This chapter has been a long time coming! But I finally feel like I'm in a good enough place mentally to start back writing! Thank you so much for your kind words and understanding, and for sticking with this story through it all. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: Fifty Shades of Grey is the original work of E.L. James. I do not own any rights to the story.

"Thank the good Lord, my baby boy has FINALLY come home!" Cavin's mother drawls as we climb out of our rental car. "It has been entirely too long since we have seen you last!" She wraps her arms around her son's neck and squeezes. Her thick southern accent makes me smile.

"Alright mom, I do need to breathe, otherwise this will be my last visit."

"Oh, hush your mouth and introduce me to this beautiful little lady." His mom says, slapping his chest and wiping her eyes.

"Momma, I would like you to meet my girlfriend Phoebe Grey. Phoebe this is my Momma, Darleen."

"Sweetheart it is so good to finally meet the woman who has made my Cavin so happy." She says wrapping me in a warm hug.

"It's good to meet you too Mrs. Blumm." I say, caught off guard by her kindness and sincerity.

"Come now, you call me Darleen."

"Where's Pop?" Cavin asks, taking my hand in his once his mother releases me, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"That tractor of his has been giving him all sorts of trouble lately. He's around back trying to fix it again, he'll be around in a while."

It's funny to me how much different Cavin is here compared to Washington. Not quite as refined and formal, and the accent that had only made an appearance once or twice since we started dating was present in all the words he spoke.

"Are you two hungry? I have a pot of gravy on the stove, and some fresh biscuits ready to come out of the oven any minute now."

"That sounds wonderful." I say. "Cavin told me I haven't lived until I've tried your biscuits and gravy."

"Well I don't mean to toot my own horn, but he's right about that darlin'. I can't get away without making him a batch every time he comes home." She smiles at her son, and the love and affection she has for him is obvious.

I can't help but compare their relationship with the one I have with my own parents, even before our fight when they found out about Cavin and I. I have never once doubted my parents love for me or my brother, but sometimes they do feel a little bit aloof and unreachable. Darleen seems exactly the opposite, as though she might just smother you with caring and kindness.

"We'll be right in Momma, we just have to grab our bags."

"Cavin Blumm, I know you aren't about to make this poor girl carry her own luggage into this house. Goodness knows I raised you better than that."

"Of course not Momma, but I need to show her where she's sleepin' don't I?"

"I suppose so. Oh, your brother and his wife have made a mess of that guest room. He's storin' some of their stuff here while they move into their new house, so you are both gonna have to sleep in your old room. I know I can trust you to be on your best behavior."

She fixes us with a gaze so scorching that we have no choice but to respond with, "Yes ma'am."

"Good. You two go on up and get settled. I'll fix yall's plate."

"Thank you, Momma."

"Yes, thank you Mrs…" I begin to say until she glares at me. "Thank you, Darleen."

"You are most welcome darlin." She says before disappearing into the house.

"So, I'm guessing us sleeping in the same room wasn't originally supposed to happen." I say when she is out of earshot.

"My parents are pretty old school when it comes to that kind of stuff, so no you would have been sleeping in the guest room, which used to be my brothers' room. Makes sense that he's storing stuff in there now.

"I'm actually kind of surprised that they didn't make him clean it out and store it all in the barn for your visit. Maybe they are becoming a little more relaxed about that." He tells me.

"I wouldn't count on it after the way your momma was looking at us. You heard her Cavin, best behavior." I say, and I mean it. I don't want to give Cavin's parents any reason to dislike me.

"Hm, so `I heard. However, I also happen to know that my parents are both asleep no later than 9 at night, and a tornado couldn't wake them up at that point." He tells me with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Cavin Blumm!" I say, sounding just like his mom did not five minutes ago. "I am not going to directly disobey your parents wishes in their own home! My parents might not have been too strict about that kind of stuff, but they definitely taught me to be respectful!" He just laughs and grabs our bag out of the trunk and leads me inside.

Their house is absolutely beautiful. An open concept country home, with a few modern touches here and there. It's like I've walked right into one of the houses on Fixer Upper. Cavin leads me up the stairs and into what must have been his old room. It's decorated much like his apartment is.

"I don't know why, but I was expecting to see posters of cars, or half naked women, or rock bands on your wall." I say jokingly.

"Oh no I made my Momma take all those down when I knew you were coming with me." He quips right back. However, Cavin doesn't seem the type to decorate his room with such gaudy things.

There are multiple paintings hanging on the wall, and I don't recognize any of them.

"My sister did those." He says sadly, and my heart hurts for him. In one of the many hours we spent at his apartment after school he told me about his little sister who died in a car accident when she was 16 years old. He was only 18 at the time.

"They are beautiful." I tell him honestly. "She was incredibly talented."

"She was." Is all he says, and I know that he's taking a moment to remember her.

Cavin had explained that growing up they were always the closest out of all the siblings because they were the closest in age. There was a five-year age gap between him and his older sister, and an 8-year age gap between him and his oldest brother. His younger sister was the baby of the family. It was a hard blow for all of them, especially Cavin, who almost took his own life because his depression got so bad.

It wasn't until Dean Cromwell took him under his wing and pushed him to finish his studies to become a teacher did he really pull out of it.

"I wish you could have met her Phoebe. I think you two would have liked each other a lot." He says, pulling me toward him. I wrap my arms around his back and hold him close, knowing he needs the comfort right now.

"I'm sure we would have." I say, and I can feel the tension leave his body. "You hungry?" I ask quietly after a few moments.

"Yes, lets go before Momma thinks we are doing something we aren't supposed to." He says with a smile and leads me downstairs.

