The Artist & The Q.B.

Ch. 27

"I want to meet your family." He states, making me choke on my water.

    I look at him surprised, thank God he said this after we ordered. My family is a dysfunctional chaotic mess. My parents separated when I was 18 and not on good terms. My mother decided one day that monogamy and parenting just wasn't her thing. So, she left my stepfather, the only father I've ever known to live as a nomad in the RV that he bought two years before they spilt. Since then, the RV has broken down so she lives full time in a rented apartment in Redford Michigan, paid for by generous tax payers. Not that she doesn't work, she is a part time cashier at the local Kroger. She also smokes a lot of pot, has three cats and a steady string of gentleman callers, none of which she calls her boyfriend.

"Why?" I ask, dumbfounded.

"Do you plan on telling them you're married?" He questions, looking a little annoyed with me.

I shrug. "Eventually."

"After we get done here, I thought we could fly to Michigan."

My mouth drops. "I don't have a normal family. Its not going to be some grand experience. We could just call and tell them over the phone. Its what they'd expect from me anyway." His eyes narrow at my response, but I'm being honest.

"Do you not want them to meet me?" He asks, simply.

I think about his question. "No, its more that they won't care. My mom will tell me what a mistake I made and preach about how people were not made to be monogamous. My stepfather, the only dad I've known, is taking care of my brothers and sister because my mother cheated on him and broke his heart. Its not that he blames me for her actions, but after the divorce." I pause thinking to myself. If my mom was married to my real father, was her marriage to Chris even legal? I don't have the energy to even think about it. I carry on with my explanation, "After the divorce we haven't really seen much of each other. I left with my mom and we moved two hours away from them. I hardly hear from any of my family, just my mom and that's only when she needs something."

"I'd still like to meet them." He replies, stubbornly.

"Maybe I'm not explaining this correctly." I say, confused as to why he'd push this subject.

"No, you are. I would still like to meet them." He repeats, firmly.

"Okay, I guess I can call them." I reply, hesitantly. "It would be nice to see them. They like sports, they might've even know who you are." I comment, feeling a little more at ease with the situation.

His eye brow raises at my statement and smirks. "I'm sure they have."

I roll my eyes at his confidence. "They root for the blue team not the red team." I point out.

"The Detroit Lions, babe." He informs me, entertained.

"Exactly. So, don't be shocked if they've never heard of you." I tell him.

"You know I play the Lions." He states, amused.

"Really? You travel that far to play?" I ask, shocked.

His smirk turn into a full out smile, "You're lucky you're cute."

I roll my eyes, and take out my phone. I dial Chris, my stepfather and anxiously wait for him to answer. "Well, if it isn't little Briar patch." His voice answers, teasingly.

"Hey, dad. How are you?" I ask, smiling at his nickname for me.

"Same ole, same ole." He replies, "How are you? How's sunny California?"

"Um, Its good. I'm calling because I was thinking about coming to visit soon. I want you to meet someone." I state, feeling jittery.

"Got yourself a man?" He asks, sounding surprised. As he should be, I never dated or brought anyone home before. Hell, I'm a little shocked too.