The day had finally arrived, it was time to pick up your two sisters, Christina and Mindy and your mother Helena. Pelle had been pacing and anxious for the past two days, partially out of excitement and partially out of worry. He really wanted your family's acceptance, and no matter how much you reassured him, in the back of his mind he had the thought that if your family didn't accept him, YOU would reject him because of it. He told you that he couldn't stand the thought of losing you. He really was worrying over nothing, even if there was the slimmest chance in hell that your family didn't love him as much as you did, then they would lose you too. You and Pelle were convinced that you were meant to be. You were finishing up your hair in the bathroom and he walked in and put his arms around your waist and said,
"You look beautiful today."
You turned around to face him and threw your arms over his shoulders and said,
"Pelle you have nothing to be worried about, they are going to love you! I know you're scared, but this is my family and I know them very well, they will welcome you with open arms."
He shook his head and said,
"You're right. I shouldn't worry."
Even though he was saying that, you could still see the look of worry spreading across his face and it pained you to see someone that you absolutely love feeling like that. You couldn't wait to get to the airport so that these feelings he was having would finally be over. You finished your hair and got dressed as he watched you. When you were done, you started to walk into the bedroom and Pelle followed as you stood in front of your closet trying to figure out what to wear. You picked out a pair of faded out blue jeans that had seen better days. The jeans had a gaping hole in the knee and a few frayed holes in the thigh. You found an old black t-shirt and a flannel to throw over it. Pelle was sitting on the bed petting Toby and you began to get dressed. You looked at him sitting there daydreaming off into his own little world and asked,
"Hey babe, would you mind letting Toby out before we go?"
"No, not at all."
He got up off the bed and Toby's head popped up and his ears perked and Pelle said,
"C'mon Toby, wanna go out?"
He started walking out of the bedroom and Toby followed. You quickly got dressed so that the two of you could get to the airport and pick up your family, who were scheduled to arrive shortly. You walked out to the kitchen where Pelle was looking out the window and you said,
"Are you ready to get going here in a minute?"
"Yes and no." He replied.
You got your leather jacket off the peg behind the door and grabbed Pelle's as well you handed it to him. He put it on and used the back of his hand to get all off his hair out from inside the jacket. You looked at him, smiled and walked over to him getting on your tip toes to give him a kiss. You grabbed his face and stroked his cheeks with your thumbs and said,
I love you so much!" You looked down at his body and said, "You look so good today." You kissed him again, then walked to the door where Toby was sitting and waiting. He came inside. You looked at a very nervous Pelle and said,
"It's time babe."
Pelle walked over to you, kissed you on top of the forehead, taking your hand leading you out of the kitchen door, closing and locking it behind you. The two of you walked down the stairs slowly, once you got to the bottom, he picked you up and carried you to the car. He kissed you softy on your lips, looked you in the eyes and said,
"I love you so fucking much."
He put you down, walked over to the passenger side and got in. Your heart was breaking seeing him like this. You took a deep breath, got in the car, glanced over at him, you started the ignition, pulled out of the driveway and started the trip down the mountain. As you were driving you asked,
"Pelle, would you mind putting on some music?"
"Not at all. What do you feel like listening to?"
"I'm in the mood for anything, so whatever you pick will be fine."
He grabbed your case logic, started flipping through the book of cds and finally picked out some Sodom. He put the CD in and immediately started to head bang to it. It made you happy to see him forget about the stress that he was under. Music was in his blood, as it was in yours. You had always been a musicians girlfriend because music was your life and you needed someone who understood your love for it, so why not choose someone who felt the same way you did. You found everything that you ever wanted in Pelle. He was such an amazing person. He had a sick sense of humor and was always making you laugh, he loved the macabre and supernatural, he was incredibly intelligent, an amazing artist and dedicated to his craft of writing songs and singing, even though he was a singer in a black metal band, he was often gentle when it came to loving you, not to mention his looks which were an absolute bonus. The two of you listened to Sodom all the way down the mountain and you finally reached Manitou Springs. As you came upon The Loop restaurant you remembered fondly how that's where you and Pelle first had lunch together. You remembered how nervous you were because you were going to spend your first night with him alone. You looked over at him an thought about how far the two of you had come in the two months that he's been in Colorado. It was hard to think that he was going to be going back to Norway next month and you wouldn't see him again for another three months when he came back with the guys to play their next set of gigs. Four months didn't sound like a long time but being a new couple who just wanted to spend time together, it may have well been a lifetime. It was going to be tough for the both of you, it was definitely going to test the measure of your love for one another.
