Meet the Parents (Jaylor)

No, Seriously, I Can't

Such a charming little house shouldn't be so intimidating, Taylor thought to herself as she looked apprehensively at the small building.

"Taylor?"

Joe laid his hand on her thigh, as he looked at her worriedly. Taylor was far better at hiding her emotions than he would've thought before getting to know her, but he knew her well enough by now to see how nervous she'd been all day.

"Yes?"

She kept her eyes trained on the house until she shut the car off, and then used the excuse of putting the keys into her purse to avoid his searching gaze.

"Baby, everything's going to be fine, I promise. They're going to love you just as much as I do," Joe said.

Taylor immediately began shaking her head.

"You can't promise me that. God knows what they've seen, what they've read about me, about how I jetset around the world collecting men and how I've got all of my friends on leashes, or how I stalk my boyfriends and use men as nothing but material for my albums, which some people still think I didn't really write," she said in a monotone voice.

"Tay, I know you're nervous, but if I had even the faintest suspicion that they would mistreat you, I would never expose you to them. I honestly believe everything's going to be fine." Joe leaned over and gently kissed her cheek. "Now, shall we go inside?"

Taylor took a deep breath. She still wasn't convinced the evening wasn't going to be a total disaster, but she swung her door open anyway.

"Okay, let's do this."

She grabbed the cookie tin from the backseat and got out of the car, before she signaled her security that she and Joe were fine. She could see Cody nod from his position in the other car, where he was parked just behind her and where he would wait until she and Joe were ready to return to her rented house for the night.

Joe walked around the car and immediately wrapped an arm around the blonde's waist, so that he could guide her up to the front door. Even though no one else was out on the quiet street, he knew it made both Taylor and any of her security nervous for her to be out in the open, virtually unprotected except for Cody's watchful presence in the car, for long. Since being slowly let into the inner workings of the circumstances and events behind the necessity for full-on, round-the-clock security for Taylor's safety, having her exposed put his own nerves through the ringer, honestly.

"Are you sure they'll like the cookies?" Taylor questioned Joe, just as he unlocked the door.

"Of course, love." Joe chuckled. "Come on in. I'm excited for you to meet them."

The heavenly scent of slow-cooked roast wafted in the air, and the warmth of the room made Taylor shiver from the contrast with the frosty, November night, as she entered the house and allowed Joe to help her remove her coat. Her hands nervously tugged at the hem of her black, lacy blouse, when she heard a pair of voices coming from somewhere in the house.

Joe placed his hand back on Taylor's waist, and gently urged her forward. He couldn't keep the large smile off of his lips when they entered the kitchen, and he saw his parents cooking dinner. The two older Alwyns turned to face the young couple, and Taylor was somewhat reassured by the welcoming smiles on their faces.

"Mum, Dad, this is the woman I've been telling you about. This is Taylor," Joe said proudly. "Taylor, this is my mum, Elizabeth, and my dad, Richard."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both." Taylor put on her best smile and held her hand out to Elizabeth.

"Oh, dear, no need to be so formal." Elizabeth drew the younger woman into a soft hug. "It's so lovely to finally meet you, as well. Joseph's been positively fawning over you every time we talk."