I watched the streets we were driving across and the trees on the side of the road on our way to her parents.
the car was silent. the only thing heard was the music out of the radio.
my mind was too distracted that I could held a conversation.
jessie didn't said anything either but every then and now she looked at me and smiled. I weakly mirrored it back.
all of sudden the car stopped. my palms became sweaty.
"babe are you ready?"
" I don't know if I'm ready. I don't know if I ever was or will be ready at all. have you ever been ready? what even is ready? I mean we can never say we are hundred percent ready because there will always be the part in us that won't be ready. I don't know.."
Jess grabbed my hand and took it in between hers.
"beth calm down. breathe. I got you. It'll be alright." she tried to comfort me. as I looked her in her eyes my breath slowed down. her left hand brushed my cheek and her lips pecked mine. and suddenly all seemed easy. my worries been vanished away.
"I'm ready. " I really felt ready now.
"okay let's go."
she opened the door and as I opened the door a thought rushed into my mind.
"Jess wait!" I screamed
she looked at me shocked. I may have sounded like a tiger would be jump out of the bush in this second.
"what are your parents name?"
I really didn't know it yet because she only speaks about them as mum and dad.
"Stephen and Rose." she laughed.
I got out of the car. this is the moment her parents will meet me. the first time they'll see me and get their first impression. these are the hours they'll judge me on. but I had to go through it. now or never. don't be a chicken beth. just be you.
we walked along the driveway to the front door holding hands.
"please don't leave my side jessie." I whispered towards her.
" I won't. " she squeezed my hand and gave me a comforting smile before she rang the door bell.
I heard footsteps coming and my heart beat faster and louder.
the door opened.
in front of us was standing a middle aged woman with shortly brown hair and was wearing an apron. she had a warm smile.
"mum!" jess hugged her tight.
as she let go of her they both looked at me.
I held my hand out.
"hello Rose. ehr I mean Mrs Cornish." for fuck sake I already fucked it up.
she refused my hand and also pulled me in for a hug.
"don't worry hun. Rose is more than acceptable. "
" jessie the dinner will be ready in a minute we're just waiting for your dad. he must here soon. just go already into the living room."
she took my hand and jessie guided me into the living room. it was quite huge. there was a big dining table, a big brown couch and another sofa in front of a firestation. one wall was filled with photos. it seemed lovely. of course I stepped to the wall full with photos first. jess followed my gaze.
"that picture was taken in cornwall. we went there a lot in my childhood. the other two girls are my sisters."
I pointed at another picture.
"me and Holly in LA as I tried to build up my career."
my eyes wandered to another one.
"that's Hannah as she graduated school"
"wow you both look so much alike on this one. I really thought it was you."
she laughed. "yeah people thought we were twins at that time but she's older than me."
her mum entered the room and we all sat down on the couch and waited for her dad to arrive.
"so Beth how do you like the uk so far?"
"to be honest it's a bit cold."
they both laughed. I don't understand why though. I mean it is cold. and the temperature is much more different than in Australia. but I got used to it over the months I am here now. maybe they just wanted to be kind and laughed or just a laugh to break the ice.
it wasn't working though. it was awkward. we were sitting here and none of us knew what to speak about.
I heard the door open.
an almost bold man entered the room. the effect he had was amazing. he blowed away the tension and immediately lighted up the whole room with his smile. he had a huge smile. he grinned from ear to ear. now I know from who jessie got that grin from.
first he went to his wife and kissed her quickly which I think is adorable that they still show love to eachother. then he went to jess
"so how is my pumpkin?" I laughed
" yeah dad. don't."
he hugged her tightly.
"so I finally got to meet the mysterious future Mrs pumpkin."
I got up from the couch and he took me straight into a hug before I could even respond.
"nice to meet you too Mr.."
"call me Stephen please."
I nodded. Rose served the food and we all sat down at the table.
she made a casserole with noodles and a tomato salad.
"so Beth what do you do for your living?" Stephen asked interested.
"well I'm a designer but actually I'm working as a stylist."
"you can call me a fool but where is the difference in it?"
"a designer creats new stuff but a stylist only tries to make the best outfit out of the things the designers create. so it's more fun to be a designer."
"so that what you're doing now is not forever is it?"