You finally arrived at the airport and parked the car. You turned your body towards Pelle and smiled. He looked at you and smiled as you slid yourself across the bench seat, as you put your arms around him and kissed him. You were both lip locked, he lifted you, put you on his lap and wrapped you up in his arms, continuously kissing you with a burning passion. He ended the kiss with a few soft pecks on your lips. He put his forehead against yours, looked into your eyes and said,
"Come on...Let's go get your family."
You were pretty sure that the kiss the two of you shared was an indication on just how much you loved him and it also reaffirmed to him that you weren't going anywhere. You thought to yourself, I guess actions DO speak louder than words.
The two of you got out of the car and started walking towards the entrance of the airport. Pelle had his arm around your shoulder and you had your arm around his waist. You waived your hand in front of the automatic door and it opened. He looked at you and said,
"OK Jedi."
You giggled at the fact that he knew what you were doing. You entered the airport and immediately went over to the arrival monitors.
"Where are they coming in from?" Pelle asked.
"O'Hare International. ORD, that was their connecting flight."
"Gate 10" He said.
The two of you hurried to the gate and sat in the chairs and waited for the plane to land. He started to display some signs of anxiety again. You put your hands on top of his and pat them.
"They are going to love you babe, please don't worry yourself over nothing."
"I'm sure I'll feel much better when this meeting is over."
"You will, I promise."
You were sitting in front of the big window and you saw a plane pull up to the jet bridge, you stood up as did Pelle. The airline agent opened the door and you were watching the people getting off the plane, anxiously awaiting the familiar faces of your mom and sister to appear. As you were both standing there carefully looking at each person came off of the plane, you heard a scream and saw your sisters as they ran over to you. You all stood there hugging each other in utter excitement and jumping up and down in a circle. Pelle just stood there watching and smiling. Then your mother appeared. You stopped celebrating with your sisters and took a few steps towards your mother and hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.
"Hi Mom."
"Hi honey,"
"How was your flight?"
"Long. People are so rude around the holidays."
Your mother glanced over at Pelle and asked,
"Who's this handsome young man?"
"Mom, this is my boyfriend Pelle."
She gave him a hug and said,
"Hello Pelle. It's nice to finally meet you. Michelle has spoke of only you for the past year now."
He smiled at her and said,
"I hope it was all good."
"It has been, she says that you are a complete angel. You definitely look like one."
He blushed and your sisters stood next to you and both of them walked over to Pelle and introduced themselves. They hugged him tight.
"It's nice to finally meet you Pelle." Your sister Christina said.
"My sister said that you were good looking but she lied. You are beautiful." Your youngest sister exclaimed.
Pelle stood there blushing and you said,
"How about we go over to baggage claim to get your luggage and go out for lunch?" You said as you walked over to Pelle and put your arm around his waist,
"That sounds good to me." Your mother said.
Your sisters nodded their heads to agree and you all started to walk over to baggage claim. Once you were there, they started looking for their bags. Your sisters got theirs off of the carousel and then your mother went to grab her luggage and Pelle intervened by saying,
"I've got that for you." He grabbed her bag and asked if she had any other suitcases.
"No I don't. What a sweetie. Thank you."
You all started to walk out of the terminal and headed to the car. Your family walked a few steps ahead of you and Pelle. You looked at him and said,
"See, they totally love you."
He smiled and said,
"I guess I really DID worry for nothing,"
You put your arm around his waist as he was pulling your mother's suitcase behind him. Once you got to your car, you opened the back of the jeep and Pelle put your mother's suitcase in the back and then continued to do the same for your sisters. He shut the hatch and you all got in to head to some restaurant for lunch.
Your mother and sisters decided that Red Robin sounded good for lunch. You agreed as Pelle had never ate there. You all got out of the Jeep and went in as Pelle held the door for all of you as you entered the restaurant. The server asked how many and you said,
"Five. Can we have a table and not a booth please?"
"Absolutely!"
The hostess walked us to the table and asked us.
"Is this ok?"
"Yes, thank you."
Pelle pulled out the chair for you mother and pushed it in as she sat down.
"Thank you, Pelle."