"Darleen I'm sure they will be right down. They are just getting…ya see here they are now." A man who must be Cavin's father exclaims as he spots us walking down the stairs. Cavin looks at me, rolls his eyes, and mouths 'told ya so' at me.

"Pop, good to see you." Cavin says, shaking his father's hand.

"This your new somebody son?" He asks kindly, making me blush.

"Pop, this is my girlfriend Phoebe Grey. Phebs this is my Pop, Clinton Blumm."

"It's nice to finally meet the girl that Cavin keeps going on about. You know I was starting to think he made you up just to get his mother off his back. She sure is prettier than you let on son!" He says, obviously trying to make his son uncomfortable and nervous. I can't help but laugh.

"Oh, is that so now?" I ask, pretending offense while his parents laugh.

"Don't encourage him." Cavin groans, obviously not enjoying being the center of the joke.

"Now Clint! Let them eat! I'm sure they are just starved after their long flight. There will be plenty of time to get to know Phoebe after she has a full belly."

"Yes dear." Mr. Blumm says, heading out of the room I assume to wash up.

"Help yourself darlin! There is plenty to go around."

"Thank you, Darleen." I say, grabbing the plate that she's offering to me.

"Sit, I will get your food for you." Cavin says taking the plate from me.

"Thanks love." I say with a smile. I notice this makes his mom smile as well, though she tries to hide it.

After a delicious meal, and a generous helping of some wonderful homemade pecan pie I know I've avoided the inquisition for as long as I can. As if on cue his father asks, "So Phoebe, how did you can Cavin here meet?"

"Pop I already told you, she was my student." Cavin says, trying to spare me any embarrassment.

"Well I know that, but I wasn't askin' you, was I?" He says to Cavin, and then turns his expectant gaze onto me.

"Yes, I was Cavin's student in Seattle. I had a bit of a school girl's crush on him, but never thought that was mutual. Although I'm glad that it was. We recently ran into each other on campus of the College that I'm attending in Portland, and it was clear the attraction was still there." I say trying to be as diplomatic as possible so that I'm not lying to them outright, but so that I don't let on that we were seeing each other long before I graduated from said high school.

"As you can imagine it came as a bit of a shock to Darleen and me when we learned that Cavin was dating a former high school student." He doesn't say it unkindly, but I blush anyway.

"I understand where you might be concerned Mr. Blumm. It's not a conventional relationship in any way, but I do love your son very much. Despite how new this relationship is, I've spent quite a bit of time getting to know Cavin.

"I fell in love with him long before we ever started dating. He's intelligent, kind, a true gentleman, and he always has other's best interests at heart. I never expected that he would fall in love with me also, but I'm lucky enough that he has. I wasn't willing to pass up the opportunity to see where this may go. And I'm hoping that takes us to forever."

"Well as long as you my son is happy, and he clearly is, and as long as you love him as much as you clearly do, I am happy for you two. Just make sure you both understand that the rest of the world might not take too kindly to it. I can't imagine your parents were too thrilled when they found out." His father says.

"No sir, they weren't. It's been a sensitive subject, and I don't blame them for their concern. However, I know that if they take the time to get to know Cavin like I have and see how happy he makes me they will change their minds."

"I hope you are right about that darln', because the way my son looks at you, and you him, I truly believe that you guys were meant to have a long and happy life together." Darleen chimes in, bringing tears to my eyes.

"Now Clinton that is enough with the heavy. They are both adults and are free to love each other without lecture." She says to her husband.

"No lecture, just sayin it how it is. But they seem to understand what they are doing."

"Now Phoebe did you grow up in Seattle?" Darleen asks me, starting off the typical getting to know you questions.

We sit there speaking for another few hours, and it doesn't take me long to feel like I'm part of the family.

On more than one occasion I see Darleen smiling at a show of affection that's come from me or Cavin. And at one point out of the corner of my eye, I swear I see Mr. Blumm give a nod of approval to Cavin. It makes my heart happy to know that they are supportive of our relationship.

"Well your mom and I need to make a run into town for a part for that damned tractor, and to pick up some more groceries for your stay. We should be back around dinnertime. Cavin why don't you take Phoebe out to see some of the farm while we're gone." Mr. Blumm says, as he helps his wife from her chair. I can see now where Cavin got his gentlemanly manners from.

"Sounds good Pop, but you know you don't have to do any shopping for us. We can buy the groceries while we're here." Cavin offers.

"And what kind of hostess would that make me? Like I would ever allow my guests to buy their own groceries. I suppose next you're going to tell me I don't need to cook for you either. I've never…" Mrs. Blumm rants, and I have to work hard not to let out a little laugh.

"Sorry momma it was just a suggestion." Cavin says, clearly amused by his mother's outburst.

"Well keep those suggestions to yourself because they are just foolish." She says, kissing him on the cheek.

"Yes momma." He replies, the laughter still clear in his voice.

"Oh, your brother and Chelsie, and you sister and Marcus will be over for dinner tomorrow night." Says quickly as she's walking out the door and closes it behind her before Cavin can respond.

"What was that about?" I ask laughing.

"Momma meddling as usual. I asked her to just keep this visit between you and me, and her and Pop. I should have known she couldn't resist having all her kids under the same roof again. Are you alright with that?"

"Cavin, I came here to meet your family, your whole family. Yeah, it's a little nerve wracking but I'm in this for the long haul with you. Which means I want to know everything there is to know about you." I tell him earnestly.

"How did I get so lucky to end up with someone as amazing as you?" He asks rhetorically. But I answer anyway.

"Just lucky I guess."