AN: Hey all, so sorry for the long wait! I' was settling in from returning from abroad and now I'm settling into my new apartment. Don't think I haven't been trying to update - I have - but sometimes, it just doesn't work so well. Thanks for your support! Enjoy!
The voice of Frank Sinatra wafted up the stairs to where Melissa was working.
"Would you turn that stuff off?" she called down to Greg.
He called back, "No! It's Christmas music, Mel."
"You know how I feel about Christmas!"
She chose to ignore his footsteps growing closer but he made it impossible as he stood in the doorway, staring at her. Melissa finally looked up and stared back, expectantly.
"Why do you have to be such a party pooper? Can't you try to like Christmas? For me?" Greg even felt the need to add a pouty lip for effect.
She let out a deep breath, "Fine. I'll try, but I don't think I'll like this one."
"And why not? It's our first Christmas together!"
"Putting aside the fact that I'm stressing about meeting your family? Well there's still the fact that you have to meet my insane mother and my humorless father!"
He stepped closer to her, "Mel, I met your brother before I even met you and I still love you, so you don't have anything to worry about."
Melissa smiled up at him, "You're right Greg. Thanks."
Unfortunately for Melissa, Greg refused to play anything other than Christmas songs on the five hour drive from Las Vegas to Lakewood to visit her father and step-mother. Even though it annoyed her, Melissa loved Greg for his love of Christmas. She hoped he was right about her growing to like it. For most of her childhood, Christmas was such a chore that when she left home, it was practically forgotten, except for a card or a phone call to David. This was her first real attempt at Christmas in probably eight years! But she would do it for Greg… he was her husband after all. He had every right to meet the family he had married into.
After a long drive, they pulled into the drive way of a moderately sized home. With Greg carrying the gifts they had brought, Melissa rang the door bell. Her step-mother opened the door with a smile and her father came out of the study as well to greet them.
"Melissa, how good to see you! This must be your friend then?"
"No, dad. Guys, this is my fiancé, Greg Sanders, he works with David," Melissa forced a smile as she corrected her father, but continued with introductions, "Greg, this my father, Michael, and my step-mother, Patricia."
The three of them shook hands before the older couple moved into the living room as Melissa pointed out her father's study, telling Greg that before she had turned eighteen, that had been her room that had quickly been converted and no longer held a trace of her. David's room was a little further and on the right instead, but was still intact form his boyhood days. Greg merely offered her a look, choosing to say nothing in front of her father about the Star Trek posters.
"So how long have the two of you been together?" Patricia asked, trying to ease tension and start a conversation. When Melissa answered - a little over two months - her father nearly choked on his coffee and when he recovered, asked, "And you're engaged? Have you set a date yet?"
"No, we didn't want to rush it," Melissa smiled, knowing the irony of her statement.
Michael Hodges laughed at it too, but stopped abruptly, "There isn't a reason for this rush to be engaged, is there Melissa? Are you pregnant?"
"Dad, no!"
Next to her, she could feel Greg tense and she knew her father's statement should not have shocked her in the least. She squeezed Greg's hand to try and reassure him before launching into a new topic of conversation to distract her father from any thought of possible grandchildren. As she had most of her life, she sidestepped her father's attempts to undermine her recent accomplishments and happy occasions. By the end of it, though, Michael Hodges seemed to see the difference in his daughter. Before, everything had been vague references to jobs and people, now everything was in definites: her place of work had a real, legitimate name - even a place he had heard of was even better - and the man she was with (who also looked quite normal) was standing in front of him, holding his daughter's hand, which also held a ring. It seemed pretty solid to him and once he spoke to his son, Michael would surely support Melissa's change. He simply wanted to ensure its legitimacy.
They left around four-thirty, both feeling a bit unsure about the visit. Melissa thought it went better than she had expected and Greg felt like he had gone through the ringer. He had no idea how Melissa could stand such a setting for such a long period of time - it was like an obstacle course, where you never knew when the next obstacle would come up, though you had a good idea it would be right before you ready for it. All in all, he was happy it was over.
"Want to run away yet?" Melissa asked as they neared the car. Her face showed her worry.
"A little," he admitted, but grabbed her hand, "But from here, not from you."
She kissed him quickly before stealing the keys from his hand and getting in the driver's seat, intent on meeting David at her mother's apartment in Venice. There, they got a much warmer welcome. Diane Bode instantly greeted both Melissa and Greg with hugs and kisses as she invited them inside, where David, who actually seemed pleased to see them, already waited.
Though the apartment looked festive enough, it was still the crazy mess it usually was - bits and pieces of projects long ago started and long ago forgotten and never finished, things that should have been thrown out ages ago laying about. The only thing that seemed pristine were the plants cluttering the apartment, much as it had always been. Being a botanist had given Diane the urge to be responsible at least for those plants.
"Greg, dear, it's so lovely to meet you! Both my children have told me about you and from the sounds of it, I think I'll like you the best out of any of daughter's beaus! Have you seen the lights of Venice yet? They're quite stunning!"
Greg was caught off guard by the change in attitude, "Uh, no, Miss Bode-"
"Diane," she corrected.
"No, Diane, I haven't seen the lights yet. Mel told me we'd see them before we headed out to San Gabriel."
Diane Bode clapped her hands together, "Wonderful!"
For a moment of relief, Melissa took Greg to her room, if only so he could see it. It was mostly how he expected it - mismatched furniture and posters of The Doors and George Harrison. There was a large collection of records and 8 track and cassettes tapes in a nearby bookcase and no desk - as if she never studied in her room.
