Chapter 10: Chapter 10

As they jetted off to Florida, he shared stories about his parents and their love for the Sunshine State.

“I’m a bundle of nerves about meeting them. I keep imagining I’ll say or do something wrong. I could take one of my pills, but they just make me so drowsy.”

“You’ve been off them for a while, and I don’t think you need them. Just relax, remember, I’ll be right there with you the entire time.”

She nestled her head on his shoulder, his arm around her providing a sense of safety and comfort. After a little over two hours, they touched down and a car was ready to whisk them away.

“Dad wanted to come get us, but I didn’t want them dealing with this traffic. I thought it’d be nice to have our own car since we’re here for a few days.”

***

An hour later, they pulled into the driveway and parked. He hopped out, circling the car to open the door for her.

Suddenly, the front door of the house swung open, and two elderly figures hurried toward the car.

The woman enveloped Xander in a warm hug, while the man gave his arm a friendly pat.

“Son, your father and I are overjoyed you’ve finally come to visit. Now, introduce us to your lovely companion.”

After the introductions, they all headed inside.

“Your mother has prepared tea and lunch. I hope you two are hungry; she’s made plenty.”

“Mrs. West, you really shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble.”

“Oh, dear, it was no trouble at all.”

She turned to her son.

“I’ve arranged a room for you and Kat. I’ve put you two together, but if you’d prefer separate rooms, that’s perfectly fine.”

“No, Mom, one room is fine.”

Kat blushed, she hadn’t anticipated sharing a bed with him, but his mother seemed unfazed.

Now, Xander’s father was a straight shooter and had no qualms about asking direct questions.

“So, how did you two meet, and how long have you been together?”

“Fred, don’t be so intrusive.”

“Now, now Jean, you’re just as curious as I am,” he chuckled.

“We met a little over three months ago at a party I was hosting. It was love at first sight, just like it was for you two.”

“Your home is beautiful, Mrs. West.”

“Thank you. Xander bought it for us. We told him not to, but once he sets his mind to something, there’s no changing it.”

Fred nodded in agreement.

“He can be overly generous at times, but he’s always been that way.”

“Dad, after all the sacrifices and hard work you and Mom put in to ensure I got the best education, it’s the least I could do. Now, enough about me. I want to hear what you two have been up to.”

After they shared their stories and lunch was over, Xander headed to the garage to check out the car his father was restoring. His father had a knack for buying old cars and fixing them up to sell. Meanwhile, Kat stayed inside to help Jean clean up.

“I hope my son is treating you well.”

“He is; he’s a wonderful man. He’s not at all like what I imagined a wealthy man to be. He’s so grounded and doesn’t flaunt his wealth.”

“Xander has always been humble. I can see how much he cares about you. You know, you’re the first woman he’s brought home to meet us.”

Kat was at a loss for words, but it made her feel special.

That night, as they climbed into bed and he made a move, she stopped him.

“No, I can’t do this in your parent’s house.”

“Why not?”

“It just doesn’t feel right.”

“Do you expect me to go a week without touching you? You know I can’t do that. Come on, baby, strip down for me.”

She brushed his hand away when he tried to lift her gown.

“No.”

“All right, I’ll leave you alone tonight, but tomorrow I will make love to you.”

“Your mom mentioned they’ve never met any of your other girlfriends. So why did you bring me here and not them?”

“You make it sound like I’ve had a parade of women. I didn’t bring them because I knew they weren’t right for me. I never felt a connection with them like I do with you.”

“I’ve seen photos of you with different women in magazines, all of them so beautiful.”

“So you’ve been checking me out. Yes, they were beautiful on the outside. But not so much on the inside; they were spoiled and treated people horribly. I had no desire to introduce them to my parents. But you, you’re beautiful inside and out.”

“Are you just saying all this to get me to make love to you?”

“No, but I do want you.”

A smile spread across her face as she looked at him.

“Well, if it’s that important to you, I guess I won’t try to stop you.”

Before she could say another word, he was on top of her. He slid her nightgown down past her shoulder and began kissing her neck.

“Xander, we’ll have to be quiet.”

“I will if you will,” he said as he removed her gown completely and entered her.

Morning:

Given the sweltering heat, they all decided to hit the beach, and Jean packed a picnic lunch. Kat helped her make sandwiches, and they shared a few laughs while the men watched on.

The beach day was unlike anything Kat had ever experienced. Everything was perfect, and even though she couldn’t swim, she let Xander guide her into the water. Poor guy never did get to see her in the other bathing suit.

***

Over the next few days, they showed her around town. In the evenings, the men would grill, giving the women a break from cooking. They spent their time watching movies and playing board games.