You were smiling on the inside, he was such a gentleman and you can tell from your mom's face that she was impressed so that made your heart happy knowing that she was liking your boyfriend so far. The waiter came over and asked what wanted to drink, everyone told him and he said,
"Any appetizers?"
Pelle spoke up and said,
"Mozzarella sticks please."
You smiled at him remembering the night that the two of you had dinner at Spaghetti Factory. Once the order for appetizers was placed, the conversation and inquisition began, starting with your mother.
"So Pelle, I'm to understand you are from Sweden?"
"Yes I am."
"What part?"
"Well, I was born in Österhaninge and raised in Västerhaninge, right outside of Stockholm."
That was just the beginning as both of your sisters were also asking questions. Pelle was shy and looked uncomfortable but he did verk well. You could see him breathe a sigh of relief once the questioning ceased. The food finally arrived twenty minutes after the first line of questioning. Everyone started eating and then...
"So Pelle, did my daughter ever tell you about the time she.."
"Mom..Don't!"
Pelle put his hands on your hand and said laughing,
"I'd like to hear what you mother has to say."
You stared at your mother with daggers because you had no idea which story she was about to tell, but you knew it was going to be embarrassing.
"When she was about five, I heard her singing and talking to herself in the bedroom, so I walked towards the back of the house where her bedroom was. There she stood, in her little red, white and black robe, her fuzzy little pink doggie slippers at her tiny table and chairs, singing as as she was serving tea to her dolls and a few stuffed animals. It was the cutest thing."
He smiled at the story of the story of the memory and said,
"I would've loved to have seen that."
Your mother looked at him and said,
"You will! I have some pictures that I brought with me with the full intention of embarrassing my daughter in front of her boyfriend."
"Thanks Mom." You quipped sarcastically and rolling your eyes.
Pelle sat next to you and squeezed your hand and looked at you smiling as if to say that I shouldn't worry about what my mom tells him, he's going to love me regardless. Dinner went off perfectly, except for the truly embarrassing stories that your mother and sisters were telling Pelle and threatening to show him the pictures to back up the truth once you all arrived back at the cabin. Pelle went and paid the check while we left a tip on the table for the server who was more than gracious with the likes of your boisterous family. Everyone grabbed their leftovers and headed back to the Jeep for the trip home. As you were walking through the parking lot you stopped near the back of the car and handed Pelle the keys and asked if he wouldn't mind driving back up to the cabin. He put his hand on your shoulder and bent down to look at your eyes.
"Is everything ok babe?" He asked
I'm fine, I just have a killer headache and don't feel well enough to drive all the way back up the mountain."
He took the keys out of your hands and kissed you softly on the top of your head then pulled you into him and hugged you. He walked you to the passenger side, opened the door and shut it once you were inside.
"Is Pelle driving us home?" Mindy asked.
"Yes he is." You replied.
"Why?" Your sister Christina asked.
"Because I have a really bad headache."
Pelle got in the car, put his seatbelt on, turned on the ignition, backed up and left the parking lot to make the half hour trip to your cabin in the woods.
On the trip up the mountain everyone was talking and joking around, even Pelle was getting in on it. You could tell that your family loved him already. He was a great guy to have as a boyfriend, he was polite, chivalrous and your family could see that he truly loved you with his whole heart. Pelle turned down your driveway and parked it. Before everyone got out of the Jeep he told them to just grab their leftovers and he would be more than happy to get everyone's luggage and bring it to their rooms for them. Everyone did as he asked and thanked him for doing that. You walked up the stairs and unlocked the kitchen door for your family. They filed in one after the other and Toby came running out happily barking and wagging his tail at the sight and sounds of your mom and sisters. He was jumping up and trying to kiss them. Your sister Christina ran into the living room with Toby following her and laid on the floor so Toby could lick her all over her face. Mindy sat on the couch, turned on the television and found a Christmas movie to watch. Your mother was the last one to enter the living room, she sat next to your little sister on the couch.
About five minutes later, Pelle came through the living room with most of the luggage heading up the stairs to the bedrooms. You saw him and followed him up the stairs to show him whose room was whose. Once the two of you had the last bags in their rightful room, you both went into the upstairs bathroom and locked the door. You stood in front of each other and threw your arms around one another and began to kiss. He looked at you and lifted you up onto the vanity sink and stood in front of you, kissing you passionately and whispered in your ear,
"I cannot wait until I can be alone with you tonight." He continued to whisper all the things that he had planned on doing to you later that night. You threw your head back at his erotic promises and he kissed you down the front of your neck and throat and he pulled your shirt down on the side and kissed your shoulders then back up the side of your neck to your jaw and back to your mouth.
