Water Under the Bridge || Evan Buckley [2]

chapter eighteen

meet the buckleys

Out from a fresh shower, Josephine descended the steps of the staircase. She turned to the living room where Buck was seated on the couch. He wasn't paying any attention to the tv playing as background noise to his scattered thoughts causing his knee to bounce rapidly.

Josephine drew in a breath and sat next to him. "So, explain to me what got you all antsy from talking with your sister?" She placed a hand over his knee to stop him from bouncing. "Take a deep breath for me first though."

Within seconds Josephine returned home from her run, she heard a ripple of hard knocks on the door. The knocking kept going until she answered. However, it stunned her to see her boyfriend charging inside rambling on. It took her a minute to calm him and direct him to sit down before she went in for a shower.

Buck complied and inhaled sharply. "Maddie dropped the bomb on me that our parents are visiting this week." He dropped his head into his hands.

"Must be nice for them to see Maddie during the last term of her pregnancy and finally meet Chimney in person." Josephine said. "They must be excited as first time grandparents."

"Sure, but wished she told me earlier to talk her out of it." He blurted it out causing his girlfriend to knit her brows in confusion. "Sorry, everything in my life has been feeling good lately. Now I have to hope and save face for my parents."

Josephine lets out a faint laugh, "Good thing I know a thing or two about complicated family relationships and plastering a smile."

Buck's eyes widened, dawning on her. "Oh, you want to meet my parents?" Sharing a mutual decision to keep their relationship on the low. Neither have spoken when exactly they planned to tell everyone.

"Well, Maddie will have Chimney to lean on. Figured you might need me."

"Albert is supposedly coming too."

"But Albert won't be able to hold your hand or rest on your anxious leg." Josephine retorted, intertwining their hands.

He chuckled a bit, "Just because my parents are coming doesn't mean you have to meet them now. I don't want to force you. Besides, we might have to come out with our relationship too." He spoke in a genuine tone.

"You're not forcing me. I want to because this is important to you. I think we've hit that mark in our relationship for our worlds to collide." She reasoned. "Plus, I feel comfortable enough to tell our families and friends about us. Okay?"

Buck sighed before his mouth fell into a smile. "Okay."

"Good." Josephine pecked his lips then rose to her feet. "Now let's get something to eat because I'm starving, and you can tell me all about your childhood."