The day before they were set to return home, Xander decided to take her to the fair that was in town at the beach. His parents insisted they go alone, saying they should have a day to themselves.

At first, she was hesitant, having never been to a fair and knowing it would be crowded. But with his encouragement, she agreed to go.

He held her hand as they strolled through the midway.

“Want me to win you a teddy bear?” he asked, stopping at a game where you threw darts at balloons.

“If you can?” she replied, grinning at him.

He promptly won her a small teddy bear, and she chose a small white one.

“If I keep playing and win, you can trade this for a bigger one.”

“No, I like this one. It’s so soft and cute.”

He was touched by her delight over such a simple stuffed animal. When she told him she’d never been to a fair, he wanted her to experience it all.

“Let’s go on the Ferris wheel.”

She gazed at the spinning wheel, shaking her head in apprehension.

“No, it seems too risky.”

“But it’s completely safe, I promise,” he assured her.

She allowed him to guide her toward it, and they climbed aboard. Her hands trembled, so he took her hand in his and draped his arm around her shoulder as the wheel began to turn.

“Just try to relax and enjoy the ride. When we get to the top, you’ll see the whole crowd below. The view from up here is really something.”

She found herself enjoying the ride, but when they disembarked, he suggested they try the roller coaster next. One look at the towering structure and she declined; he understood not to push her.

They continued their exploration of the fair, taking in the various attractions. She was particularly fond of the horse show and sampled some of the food from the stalls.

“Kat, there’s one thing you absolutely must try at a fair.”

“What’s that?”

“Cotton candy.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“Let’s get some to share. It’s delicious, but be warned—it’s pure sugar and can get a bit sticky.”

“Oh my god, this is amazing,” she exclaimed, popping another piece into her mouth.

“I thought you might like it. Let’s clean up and check out the hall of mirrors before we head back to my parents’ house.”

The idea didn’t seem too daunting, so she agreed. However, once inside, it was a different story. The dim lighting and the endless reflections were disorienting. She felt claustrophobic, as if the walls were closing in on her, and her breathing became labored. The dark, distorted images surrounding her were terrifying.

Despite the laughter and shouts of enjoyment from the other patrons, she was reminded of her childhood, and the room seemed to spin. Xander noticed her distress and quickly took her hands.

“Kat, what’s wrong?”

“I need to get out of here,” she choked out, tears streaming down her face.

Once they were outside, he gently cupped her face in his hands.

“Honey, what happened in there?”

“It was like the closet…so dark, so frightening. I don’t want to talk about it. Please, just take me home.”

As they drove away, he noticed her clutching the teddy bear tightly. He wanted to ask her about her reaction, but decided to wait until she was calmer.

***

Later that night, as they settled into bed, he turned to her.

“Darling, can you tell me why you were so scared earlier?”

She lowered her gaze to the bear in her lap.

“It reminded me of when my father used to lock me in the basement closet when I was a child. It was always so dark and damp… I was terrified of being alone.”

“My god, your father was a monster. Why would he do that to a child?”

“He said I was bad and needed to be punished. I guess I was bad a lot. I’m so sorry for ruining our day. I was having the best time of my life, and I spoiled it.”

“No, you didn’t ruin anything. But next time, if I suggest something and you’re uncomfortable, let me know right away.”

She looked at him, managing a weak smile. She was still in awe of his kindness and understanding. If she had been with Tony, he would have belittled her and told her to grow up.

“I will, I promise.”

***

The next day, they were heading home, and she wished they could have stayed longer. Fred and Jean had made her feel so welcome and treated her with such kindness.

Fred found a moment alone with his son while Jean was chatting with Kat.

“You really care about that girl, don’t you?”

“I love her.”

“Yes, I can see that. Let me give you some advice, son.”

“I always listen to your advice, Dad.”

“I know you’re a busy man, but don’t let your work come between you and Kat. You can’t neglect her, or you might lose her. She has to be your priority.”

“I’ll never lose her.”

“You say that now, but work has a way of taking over. When I was working two jobs, I was hardly ever around for your mother, and I almost lost her once. It wasn’t until you left for college that I was able to repair our shaky marriage.”

“Dad, I had no idea you and Mom had problems.”

“We didn’t want to worry you. But we worked things out, and it made our marriage stronger. You have so much; it’s time to slow down and enjoy it.”

“Thanks, Dad. I will slow down. I’m going to miss you and Mom. I want you both to visit more often. I’ll send my jet to pick you up.”

“We will. Now go get your girl and head home.”

After a round of hugs and kisses, they made their way to the waiting plane, ready to take them back to New York.