"nothing will last forever. but hopefully I'll go back into the designer business."
"that's great."
" I really love the casserole Rose."
"thanks Beth. years of cooking skills in it." rose responded
"definitely know now where Jess got that talent from"
we continued to eat. the atmosphere was now lovely.
after the dinner Rose suggested to play monopoly. Jessie went all excited that I couldn't resist.
I picked the shoe, jessie was the top-hat, Stephen chose the car and Rose the penguins. who ever came up with the idea to use such different figures for one game is a legend.
the hours passed and Jess and Stephen were still debating of who will win. not sure if this will ever find an end. I just lost 20 minutes ago as I stepped on a hotel of Jessie which I couldn't pay fully. Rose decided to give up because she still had to do the dishes.
another half hour passed and I spend it watching jess and her dad. it's adorable how jessie acts around her family. The game came to an end as jess lost the it. she's a bad loser and blamed her dad on cheating during the game.
" oh damn its already 11:37?" jess spoke up as she looked at her phone. how the time rushed this far I'll never know. I mean we arrived here at 2pm.
"you can also stay the night if you want to. I know it's a long way back to London." rose offered.
jessie looked at me and waited for a response. I half nodded amd shrugged at her.
" yeah we would love to."
" I'll just put some bedsheets on." rose smiled and went upstairs.
we sat for another hour on the couch in front of the fire just talking and joking around. Stephen went already to bed because he had to get up early tomorrow.
jess yawned.
" you tired loser?"
"hmmhm "
"rose we will head to bed. thanks for the lovely day. "
" good night ladys"
we went upstairs into the spare room. put on the clothes rose laid out and I snuggled up behind jess. I soon heard her breaths got heavier and I knew she was asleep. I don't know I just couldn't sleep. I tried to count sheeps and that shit but nothing helped. so I sneaked out of bed because I didn't want to wake her up. I made my way downstairs and watched the fire burning off in the firestation. the fire got something hypnotic and calm. dangerous but beautiful at the same time.
"are you still up?" someone asked behind me. it was Stephen.
" I just couldn't sleep. what about you?"
" the same. do you want a hot chocolate? was about to make me one because it always helps to relax and get back to sleep."
"I'd love one. thanks"
a minute later he came back with two cups and joined me on the sofa.
he made an amazingly hot chocolate. he put marshmallows, cream and chocolate rasps on it.
" I really have to thank you. I haven't seen Jessica this happy latly."
" but she's the one who makes me happy"
"well I really hope you both stay together then. because being happy is all that counts"
" so are you happy? "
" yes I am. wouldn't change my life for a billion pounds. I've got everything and more than I could ask for. because the best things in life aren't things."
"that's great to hear. can I ask you something?"
"sure."
"well erhm what is love?"
this may sound weird that I ask th father of my girlfriend this question but I can tell that he really is still in love with rose. I thought that love doesn't exist and people just made up that word to make their life to a fairytale. but lately I questioned myself that maybe love is real because jessie made me feel like nobody else had or ever could.
"well love is the strongest and greatest emotion someone can feel. you care about the person more than for yourself. It's quite hard to define. like a romantic desire for another individual. it's like an attachment. you know you truly love them when you've see the worst and the best parts of them and still feel the same."
" like a bestfriend who always got your back but with the benefits of a relationship?"
" yeah kind of. but true love will last forever."
"but nothing will last forever."
"love does. it even stays after death"
I smiled at him and drunk my cup empty. he yawned. the hot chocolate really made him tired again. to be honest I felt sleepy now too.
" shall we go back to sleep now? "
"yeah. good idea. good night Beth."
"thanks. good night Stephen."
we both crawled back into the bed with our loved ones.
I had to think about that what he said. that you're truly in love when you know the worst and best parts but still love them with all your heart. I knew jessie very well. her ocd, trust issues and to over control everything. but also her proud smile, her giggles about her own jokes, her humming when she's cooking, her tears when she gets to attached to a film. there is loads of things about her and all of this make me fall for her even more. is it true? do I love her?
I watched her sleeping calmly. admired her beauty. she looked peaceful and happy.
that's when I admitted it to myself.
I love Jessie. after this I finally drove off into a tight sleep.
I got awoken by a child's voice that entered the room.
" the breakfast is ready." the one said.
