"Hello?" Pt. 2

Family Affair

I've never been a nervous passenger. Or at least, I had never been a nervous passenger until this evening. The fact that Daniel was driving didn't bother me. No, it was the complete lack of concentration he paid to his driving that had me on edge. For the entire drive out of London and to Surrey, I held my head in my hands, my eyes firmly shut as I prayed to every deity for a safe journey. Daniel, meanwhile, swerved across lanes as he objected to the outfit I had forced him to wear.

After yesterday's conversation, I had made sure that he didn't turn up at my parents' house in a suit. I know he thought that it would be disrespectful, but if my father saw Daniel look so formal when the dinner was informal, Dad would take the piss out of Daniel. In a way, I was doing Daniel a favour by throwing a pair of jeans and a shirt in his direction. The blue of his shirt really brought out the colour of his eyes. 

And it's not like I was dressed up in my skinny jeans, knitted sweater, and sneakers. I didn't even bother putting on makeup or styling my hair because I wasn't trying to impress anyone. Just like Daniel shouldn't have to impress anyone. No matter how many time I tell him that he doesn't need to win my parents' approval because he already has it, Daniel simply wouldn't listen. 

Hopefully, after this dinner, he will finally realise that Mum and Dad already adored him as much as I do. Yes, Daniel and my mother have had their disagreements, but that was mainly based on misunderstanding and these days, Mum thinks of Daniel as if he's already one of the family. Dad, on the other hand, has always liked Daniel and had never gotten involved in the drama Daniel and I have been through. I think Dad was glad that, finally, with his daughters marrying, he and Lucas would no longer be outnumbered by the women in the family. 

All this, however, is dependent on Daniel getting us to my family's house alive, which is proving to be a hell of a task. Luckily, we were ever nearer to our destination, but the downside of this was that Daniel's driving deteriorated. As he swerved back into our lane, I gasped from the pain of the seatbelt digging into my shoulder as I jerked sideways. Chancing a look upwards, I quickly familiarise myself with where we are and sigh. 

Only a few streets to go. 

My family's home was located down a secluded road in one of the wealthiest parts of Surrey. The house was modern and very much designed in my mother's minimalistic taste. Daniel, for that reason, should like the place a lot, despite the fact that he'd have to have dinner here with my folks.