Chapter 39
Theodore Knight
T he nerves in my stomach are out of control.
Meeting your girlfriend’s parents for the first time, will do that to you. We have spent the last six hours in my car, swapping drivers after every break.
Jazmine, however, got to remain in control of the music at all times. I found that extremely unfair. Although, I can’t complain too much. I think I learnt the words to every Taylor Swift song.
I pull into her parent’s driveway and take a deep breath. Looking over to Jazmine, I see her try to open the door. “Don’t you dare Princess,”
She rolls her eyes while I exit the car. Her parents could come out at any second, the last thing I need them to think is I’m a shit boyfriend.
“Theo, you don’t need to be nervous.” Jazmine says, after I open her car door.
“Sure,” I drawl. “Should I get our bags now or later?”
“Later, I want to introduce you to everyone,”
Here we go. I keep control of my breathing with the exercises my therapist has been teaching me. Jazmine guides me into her parents’ house. “Mum! Dad!”
An older man and woman come running towards Jaz. I can already tell these are her parents. Clearly, Jazmine inherited Mrs Allen’s hair, while she received her dad’s complexion. They both take turns hugging her.
“I’ve missed you,” Her mum’s eyes snap to me as I linger behind.
“And you must be Theo, we haven’t heard anything about you. I’m Ashley and this is my husband George,” I shake both of their hands.
“It’s nice to meet you both,”
“Mum,” Jazmine sighs. “I told you everything you need to know.”
“Well, I need to know more. Come, sit down, both of you.”
Her parents lead us through their house. We enter a wide-open space, the kitchen, dining and lounge room are together with no barrier. Sliding doors are at the end of the room, appearing to open onto a deck and a massive back yard. The Allen’s house is beautiful.
“Where is everyone?” Jazmine asks.
On the way here, Jaz explained her family tree. It is massive, completely different to what I’m used to. Holidays were always my grandparents, mum and dad. Slowly, the number became smaller and smaller. Now, it’s just me and my dad.
“Emma and Dante are arriving later but Payton and Kaleb took the kids to the park,” Ashley said.
“So, Theo.” Oh God, I’m about to be interrogated by Jazmine’s father. “Jaz told us you play football, is that what you want to do?”
“Yeah, I’m going to declare for the draft after senior year. My dad is hoping I can move back home but I’d rather stay close to where I am now,”
“Why’s that?”
“Well, he and my grandfather played for Dallas. So, he thinks it would be cool to keep the legacy going but I don’t want to be in his shadow,”
“And your mum?” Ashley asked.
Jazmine’s eyes bulged. “Mum, I told you not to mention her.”
“It’s fine, Princess. She passed away four years ago,”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Ashley replies.
I smile softly. “It’s okay, I know she is still with me.”
Loud giggles and footsteps echo from the front of the house. A child sprints into the room, screaming as she runs into Jazmine’s arms. These must be some of her younger cousins. The girl couldn’t be more than five and she resembles Jazmine with her curly blonde hair.
Jaz spins her around but the small girl’s eyes find me. “Who’s that?”
I move closer to her and Jazmine. “I’m Theo, what’s your name?”
She giggles. “Katie. Are you Jazzy’s boyfriend?”
This kid is smart. “Yeah, I am.”
“You’re really tall. Can you give me a piggyback ride?” She smiles, batting her eyes. I can’t say no. This girl is going to break some hearts in the future.
“How about we ask your parents?” I’m a stranger so I don’t want to do anything the parents wouldn’t.
Jazmine introduces me to Katie’s parents. Payton and Kaleb—Payton is George’s youngest sister. They also have another kid, Peter. He is eight years old and loves sports. When I tell Payton and Kaleb I play football, they laugh and say:
“Don’t mention that to Peter, you’ll be roped into teaching him for as long as you're here,”
I smile, shrugging my shoulders. “I wouldn’t mind,”
The time passes quickly and I meet Emma and Dante as well as their kids, Rosie and Sloane, who are ten and eight respectively.
We have been sharing stories, a popular one being how Jazmine and I got together. Her family members laughed excessively, but they all seemed super happy.
I can only assume that means I have the stamp of approval.
** *
I watch the sun close in on the horizon, flicking my vision back to Jazmine. She is relaxed as every inch of tension has been released, while her smile hasn’t wavered since we arrived. My eyes don’t leave Jaz as she explains our research project and her internship with Cooper and Byrd.
Jazmine commands my attention, even when she does the simplest actions, all I can look at is her. She may be mine now, but I have always been hers .
I’ve been trying to put into words every emotion that Jaz has pulled from me, not only from the past month but from the very beginning of our story. Drunk in love is the thought that is tattooed into my brain.
Love.
The four-letter word smashes into me, my heart thumping. Despite being scared, I think I fell a long time ago at multiple times: the first-time being freshman year, the second time was after her panic attack when I took care of her and the most recent time being on the football field after we won.
“You, okay?” Jazmine asks, snapping me from my thoughts.
“Yeah,” I smile. “Come with me for a second. I want to tell you something,” Jazmine nodded her head.
I saw both her aunts wiggling their eyebrows at Jaz when she carted me away. She only rolled her eyes.
Eventually, we made it to the edge of the Allen’s backyard. The sunset painting the backdrop for the moment. It’s perfect, reminding me of Jazmine pulling me from the dark place in my mind after a bad football game.
Jazmine laughs, tilting her head. “What’s going on?”
“I just…I wanted to tell you. I love you Jazmine,”
Her eyes widened in surprise. Shit. I hope I haven’t scared her off. I know Jaz is scared of her own emotions sometimes, so I jump in to save myself. “You don’t have to say it—”
“No, stop. You just caught me off guard.” Jaz smiles, her eyes softening. “I love you Theo.”
Tears prick the corner of her eyes, falling down her cheeks. “Hey, no crying. Even if they are happy tears,”
Jazmine wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me into a hug. My arms tighten around her waist and Jaz’s signature scent of vanilla and coconuts invades my nostrils.
The longer we stand with our limbs intertwined and hearts aligned; while basking in the afterglow of the sunset, I know everything will be alright.