Coffee {Jaya AU}

Chapter 14

***Getting closer...***

***(Jay's POV)***

I pull to a stop in front of the church, breathing a sigh of relief to see my parents' car is still here. I figured it would be – couple's bingo doesn't end until seven at night – but I'm more than a little concerned that this plan is going to backfire in some way or another.

I lean over in my car seat, giving Nya a quick side hug. "Hide my car somewhere nearby, then meet me back here. I promise we'll get this all worked out."

"Okay." She inhales deeply. "Okay."

I smile at her as confidently as I can, then yank on my door handle, shoving the door open and hopping out into the parking lot. I jog through the lot toward the double doors of the church before wrenching them open and continuing inside at a slower pace. I don't want to look too anxious and attract too much attention to myself.

I poke my head in the church room used for social events right as my mom yells, "Ed, we have bingo! That's five in a row!"

I shove open the door, and my mom looks up. She beams when she sees it's me. "Jay, honey! Are you ready to go visit some spooks? How's Nya?"

"She's fine." In the same way that a pair of itchy underwear is fine. "Let's get out of here, okay? Nya's waiting for us outside." Or, at least, she will be when she's done hiding my car.

"Oh, Nya's here?" my mom gasps. "Well, by all means, let's go!"

I see I am not the only one in love with Nya anymore.

"Good thinking." I grab her coat off the back of her chair and help her into it as my dad rises on stiff legs.

"Your father and I just won our fifth game of the night," my mom chatters happily, fitting her arms into her sleeves. "We know each other so well after these forty-five years of marriage – fifty-seven years of knowing each other! Isn't that right, Ed? Remember how we were the best of friends as kids?"

"Oh, yes, sweetie," he says absently, collecting his winnings from bingo into his wallet. Yes, my parents' church plays bingo with real money. I sure hope the players practice forgiveness from debts for as much as my parents participate.

My mom begins to button her coat, but I take her arm in my hand. "Nya wants us to hurry up. She...has something really important for the four of us to discuss." I swallow hard. I sure hope my mom takes this news well.

My mother gasps. "Is it your wedding? Did you finally propose, Jay? Oh!" She pulls me into a hug. "I'm so proud of you!"

I release a long sigh, extracting myself from her embrace. "I...haven't proposed yet, mom."

She scowls at me. "Well, why not?"

"Just...let's talk this out with Nya, okay?" I rub her shoulder, leading her toward the doors.

"Is something wrong?" she frowns.

"Um...well...yes." Darn, this honesty thing is hard.

"Oh, I do hope everything's all right," my mom frets. "This isn't about the baby, right? Is everything going well?"

My heart drops to my stomach. "Mom...we have a lot to tell you."

"Oh, dear." She grabs my arm and clutches it. "What happened, Jay?"

"I..." I take a deep breath, opting for honesty. Nya's right – I should never have lied to my mother. It just complicates things.

Instead, I bend down and kiss her cheek. "Everything will be all right, mom. Nya and I just need to talk with you. Trust me, okay?"