(A/N)- I knew I said I wouldn't continue but despite my novel, my painting, and the website I need to take care of, I managed to write this. Actually, I wrote this over the course of an hour waiting to save a music video to the computer. So if it's crap that's why. Well, I'm sure it's not complete crap, since I enjoyed writing it. Possibly there will be a continuance but don't bug and beg me- it'll be typed once it's typed, and when that'll happen I can't possibly say when. I might get another inspirational boost for this pair since I have a copy of the film used for the awards- not a bootleg- and I plan to watch it more than just once upon receiving it. :-)
Thank you all for your kind reviews!! You inspire me to continue you know. It's nice to be appreciated- doesn't happen to me often, and it boosts my ego, lol. :-)
A side note for this- I'm not sure how to spell Colette's last name but it sounded like Tatu so I wrote it that way. If I turn out to be incorrect, I'm really sorry. :-/
-Chapter 2- Meet the Parents
"Shouldn't we … I dunno, dress up or something?"
"Linguini, they're my parents," she reminded seriously, "They're always out of town or very busy, and I explained to them we'd be coming right from work, and they said it would be alright."
She led him gently by the hand through the fancy lobby and over to the elevator. Once inside she straightened Linguini's bowtie and brushed off his shoulders. He was still wearing his waitor suit as he felt his change of clothes was too casual, and Colette wore her usual black shirt and dark purple pants.
"What if they don't like me?" he asked quietly.
She cupped his face in her hands, "It would not matter. I like you."
He smiled shyly with a blush, and she kissed him, "Just be calm, I shall handle everything, ma chérie."
A servant appeared at the door, and recognized Colette at once, "Ah, bonjour little mademoiselle Tatu, welcome home!" he greeted happily.
Before Colette could respond a happy shriek emitted from inside, and a short lady with curly brown hair raced over as fast as she could on her high heels, "Colette, my darling, so nice to see you again!" she threw her arms around her and kissed both cheeks. She started speaking in rapid French, leaving Linguini oblivious as to what she was talking about. Once she finished, she looked over at Linguini and seemed to cringe a bit as if she smelled something bad.
"Oh, maman, this is Alfredo Linguini," Colette introduced, her arm placed lovingly on his shoulder. Linguini smiled nervously as he stuck out a hand, "Pleasure to meet you mademoiselle Tatu,"
"Charmed, I'm sure," she said, pretending not to notice his extended hand. He withdrew quickly, looking at his feet, feeling foolish. Colette looked at him and shook his head as if to say not to worry about it.
"Armand, mi amore!" she cooed as she peered down the long hallway that lead to the other rooms, "Your daughter has arrived!"
She turned to the two and motioned them to the black leather couches, "Please, sit," she said, and signaled to the servant, "Bernard, fetch some champagne for us." She sat on an armchair across from them, looking eagerly over her shoulder for her husband.
"Maman, have you done something new with your hair?" Colette asked, in an attempt to clear the cloud of uneasiness that seemed to fill the air. Her mother smiled elegantly, stroking her hair, "Oui, do you like it? I thought I would try something different,"
"It's lovely," Colette complemented.
"Yeah it is," Linguini added earnestly. Colette's mother didn't seem to hear for the servant Bernard had arrived with a plate of four champagne glasses. Linguini took a sip just to be polite, but he still didn't quite recover from that last wine incident.
A tall muscular Frenchman with short black hair and a moustache strolled down the hallway, and stopped abruptly at the sight of Linguini. Linguini wanted nothing more then to die right then and there- this was obviously Colette's father, and he was obviously not at all happy to see Linguini there with his daughter, and he was going to kill him. Quickly Linguini's arm left where it had been resting upon her shoulders.
"Papa!" Colette greeted with a smile, and raced over to him with a hug. He didn't move, his expression had not changed, until Colette kissed him affectionately on the cheek and only then was he brought to his senses. He spoke to her in French, much to Linguini's dismay. As much as Linguini could decipher, it wasn't anything good. Colette complained back in French, and her mother stood as they fought verbally, calling over to her husband to calm down.
