"Does she like macaroni?" Mom asks from where she stands behind the stove, frantically reaching for the oven mitt set atop the counter before opening the oven. A cloud of smoke drifts from the door, whisking into the air. I watch with amusement as Mom curses under her breath, waving the smoke from her face as she grabs the tray from the oven.
"Devon likes anything, Mom," I assure her. "It's nothing to get overwhelmed over."
Mom turns to face me, her emotions painted clear as day across her face. "You've never had a girl over before. I want this to go perfectly."
I'm unable to restrain a smile. Tonight is the first time Devon has ever been invited over for dinner to meet my parents, and the effort my mother is putting into the event warms my heart. A little over a month has passed since homecoming, and the holiday season hangs in the air. It's taken some time, though my family has mostly adjusted and come to terms with my sexuality. Even my mother, whom I least expected to willingly accept me, has come around.
"Don't overwork yourself, honey," Dad tells Mom as he enters the kitchen. His eyes dance with laughter as he studies my mother, then observes the gray smoke in the air.
"You burnt the macaroni anyway, Mom," Reagan retorts from her seat at the bar, wrinkling her nose at the smoking tray Mom has removed from the oven.
"I know." Mom groans, hiding her face behind her hands. "I don't know why I'm stressing out. I just want to make a good impression."
"Devon is going to love you." I wrap my mother into an embrace. "I love you, so she has to."
"I hope she's okay with pizza," Mom says with a self-deprecating chuckle as she reaches for her phone sitting on the counter.
"Pizza!" Reagan cheers, to which the rest of us laugh. "Thank God. No offense, Mom."
"None taken," Mom sighs.
The doorbell rings, signifying Devon's appearance. My mother falls into a frenzy all over again, rushing to smooth down her hair and clothes, running her mouth a mile a minute as she jabbers nervously. I roll my eyes at her playfully as I head toward the front door to allow Devon to enter, my heart beating out of my chest in excitement.
Opening the front door reveals my girlfriend. Her dark hair has been pulled up into a bun, and she is clad in a simple t-shirt and jeans. Her eyes light up as they meet mine, lips tugging into an undeniable grin.
"Hi!" I chirp in greeting, beaming as I step aside so Devon can come inside. "Welcome to the Carter household."
"It's a pleasure to be here," Devon plays along, stepping into the foyer as she laughs. We embrace after I close the front door. I smile as she places a sweet kiss upon my cheek.
"Are you ready to meet my parents?" I tease as I lead Devon into the kitchen.
"I'm a little nervous," she admits. "But excited. I've been looking forward to this."
"You're cute," I retort, taking Devon's hand in mine and tugging her into the next room.
I begin the introductions once my girlfriend and family are gathered together. Reagan greets Devon warmly, with no hesitation whatsoever. My father shakes her hand, and I am over the moon when my mother pulls Devon into a welcoming hug.
"I hope you're okay with pizza," Mom says to Devon as we take seats at the table, preparing for a conversation to get to know one another.
"Mom burnt dinner," Reagan clarifies for Devon with a smirk. "Stick around and you'll get used to that."
"Hey," Mom argues. "I don't always burn dinner."
"Most of the time," Dad jokes, shooting Devon a playful glance. "But not always."
"It's okay, Mrs. Carter," Devon murmurs. "My mom can't cook at all. Pizza is our go-to."
The four of us laugh, delving into further discussion until we are interrupted by the doorbell, signaling the arrival of our pizza. Dad goes to answer the door as Daisy wanders into the room, excited by the presence of a new person for her to get to know.
Dad shortly returns with the pizza, and soon enough plates are handed out and dinner is served. I laugh and smile the entire night, relieved and content with how everything plays out. My family and Devon seem to get along well, and nothing feels forced or faked. Reagan shares embarrassing stories of me for Devon's amusement, which has me rolling my eyes, though I'm not really annoyed. Devon and my father strike up a conversation about their favorite sports and cars, which is talk I don't have much to add to. Mom is interested in getting to know more about Devon's background, and I'm so grateful that she has managed to set aside her disapproval to take part in my happiness.
Time flies, and it's time for Devon to head home before I know it. My parents send her off with a warm goodbye, assuring Devon that she is welcome to come over any time. I'm beaming as I walk Devon to her car. The moon offers a pale stream of light that casts down on us, illuminating the dark night sky that is littered with stars up above. The air has chilled immensely compared to the weather of previous months, though I view the cold as an excuse to stay close to Devon.
"I had fun tonight," she tells me as we reach her car. I sense that she is genuine. My grin widens.
"Me too," I admit. "This went better than I could have hoped. Thanks for agreeing to come over."
"Of course," Devon says, wrapping her arms around my waist. "You know, you're really lucky. I can tell your parents love you, and each other. Me and Mom are happy, but sometimes I miss having my dad around. You know?"
"You don't talk about him much," I point out, curious as to the story behind the absence of Devon's father in her life.
Devon shrugs. She doesn't seem upset, just indifferent. "There really isn't much to tell. He and my mom separated when I was really young. He wasn't ready to be a dad, I guess? He hasn't kept in touch and I haven't tried to reach out. I think things are the way they're meant to be. Mom goes out on dates every once in a while, but she likes her independence. I don't know that a relationship is necessarily something she wants right now."
I nod. The two of us stand in silence for a moment, gazes locked as we share smiles.
"I love you," I whisper.
"I love you, Hadley," Devon whispers back. She pulls me in close, arms wrapped around my body, lips connecting with mine. She kisses me briefly, leaving butterflies flapping around in my stomach and causing my knees to weaken.
"Drive safe," I chide as she pulls away. "Text me when you get home."
Devon teasingly rolls her eyes as she backs toward her car, reaching for her car keys that had been stored away in her pocket. "Always," she promises.
The word holds more weight than she knows. As Devon shoots me one last smile, I'm certain that I have found The One, my very own always.
I couldn't ask for more.
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a/n: the next chapter will be the epilogue, and i'm feeling mixed emotions. i'm so grateful i got to share this story with my lovely readers, and thank you all so much for taking time out of your day to view something i wrote. it means the absolute world to me! ❤️