Happily Ever After? #Wattys2017

Chapter Twenty Five

"So how many old ladies have you taken home to mom?" I whispered as I climbed the steps of the slightly run down house.

Happy took my hand, lacing his finger through mine.

"None. You're the first and only one."

I beamed, a feeling of accomplishment coming over me. I followed behind Happy as he pushed open the door.

"MA?" He called out loudly. He let go of my hand and started looking into the rooms.

I stood by the door, looking around the house. It was quaint, pictures of family lined the hall. Dusty curtains hung around the windows and the furniture looked a bit outdated. But it was definitely a home, you could tell it had been loved and filled with love and family for many years.

I was broken from my thoughts when I heard Happy call my name. I followed his voice down the hall towards the back of the house. I found him in the kitchen, sitting next to who I assumed to be his mother.

She was a sweet and loving looking elderly woman. She looked a bit frail and fragile but the way she looked at Happy and smiled while he talked, you could tell her son was her world. And he was so gentle and soft spoken as he talked to her, patting her hand softly.

Happy looked up and smiled at me. Getting up, he came to my side and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Ma, this is Stephanie. My girlfriend," he introduced me, gently guiding me closer to the table.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Lowman," I said with a smile.

She smiled so widely, she was practically squinting.

"Please, call me Ma," she said, smiling back, "Oh Happy, she's so beautiful. I was beginning to wonder when you were ever going to bring someone home."

I blushed, looking at Happy. He cleared his throat before speaking.

"Well I wanted to wait until I had someone worth bringing home."

"Sit down, sit down," she motioned us over to the table.

I took the seat next to her that Happy pulled out for me. It was such a different side to him, I liked it.

"So how did you guys meet?" She asked.

"I work with her father," Happy answered quickly.

"Oh your fathers is a mechanic too?" Ma asked, looking at me.

I was caught off guard but nodded my head, trying to seem convincing.

"Yeah, he's been doing it for a few years."

"It's so good to see people who aren't afraid to work with their hands and get dirty. This country was built on that you know," she said.

I smiled and nodded again, "yes ma'am."

"Oh how rude of me, I didn't offer you anything to drink!" She held a horrified expression on her face, "Would you like some tea dear?"

"Yes please."

She started to get up but Happy stopped her, getting up himself.

"I'll do it ma, you relax," he insisted. I watched him walk around the small table over to the stove.

"He's such a good kid," his mother gushed as we both watched him put the teapot of water on the stove.

I smiled and nodded, "He's a real gentleman. You raised a good son."

She looked at me, smiling back, "I'm so glad you feel that way. There's a lot of things I wasn't very good at, but he's the one thing that I succeeded in. Would you like to see baby pictures?"

"Ma," Happy groaned from the stove.

"Hush," she scolded him, getting up from her seat with the help of a cane, "let me just go get the photo album."

I watched her walk out of the kitchen, once she was out of earshot I turned to Happy.

"You're a mechanic?" I raised my eyebrow.

"I don't want her to worry. Just go along with it, please?" He pleaded, glancing down the hall at his mom in the other room.

I nodded as he stepped out. I leaned across the table to see what he was doing. I watched him  reach above his mother to pull down a leather bound book she was struggling to reach.

Happy and his mother returned, her sitting back at the table and him at the stove to finish the tea. She opened the book, turning the pages. Her hands shook a bit as she pointed to pictures.

"He was such a handsome kid," she cooed, showing me a picture of Happy dressed up for a school play.

"He's still handsome," I commented, smiling at Happy as he placed cups of tea in front of us.

His phone rang and he excused himself from the kitchen. I tried to listen in on the conversation but couldn't hear much. So I turned back to the pictures his mother was showing me.

"I have to go back to the shop," Happy said, coming back in he room and slipping his phone into his pocket, "I can drop you off at home on my way."

I shrugged, "I would actually like to stay for a bit longer if you don't mind picking me up when you're done."

Happy looked a bit surprised for a moment before smiling, "Sure babe."

"Oh good!" His mother clapped her hands together, "I can show you the home movies too!"

Happy huffed and I nodded with a smile, "I would love to see them."

He leaned over, giving me a quick kiss and doing the same to his mother.

"I'll be back. Love you ma," he said before leaving.