They kept on for several minutes until Colette turned on her heel and stormed over to Linguini, pulling him up from the couch where he had been sitting in complete shock and fear, and she didn't need to drag him as she led him out the door. Her father called after her in angry French, and she didn't respond. She slammed the door behind them, and walked briskly down the hall to the elevator, Linguini's hand still clutched in hers. She stopped in front of the elevator and clicked the button to go down, and it was only then did Linguini see that she was crying.
"Colette …" he said, and she threw her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder. He rubbed her back and leaned his face against her hair, "I'm so sorry," he said quietly into her ear.
"It's not your fault," she mumbled with a sniffle, followed by a shaky breath, "I didn't think he would react like this …"
The elevator doors opened and as soon as they stepped through, an angry shout echoed down the hall and fear shot through poor Linguini's spine.
She sighed angrily and began tapping the button on the elevator for the doors to close. Armand Tatu had just reached it just as it closed completely. Linguini let out a sigh of relief. Colette shook her head, tears stained on her cheeks, "We are not through yet with him, ma chérie. He'll be in the lobby."
Linguini looked at her with fear in his eyes, "Is he a psycho or something?!" he exclaimed fearfully.
"He was in the army," Colette explained, "But that is no reason for him to behave this way. He never cared much for any of my boyfriends but he never acted like this before."
"Is he going to kill me?" Linguini asked seriously.
"Not with me around he won't." she assured. Linguini gulped. Until things were sorted out with Armand, if they ever were … he vowed to himself not to leave Colette's side. Of course he never wanted to leave her side, but he never thought the consequences of doing so would make him a dead man. Colette was tough and vengeful but she would never kill him if they broke up.
Linguini's blood ran cold as they reached the first floor, and the doors slid open just as Armand came storming down the steps. He addressed his daughter and continued to attack her in French, but she pretending not to hear him as she sped across the lobby with Linguini close at her side.
They managed to slip through together in the swinging doors and Colette leapt onto her motorcycle. Linguini sat behind her and looked fearfully as Armand came through the swinging doors, a glare fixed upon him. Linguini gulped and urged Colette to go, and his words were drowned out by the engine starting up. He went to hold on, but that required him to wrap his arms around Colette's waist, and as he motioned to do so Armand's eyes flashed dangerously. He casually pretended to stretch.
Armand was no longer chasing them, he just continued to berate his daughter in rapid French, and Colette soon sped off into the night. It was only at the last second that Linguini scrambled to hang on to her as they zoomed off. He didn't dare look back.
Colette was driving pretty fast, and at the first light they had just missed yellow, and the light turned red. She sped through and loud honking rang through the air.
"Colette, what are you crazy?!?" he exclaimed. He suddenly saw the back of a truck quickly getting closer and closer. "Colette!!" he screamed, and grabbed the handles over her hands and squeezed the brakes tight. They skidded to a stop mere inches of the truck's bumper.
"Colette, calm down, you're going to get us killed!"
She turned in her seat and wrapped her arms tightly around him, nearly squeezing the life out of him, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," she said, burying her face against his.
He hugged her back, stroking her hair until she calmed down a little.
"Can you drive? Please?" she asked hopefully, looking up at him.
He wasn't so great at driving her motorcycle, but he did it several times before. Normally he'd argue not to drive it lest he crashed, but after almost crashing into that truck he saw no other choice. He nodded, and they switched seats.
And normally it felt good when Colette hugged him from behind, but she was in such a sorry state that he tried very hard to fight off the urge to hug her back and kept his hands on the handles instead.
She was half asleep by the time they reached their flat. Once he had parked the bike, he picked her up under her knees and kept her on his back as he got off the motorcycle.
"Linguini …" she whined in an annoyed mumble, "I am much too heavy!"
"Don't be silly, Colette," he argued with a small laugh. He refused to let her down even as they entered the elevator. She leaned her head up a bit and kissed him softly on the cheek from behind, "What would I do without you …" she said sleepily, and rested her head back on his back.
(A/N)- I know, I wanted it to go on too, but to continue that scene would've been far too mushy in my opinion. Sorry for those who like mush, I'm just not in a mush mood as of now. And, oh yes, review please! And no flamers- haven't had something bad said as of yet but I wouldn't want to. Maybe now that I mentioned it I'll get a bad review. Great.