Meeting the Parents

Kayla paced back and forth in the living room, her hands wringing nervously. Her breathing was uneven, and she couldn't stop tugging at the hem of her sweater. "I don't know about this, Amanda. Maybe this is a bad idea. What if they don't like you? What if they don't like us?"

Amanda, perched on the edge of the couch, watched her girlfriend spiral. She stood and crossed the room, gently grabbing Kayla's hands to stop the fidgeting. "Babe," Amanda said firmly, "it's going to be fine. They'll love me. And more importantly, they already love you."

Kayla sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Did you have to invite them? What if—what if they don't understand? What if—"

"Sweetie," Amanda interrupted, stepping closer and cupping Kayla's face. "Stop. Breathe for me, okay?" She took an exaggerated deep breath to guide Kayla. "In through your nose... and out through your mouth. Let me take care of it."

Kayla followed Amanda's lead, though her anxiety was still written all over her face. Before she could voice another worry, the sharp chime of the doorbell echoed through the apartment.

Both girls jumped at the sound. Kayla's eyes went wide, her heart racing. "They're here," she whispered.

Amanda gave her a reassuring smile. "We've got this, princess."

Kayla rushed to the door, quickly fixing her hair with trembling fingers. Amanda followed, her heart beating slightly faster now too, though she masked her nerves with her usual confident smile.

Kayla swung the door open, revealing a well-dressed woman with a warm smile and sharp, knowing eyes. "Kayla, honey!" the woman said, stepping forward to hug her daughter.

"Hi, Mom," Kayla murmured into the embrace. Pulling back, she gestured toward Amanda. "Mom, this is Amanda. Amanda, this is my mom, Diane."

Amanda extended her hand, her smile wide but sincere. "It's so nice to meet you, Diane. I've heard a lot about you."

Diane shook her hand firmly, her eyes studying Amanda with a curious glint. "And it's nice to finally meet you, Amanda. Kayla's been talking about you quite a bit." She stepped inside, glancing around the apartment with a polite air.

Kayla shifted nervously. "Where's Dad?"

Diane sighed, her warm smile faltering slightly. "Oh, you know how he is. He insisted on stopping by the liquor store on the way here. He'll be along soon."

Amanda and Kayla exchanged a glance. Kayla's anxiety visibly ticked up again, but Amanda quickly rested a hand on her lower back, grounding her.

"Well," Amanda said with a small chuckle, "I guess that gives us a chance to chat before he arrives. Can I take your coat, Diane?"

Diane handed over her coat and gave Amanda a smile. "That would be lovely, thank you."

Amanda shot Kayla a quick wink as she walked to hang the coat, silently reassuring her: We've got this.

Kayla fidgeted awkwardly as Diane settled onto the couch. "Um... I'm going to get some snacks," she blurted, heading toward the kitchen. "Mom, make yourself comfortable. Amanda, keep her company."

Amanda glanced at Kayla with a reassuring smile. "Do you need help with anything, babe?"

Kayla peeked her head around the corner, shaking her head quickly. "Don't be silly. I've got it. You two should talk."

Amanda turned back to Diane, adjusting her position on the armchair across from her. She felt the slight tension in the air but tried her best to relax. Diane was already studying her with a warm, almost knowing smile.

"So," Diane began, her tone light and conversational, "how long have you two been together?"

Amanda smiled softly, her nerves easing. "About two months now. It's funny—it feels like we've known each other forever."

Diane nodded approvingly. "You two seem to fit together well. I haven't seen Kayla this happy in ages. It's wonderful to see."

I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride at her words. "Thank you," I said earnestly. "That means so much to me. I just want to make sure she feels loved and safe."

Dianne leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice like she was about to share a secret. "You know, I always knew Kayla was a lesbian."

I tilted my head, intrigued. "Really? How did you know?"

She chuckled, a nostalgic look crossing her face. "Well, one day, back when she was still living at home, I walked into her room without knocking. Her laptop was open on the bed, and... well, let's just say it was clear what she was watching. She slammed it shut so fast I thought she might break the hinge."

I laughed, the mental image too perfect. "Oh no! Poor thing must have been mortified."

"She was," Dianne confirmed with a grin. "Wouldn't look me in the eye for days. But you know, I couldn't help myself. Later, I checked the browser history to confirm what I suspected, and sure enough—lesbian videos."

I smirked knowingly, crossing my arms. "Oh, we've all been there. Curious, figuring things out..."

"Exactly," Dianne agreed with a laugh. "I didn't say anything to her back then. I figured she'd come out when she was ready. And I'm so glad she finally has, especially now that she's found someone like you."

The warmth in her voice hit me hard. I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. "I love her so much. She means everything to me."

"I can see that," Diane said with a nod. "And it's all I've ever wanted for her. Just... don't break her heart, okay?"

"I promise I won't," Amanda said earnestly.

Just then, Kayla reappeared from the kitchen, balancing a tray of snacks in her hands. "What are you two laughing about?" she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes as she set the tray on the coffee table.

"Oh, just reminiscing," Diane said innocently, sending Amanda a playful look.

Kayla looked between them, her cheeks already turning pink. "I don't trust you two," she said, half-joking.

Amanda grinned and reached for Kayla's hand, giving it a squeeze. "Don't worry, princess. Your mom and I are just bonding."