I opened my eyes and got up to scan the room. jess was nowhere to be seen.
in front of the bed was standing a young boy around 5.
"hello little one. what's your name?"
"I'm Nathan and I'm not little."
"oh excuse me lieutenant." I giggled at him. he was really adorable.
" why do you speak so funny? "
"what do you mean?"
"it's pronounced lef-ten-ant"
" no it's not. "
" it is." I poked my tongue out at him.
then he ran out.
" JESSIE JESSIE YOUR GIRLFRIEND POKED HER TONGUE OUT AT ME!"
"ohw shit." I murmured to myself as I got dressed.
they both returned. jess hsd a kight smirk on her face but tried to hide it.
"so what happened?" jess tried to solve out little argument which I'm sure was more fun than an actual argument.
" she poked her tongue out at me"
" beth is that true?"
"but he started!" I tried to defend myself but jess gave me just the 'are you serious' face.
" please apologies for it beth."
"babe on which side are you?"
"she's on my side! because she's the best auntie" Nathan smiled brightly
"you're supposed to be at least neutral jess" I whined but then I gave in. "I'm so sorry sir."
"now shake your hands."
I shook his hand and he smiled proudly that he just won and then he ran out again.
"you know you're always my number one" she said as we were alone.
" obviously not" I pouted.
" well there are some things I would only do with my number one." she winked.
"like what?"
then she took another step closer and kissed me. it wasn't long until her tongue slipped into my mouth and they entwined. then she grabbed my bum which caused me to moan into her mouth. now she slowly. moved back and broke the kiss.
" something like that."
I was still in trance of her. I standed there with an open mouth and wanted to carry this on but we just couldn't in her parents house.
"come on silly princess. breakfast is waiting."
she took my hand, laced our fingers and guided me downstairs where everyone was already sitting at the table.
we all ate the breakfast together. but Stephen was already back at work.
rose kept looking after Nathan because he had chickenpox and wasn't allowed to go into the kindergarten and his mum had to work. the chickenpox weren't that bad anymore but he could still infect others.
"so Nathan are you gonna play with auntie Jessie? and show her your firetruck? "
"I want to play with Beth."
"aw I feel replaced." jess whined.
Nathan got up took my hand and I just shrugged at jess.
we both went to the couch where he has a quite big firetruck.
" woah its a huge firetruck." I said with much impression in my voice.
" I know right!" then he showed me all the things it can do. it had a hooter and lights. then he start driving it through the room.
"Nathan do you want to become. a fireman one day? "
"yes I want to be a hero and firemans are heros" he smiled. you can already see that he is a Cornish because of this big grin.
" you'd be a great fireman you know"
" yes I know." it's incredible how much self esteem this boy has. as I was at the same age as him I didn't even speak to strangers.
suddenly the sound of Indiana Jones appeared and I knew that Rita was calling. everyone in my contacts has a different ring tone. jessie got Whitney Houston - ' I wanna dance with somebody '. she's one of her biggest influence in music and this song always relates me to her.
" hello? "
"beth? for fuck sake you were. supposed to be here an hour ago!"
" today was my day off."
" didn't you get the mail? well Rita will be on the Jonathan Ross show tonight and a stylist would be great".
obviously some of here assistants called me. she seemed a bit stressed. and when I say a bit I actually meant a lot.
" I'll be there in a minute. sorry"
" I'm so sorry but I got to leave now. work is calling." I sighed.
" ohhw no don't go yet!" Nathan whined.
" next time we'll play some more alright bud?"
he nodded and I hugged him.
I also hugged rose as a goodbye.
jess walked me to the door.
"I really don't want to go babe"
"then don't."
" but I have work."
" work for me." she blurted out.
" what?"
" well I still need outfits for my alive tour. and someone who will made these."
"you don't need to offer me this just because I'm your girlfriend."
" I did it because I think you got a great talent. think about it babe."
"see you tonight? I really gotta go now. They're already waiting for me."
"sure! bye princess."
I kissed her briefly and got into the taxi they sended me here.
*****(A/N) *****
here it is the next chapter. I have holidays so I can write more though. but it still takes me like two days to write one chapter. thanks so much for all the votes and comments and reads ! means a lot!
merry Christmas to everyone!
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