Chapter 45
Chapter Forty-Five
Caleb
Things I plan to avoid in the near future: going to yoga with Emmersyn. Watching her bend and stretch in those tight leggings? Absolute torture. I spent the entire class trying to keep my composure. Never again.
Then there’s her book club. Her friends are loud, chatty, and overly invested in fictional characters. How my introverted, calm girl enjoys being surrounded by that chaos is beyond me. It’s like she needs a dose of noise to balance out her quiet.
And let’s not forget the time I let her pick out my clothes for date night. Neon pink? I looked like a walking highlighter. Lesson learned. We went to an escape room with a ’90s theme—because, of course, she thinks it’s “totally rad.” The best/worst part is that the place had black lights, and I was glowing in the dark like some fucking rave reject.
This weekend, we’re doing something different—something that could be positive, or it could blow up in our faces. We’re visiting my parents in North Carolina. As a bonus, Em gets to see her friend, who I affectionately refer to as my annoying sister.
“What if they don’t like me?” she asks, her voice tinged with nerves.
“They don’t like you,” I remind her, keeping my tone light. “But they know now that the reasons they don’t like you were all made up by their middle child. I’m hoping this time they’ll make the effort to get to know you.”
“But what if even with that effort, they still hate me?” she presses, worry creasing her brow.
“First of all, no one could hate you. You’re lovely,” I say, squeezing her hand. “Second, if they can’t see how amazing you are, then it’ll be their loss. Instead of gaining a daughter, they’ll lose a son.
“You can’t be serious?—”
“Em, you’re my life. My everything,” I cut her off gently, my voice steady. “I hope they welcome you because I want to share everything with you—my family, my past, my future. You always come first. Unless we have children, then?— ”
“Children?” Her eyes widen in surprise.
“You don’t want any?” I ask, suddenly feeling like I’ve stepped into uncharted territory.
“We’ve never talked about it,” she admits, biting her lip.
“Well, what do you want?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“Probably more than one,” she says after a pause. “I don’t want them to grow up alone like I did.”
I kiss her forehead, pulling her into a hug. “We’ll plan our future together later. For now, let’s get through this weekend, okay? Meet the in-laws in person.”
She nods, and I can feel her relax a little against me. We reach my parents’ house, and I knock on the door. It swings open to reveal my mom, standing there with a polite smile, though there’s a hint of reservation in her eyes.
“Mom this is Emmersyn,” I say, keeping my voice warm and steady. “Em, these are my parents.”
My mom steps forward first, extending her hand with a polite but guarded smile. “Emmersyn, it’s nice to put a face to a name, finally,” she says, her tone courteous but still holding a touch of formality.
“Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Cunningham,” Em replies, shaking her hand with a nervous smile.
My dad, standing a bit behind, nods politely. “Welcome, Emmersyn,” he says, his voice reserved, though he’s making an effort to be welcoming. I know in the past he saw her as his biggest headache, his worst enemy, and the reason behind his biggest stress-filled phone calls.
There was a time when he probably wished our family never heard of her, let alone that I married her. But now, seeing him try to put all that aside, I realize just how much he’s willing to give her a chance—for my sake.
“Thank you for having me,” Em responds, her voice steady despite the tension.
“Why don’t we all sit down?” my mom suggests, gesturing toward the living room. As we move inside, I can feel the tension, like we’re all carefully stepping around a minefield of unspoken words and past misunderstandings.
We settle into the living room, my parents taking the couch opposite us. My mom folds her hands in her lap, offering Emmersyn a small, polite smile. “I was very sorry to hear about your grandmother’s passing,” she says gently. “Losing a loved one is never easy.”
“Thank you,” Emmersyn replies, her voice soft but steady. “It’s been hard, but I’m grateful for the time I had with her.” She pauses, her eyes flickering with a mixture of sadness and warmth. “She was a complicated woman, but she loved me in her own way. I’m learning to appreciate that more as time goes on.”
My mom nods, her expression softening. “Complicated relationships can be the hardest to navigate. I’m glad you have fond memories to hold onto.”
Emmersyn smiles, and it’s the kind of smile that lights up a room. “I’ve learned that holding onto the good memories makes it a little easier to deal with the tougher ones. And I’ve had Caleb by my side, which has helped more than I can say.”
The tension in the room eases a bit as my mom leans forward slightly. “It’s good to hear that. Family is important, and I’m glad Caleb has been there for you.”
“He’s been amazing,” Emmersyn agrees, glancing at me with a look that makes my heart skip a beat. “I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.”
My dad, who’s been quiet up until now, clears his throat. “I’m glad to hear that you’re both supporting each other. That’s what marriage is about, after all.”
Emmersyn nods. “Absolutely. And I’m really looking forward to getting to know both of you better. I know we haven’t had the easiest start, but I hope we can move forward and create some new, positive memories.”
There’s a moment of silence, and then my mom smiles, a real one this time. “I’d like that, too.”
As the conversation flows on, it becomes clear that this visit is about more than just formalities. It’s a chance for all of us to build something new, to start fresh.