goner, being one himself.
"I am a goner indeed." I smirked at Sabbie. Who blushed through a mock frown directed at me.
"So you do illustrations?" Mum continued to grill Sabbie questing, from how many kids she wanted to what dressing she liked on her salad. Sabbie answered like a boss, honestly and straightforward. She tried to shoot through a few questions of her own, but my mother was on a roll. Understandable, since this was the first girl I've ever brought home.
I looked over at my step father, who was smiling at my moms rapid question game. He looked content, but his left hand kept drifting towards his pocket. He was waiting for my step sister to call. She always called during dinner, when I was over.
"And when do we get to meet your family?" My mum burst out excitedly.
"Mother!" I gasped out. "We have barley gone out for a month. Calm down or you will scare away my girlfriend!"
"Never." Sabbie laughed, seeming more comfortable with a bowl of ice cream in front of her. "I hope soon. I will need to bring Jimmy with me to my mum's place first, but after that..." she trailed off as my step dad's cellphone rudely interrupted the interesting and exciting statement my shy girlfriend was making.
"Excuse me." Paul, my step dad said, before leaving the table to answer the call.
I looked over at my mother. She chewed her lower lip, glancing briefly at Sabbie, who was happily munching on her ice cream, before turning her gaze at me. She shrugged while giving a reassuring smile, not convincing anyone. Amelia had managed to disturb my mother's peace of mind. Yet again.

"That wasn't so bad, Now was it darling?" I circled my arms around Sabbie, who leaned back against me and sighed.
"Your parents are lovely." She smiled softly before yawning. "And your mum is an excellent cook!"
"Indeed." I smiled as I kissed the top of her head while ushering her towards the bedroom. "And you seemed to particularly like the ice cream."
She groaned with delight. "Oh my goodness yes." She said on a long sigh.
I laughed as I moved to close the bedroom door before crossing to close the curtains as Sabbie fell into bed.
"Come now darling, you need to brush your teeth and change out of your black little dress." I chuckled at her as she groaned and waved a hand in my general direction. I grabbed her hand before pulling her into the bathroom with me.

It took all but 5 minutes to brush our teeth, wash our hands and faces, and jump into comfortable pjs. I let her borrow a long T-shirt and some sort shorts. She was so tired that she didn't protest at all when I removed all her clothes and pulled on her sleep wear for the night.
"Ok, jump into bed, darling." I have her rump a slight pat as she hurried to the bed.
"You coming?" She yawned as she moved to drape herself over the pillows.
"Yes, in a minute." I said as I turned of the lights. Just as I closed the bathroom door, my cell pinged with a message. Looking at it, before placing it on my night stand, I have a deep sigh.
"Everything all right?" Sabbie asked as I crawled into bed next to her.
"Fine and dandy." I mumbled as I snuggled my arms around her. "But now, everything is perfect. Smashing even."
"Charmer." Her voice was fading as she slipped between awake and asleep.
"Only to you, darling." I whispered as my phone light up again with another message. Sighing again, I moved to turn it off, when I saw she had already sent me 4 messages. My stepsister was overstepping the boundaries again. I quickly skimmed them just to see that there was nothing serious that she needed immediately help with, before turning my cell phone off for the night.
"Good night, darling." I whispered as I turned back to circle my arms around her.
"Good night." She yawned, before slightly titling her head to face me. "Oh, and I love you too, James."