This Girl I Met

40

Emily nervously stands next to me. I look down at her and smile at how cute she looks right now. 

"Don't worry, Sonnett" I tease her, rolling my eyes. "There's only Allie and Bati in here, nothing to worry about."

She nods. "You're right, let's go."

As I open the door, I hear screams and laughter, as well as some big other noises I don't recognize. What I recognize tho is my sister, her boyfriend, and... our dad. I freeze, and so does Sonnett when she realizes she obviously is going to meet the man that raised me when my parents died. Her facial expression makes her look like she's stuck in 'please smile don't start yelling and running away' mode, and her hands are shaking. 

In a very courageous moment, and as Allie is making eye-contact with me to tell me to do something brave for once, I grab Emily's hand, and walk into the house. Bati closes the door after we get here. Emily looks like she's been trapped into a prison or something, as Tobias Long is slowly advancing toward us. I set my jaw, as he is smiling widely. 

Allie hugs us both, before going to Bati's side. Tobias then looks at me with pride in his eyes, before they end up on Emily. 

"Emily Sonnett"he lets out in a very deep voice. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, I've heard plenty about you."

I freeze. What the hell ? Her never talks like a Game Of Thrones character. Never. Allie starts laughing silently, as Bati and her can't hold it together and prefer to go in the kitchen to 'help' our dad. I can feel Emily tensing up ; meeting the parents has always been such a step into a relationship for her. I know that because she's always been terrified about even talking to Bati because he is 'like my brother'. 

Nevertheless, she mans up and manages to say in a confident voice : 

"I hope Lindsey said good things about me. She said good things about you, though. Pleased to meet you."

They shake hands, as I am frowning. Then, he hugs her, and I can see him whisper something into her ear, and when they separate from each other, Tobias winks at me. 

"Now, we have guests" he announces. 

We follow him to the kitchen. 

I totally freeze when I see Emily's mother and sister. Emma immediately laugh at our reaction, in sync with Allie and Bati. The trio seem to have become such great friends in a very tiny period of time that ti's quite terrifying. Emma immediately hugs Emily, and then me, congratulating us for the win, before she leaves her place to her mother. Mrs Sonnett does look like Emily, now that I have her in front of me. 

She hugs her daughter, and I can see tears filling her eyes. "I am so proud of you, Emily. I love you."

"I love you too, mom." Emily whispers, but she is looking at me. 

When the two women pull away, Mrs Sonnett's eyes fall on me. I am ready for her usual smirking face and despising eyes, but all I see in them today is gentleness and shame. She takes a step further, and smiles shyly. 

"I am sorry you saw the monster in me, Lindsey. And I am sorry I treated you badly when all you were trying to do was help my amazing daughter. You truly deserve her, and I am happy for the both of you." she says in one sentence. 

I exchange a look with Emily, who nods. Mrs Sonnett gives me her hand to shake, and after a very tiny hesitation, I finally shake it with a confident smile on. What she said to Emily didn't lie : she really does love her. After the death of her husband and son, it's only natural something was off in her. But now that Emma is back, everything is okay again. I smile to Mrs Sonnett, who is waiting for me to say something.