"I love you." He said
"I love you too!" You said back to him stroking his hair and taking the sides of his face into your hands and saying,
"We can't stay here long, or they'll think we're fucking in here."
The two of you kissed a few more times and then fixed yourselves and unlocked the door just as your baby sister Mindy was coming up the stairs. She looked at the two of you and started to giggle. You looked at her and said,
"Shut up Mindy.."
She walked into the bathroom and shouted,
"IT SMELLS LIKE SEX IN HERE." You started running back to her and she quickly locked the bathroom door and laughed. You turned around and looked at Pelle and said,
"I'm gonna kill that little shit."
Pelle just stood there laughing as he took your hand and the two of you walked down the stairs together, he looked at your Mom and Christina and said,
"Your luggage is in your rooms."
"Thank you again Pelle." Your mom and sister said.
"Oh it was nothing."
Mindy came down the stairs into the living room and looked at you and Pelle as she walked by. You gave her the big sister "you better keep your mouth shut or I'll beat you to a bloody pulp" look that only younger siblings knew. You didn't want to give your mother any reason not to like Pelle.
Later that night, everyone was gathered in the living room. There was a roaring fire going and everyone was sitting around it. No one was using the furniture, Toby was laying in his bed by the fire, your mother was sitting across from Toby, your sister Christina had her head resting on Toby like he was some big comfy pillow, your sister Mindy was sitting next to your mom while you and Pelle were sitting in front of the fire at the end of everyone else. Your Mom was passing around pictures of you when you were a kid and a teenager. You came to the realization that there was no escaping the past and if you and Pelle were together that he had every right to see these pictures and know how you were, the things you've done and were planning on doing before the two of you became a couple. Your mother handed him a photo and asked,
"Pelle, do you remember that story about my daughter in those slippers and she was singing to her dolls and stuffed animals while serving tea?"
"I do!"
"Well, here's the picture,"
He took the photo from her hand and looked at it and let out a little laugh and said,
"AWWW, you were so cute! Look how little you were."
You blushed and put your face in his stomach as you were laying on his lap. He put his hand on your head and stroked your hair and said,
"Don't be embarrassed."
"Easy for you to say!" You shouted from his belly.
He handed the picture back to your mom and she gave him all of your pictures from Kindergarten through graduation. Pelle carefully looked at each of them and handed them back to Helena and said,
"She really turned into a beautiful woman. As a matter of fact all your daughters are beautiful."
Your sisters chimed in and said turning their heads to look at him,
"Awwww!"
You joined in with your sisters and he put his head down and started to blush. You gave his stomach a little tickle and he started tickling you back. It started a tickle fight between the two of you as your mom and sister sat there and watched, laughing at you both. You laid on the floor as Pelle was on his knees above you tickling you ruthlessly. It was all fun and games until your bladder had other ideas. You shoved Pelle off and made a bee line for the bathroom. He sat there puzzled looking at your mom Christina and Mindy and shrugged. Your little sister who lives to embarrass you, looked at Pelle and said,
"You made her pee her pants."
He pulled his mouth back to his ears and ran his fingers through his hair and said,
"She's gonna be mad at me. Maybe I should go check on her."
Your sister Christina said,
"You might want to steer clear of her until she gets cleaned up and she has clean clothes on,"
"Yeah, not to mention the humiliation she just suffered at the hands of the man she loves," Mindy said laughing.
"Mindy!" Your mother yelled, "Quit instigating!"
Pelle sat back down and your mother handed him some more pictures and he looked at them and asked,
"Who's this?"
Your mother and sisters looked at each other, then looked down and your mother took the photo from his hand and said,
"I'm sorry I don't know how this got in there."
She and your sisters told him the story about Jeff, the guy in the photo.
You were getting out of the shower and drying off. You can believe that Pelle did that to you. It really was your fault, you should've said you were sorry no then he wouldn't have continued to tickle you. You threw on your boxers and a t-shirt. Just then, Pelle walked into the bedroom as you finished getting dressed and said,
"Why didn't you tell me about Jeff?"
You stood there, jaw locked and speechless, staring at him five feet away from you.
"Were you EVER going to tell me?" He said moving in closer.
You looked at him with tears building up in your eyes and said,
Well..."