Kayla rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. "Okay, well, I brought snacks. Hopefully, Dad shows up soon."

Amanda leaned in close, her voice soft enough for only Kayla to hear. "See? It's not so bad. She already loves me."

Kayla's cheeks turned even redder as she muttered, "Yeah, yeah, don't push it, Mommy."

The sound of the doorbell startled all three women. Kayla jumped up quickly, brushing her hands against her thighs as if to calm herself. "That must be Dad," she said, her voice tight.

Amanda gave her a reassuring smile. "You've got this, princess," she whispered, but Kayla still looked hesitant.

Kayla opened the door to reveal her father standing there, holding an 8-pack of beer by the plastic rings. His expression was neutral, but his eyes swept over Kayla, and then into the apartment.

"Hey, Dad!" Kayla greeted, her nervousness barely hidden. She gestured to the beer. "Oh, look at that—you brought beer for everyone!"

Her father sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging slightly as he handed the pack to her. "Yeah... I suppose it's for everyone," he muttered, his tone carrying a hint of defeat.

Kayla took the beer awkwardly, her arms straining slightly as she carried it toward the fridge. "I'll keep it cold for you," she said, her voice just a little shaky.

Amanda stood up as Kayla's dad stepped inside. Kayla, still by the fridge, called out nervously, "Dad, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Amanda. Amanda, this is—"

Her father cut her off, stepping forward. "I'm Bill," he said, extending his hand to Amanda.

Amanda offered her hand hesitantly, and Bill clasped it in a grip so firm that Amanda almost yelped. She forced a smile, but internally she was panicking. Oh gosh, he's going to break my hand! she thought, feeling the strength of his grip.

When he finally released her, Amanda instinctively rubbed her hand with the other, trying to soothe the sting. Bill didn't seem to notice—or if he did, he didn't care. He turned and made his way to the couch, sitting down heavily next to Diane.

Amanda took a breath, her nerves flaring, and returned to her seat. She could feel Bill's eyes briefly flicker toward her, assessing her in silence.

"So," Diane said, breaking the tension in the room with a cheerful tone, "how was the drive over?"

"Fine," Bill replied gruffly, cracking his knuckles as he leaned back. He didn't elaborate, instead looking toward Kayla, who had returned from the kitchen and perched herself nervously on the edge of an armchair.

Amanda glanced between them, trying to gauge the family dynamic. It was clear that Diane was the softer, more welcoming presence, while Bill was harder to read—stern, reserved, and seemingly skeptical.

Amanda smiled warmly, determined not to let his demeanor intimidate her. "It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. ... uh, Bill."

"Same," he replied, his tone clipped. "Kayla's mentioned you."

"Oh?" Amanda asked, hoping to steer the conversation toward neutral ground. "Good things, I hope?"

Bill didn't answer immediately, instead glancing at Kayla, who was looking down at her hands. Diane quickly jumped in to smooth things over.

"Only good things," Diane said, smiling at Amanda. "Kayla seems really happy, and that's all we've ever wanted for her."

Kayla glanced up at her mother, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Thanks, Mom."

Bill grunted softly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, but his gaze lingered on Amanda. "So," he finally said, his voice low and direct, "what do you do, Amanda?"

Amanda straightened in her seat, her heart racing slightly

Amanda smiled politely, keeping her tone even despite the underlying tension. "I'm actually a student nurse right now. I'm in my final year of training."

Dianne's face lit up. "Oh, that's wonderful! Nurses are so essential, and it must be such a rewarding field."

"It really is," Amanda replied, glancing at Kayla, who was fidgeting nervously in the kitchen doorway. "It's a lot of hard work, but I love being able to help people. There's nothing quite like it."

Bill raised an eyebrow, still looking unconvinced. "Final year, huh? So you're not working full-time yet. How do you plan on taking care of my daughter if you're still a student?"

Kayla froze, her mouth falling open as her cheeks turned red. "Dad!" she hissed, clearly mortified.

Amanda, though caught off guard, kept her composure. "I may not be working full-time yet, but I've been supporting myself through school with part-time shifts at the hospital. And once I graduate, I already have a position lined up. Kayla and I support each other in everything, so I'm not worried about that."

Dianne gave her husband a pointed look. "Bill, stop grilling her. She's got a good head on her shoulders, and it's obvious she cares about Kayla."

"Just asking questions," Bill muttered, taking a sip of his beer.

As Bill leaned back in his chair, ready to fire off another question, Kayla stepped in, her tone protective. "Okay, I think that's enough questions for now, Dad. Let's not scare her off."

Amanda let out a small laugh, grateful for the rescue. To calm her nerves, she walked over to the fridge and grabbed a cold beer. With a glance toward Bill, she asked, "May I join you, Bill?"

Bill's expression shifted to a wide grin. "Of course, girl. Go for it."

Amanda cracked open the beer with a satisfying hiss, then took a massive sip, feeling the coolness settle her nerves. She could feel Bill's approving gaze and chuckled as she settled back into her seat, the tension finally easing. For the first time that evening, she felt like she was starting to fit in.

Note from the Author: Thank you all for reading this chapter. Don't forget to follow my profile for Notifications of when new chapters get published!

Please demonstrate your support by leaving a VOTE & COMMENT DOWN BELOW