From there, she insisted they sing Christmas carols, which only Greg seemed to enjoy as David looked uncomfortable and Melissa like it was the last thing on this Earth she wanted to do. For dinner, Diane refused to cook - seemingly it had always been Melissa's job - and instead ordered Mexican takeout, despite David's objections.
Once the food was cleared away, they all took a walk along the canals to see the lights. At first, they walked together as one big group and Diane felt the need to express herself.
"Well, Lissy, I must say you did quite well for yourself. Greg here is quite the looker," she reached over and patted Greg on the arm as she winked at him. "I bet your father wasn't too pleased about your engagement? Probably thought you were pregnant, right?"
Melissa did not have to say anything for her mother could read it on her face. Despite how crazy Diane could be, Melissa knew her mother would always be supportive of her.
Seeing her daughter's expression, Diane smiled, "Don't worry, dearie. He's just a tightass. Never had an imaginative or adventurous bone in his body, same thing over and over. But I know my babies won't be like that, right my darlings?"
David blushed, "Mom, please!"
"What? Stop being such a prude, Davey! Sometimes I think you're just like him, but a mother knows better!" she chuckled at him then, "Anyways! I'm very happy for the two of you. I'm so delighted you've found someone who treats you right, Lissy, and I'm ecstatic you're a part of the family, Gregory."
As they neared the canals and bridges, they split up into pairs. Unfortunately for David, he was stuck with his mother… but at least if she said anything else embarrassing no one would be around to hear it, especially Sanders. Diane tugged hard on his arm so that they would remain a ways behind the engaged couple.
Greg put his hands in his pockets as Melissa slipped her arm around Greg's. She sent him an awkward smile, which he returned.
"Well, your mother is an interesting lady."
Melissa laughed, "That's an understatement."
"But I like her," Greg quickly added.
"And she made it quite obvious that she likes you."
He smirked, "What's not to like?"
"Well, if there's anything, I'm sure Dave will tell her."
Greg's cocky attitude failed after that and he could not stop himself from looking over his shoulder at the other two. Both women caught him looking, Mel laughed and Diane waved and smiled, still quite enamored with her "future" son-in-law.
Feeling a bit more confident, he continued the conversation, "Are these lights always up?"
"Yeah, but they try to bring out more festive ones around the holidays, hence the abundance of reds and greens. It's really pretty."
"Very romantic too," Greg turned to her with his eyebrows wiggling. They were midway over one of the bridges.
Melissa's eyes grew wide as they shifted to look for her family, "Greg, my mother is-"
"Not going to care," he finished her sentence as he leaned down and kissed her. She had every intention of pushing away, but only after she kissed him back for just a wee bit. After a half a minute, she pushed away, "My brother might."
Greg let out a sigh, "You really know how to kill the mood."
Melissa only laughed.
Diane kissed and hugged the couple goodbye, just as she had earlier, but with even more love as she had enjoyed their company and getting to know Greg.
Once in the car, Melissa released a deep sigh.
"See, that wasn't so bad!" Greg grinned.
She shot him a look, "It's only half over…"
"Hey, the best part has yet to start! You'll love my family, Mel!"
"It's them I'm worried about."
Greg did not let Mel's mood affect him, a grin remained on his face for the forty minute drive. He had been nervous meeting her parents so he could only imagine how she felt, but he did not worry, he knew his family would love her, maybe even instantly. He knew, though, that Mel was going to have to learn this on her own because she would believe nothing he said beforehand.
Finally, they pulled in front of a Craftsman-style home.
"Your house is so… big."
Greg shrugged, "Yeah, ma wanted a lot of kids, but all she got was me. Eventually, my grandparents moved in with us to fill up the extra space."
He took her hand as they began to walk toward the front door, but before they could reach it, it opened and out spilled four people - two couples distinctly from two different generations, but all quite happy to see them.
"Gregory, my baby!" A woman, clearly his mother, exclaimed. They all came forward and embraced him before turning to her, "And you must be Melissa! It's so wonderful to meet you!"
Melissa was suddenly overwhelmed with hugs, handshakes, and introductions before they ushered the young couple inside. While still in the foyer, Christina Sanders, Greg's mother, stopped them all.
"So is the guest room okay with you Melissa?" she asked, quite serious. Melissa, speechless, nodded her head quickly so no one would assume she had meant to spend the night in Greg's room with him.
Greg let out a frustrated breath, "Ma, she's staying with me!"
His comment was met with all sorts of laughter - including a few snorts. Clearly fed up, Greg grabbed Melissa's hand and dragged her up the stairs.
Christina called after them, "Of course, dear, I know that! I was only joking! We all know you're adults!"
At the top of the stairs, Greg shot her a look over his shoulder, showing he was sorry for his family, before leading her to the door directly on the left. The door opened and revealed a dark grayish blue room, where Melissa found the only things that seemed to match - unlike her own bedroom - was the furniture: a dresser, bed, and desk. Everything else was a fusion of punk rock and beach bum. There was a poster of Marilyn Manson across from large mural of the beach. Books were shoved anywhere they could go - on a table, in the cubby holes of the desk, on a shelf, on the floor. A surf board was used a shelf across from his bed, which held a framed certificate, medal, badge, and photo of a college-aged Greg.
She tried to suppress a giggle, "You're an Eagle Scout?"