taller than I thought,” her mother said.
“And stronger too,” her father said. Oh my God, this was so embarrassing.
“I’m so sorry, Brian. I didn’t expect my parents to be this way.”
“It’s fine. They are protective of you and there is nothing wrong with that. They also know I’m aware of more of your past than anyone else other than them. And though I don’t know it all and don’t need to, it’s still there.” He turned to look at them. “I only see Robin when I’m with her. She is all I care about. Not what she has. Where she’s been. Or who she was before she met me. Least of all who she was married to.”
She felt her eyes start to fill. “Thank you,” she said, turning and giving him a kiss on the lips. “Happy now, Mom and Dad?”
Her mother was smiling; her father just nodded his head. “How about a beer?” her father said.
She couldn’t ask for a better acceptance than that.
A few hours later, they were driving back to Colonie and his parents’ house. Though they’d just eaten one meal and were ready to eat another, he’d tried to pace himself.
“Now that that is over with, can I confess I was a bit nervous?”
“Thank God,” Robin said. “I was dying over you meeting them. I’m nervous now over meeting your family too. I shouldn’t have eaten as much as I did. What if I get sick now?”
Brian laughed. “I don’t think you ate that much.”
They both had a plate of food and a tiny piece of pie but not much more. Not even snacks beforehand. “I tried not to,” she said. “It’s one of my favorite holidays, but I didn’t want to be at your parents and not be able to eat and have your mom think I don’t like her cooking. That wouldn’t go over well.”
“She wouldn’t think that. And since we’ve got time before dinner and both ate, and the weather is nice, we can walk the dogs when we get there and give them some exercise and a little for ourselves.”
“I’d like that,” she said.
“After you meet my parents. Meena and Troy will be there already and, honestly, they might want to walk with us too. Just giving you a heads up.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Because both of them like dogs but neither has them. And my sister is nosy. She’ll use that time to grill you if she can.”
“Now you’re making me nervous again. How much do they know about me? Do they know I’m divorced?”
“They do,” he said. “They are aware it’s how we met and then I closed your house for you. They don’t know who you were married to or anything like that. Your last name is common and no one has put it together. I’m not sure anyone will either.”
“I don’t want to lie if they ask, but I hope they don’t.”
“They might figure it out, but they won’t ask you.”
No, if they asked, it would be to him in private, but they knew he wouldn’t give them any details either.
He parked in his parents’ driveway behind Meena’s car and got out with the dogs. The front door opened before he even got to the front step and there was his sister. This time she had blonde hair with a bold red color all through it.
“Oh, look at the puppies. Which one is which?” Meena asked.
“Luke is the one in front sniffing you out first. He is pretty protective of his sister, Leia. Once he thinks you’re good and no threat, he’ll move aside.”
“Leia seems glued to you though,” Meena said to her brother.
“I’ve won them both over. What can I say?”
“I’m Meena,” his sister said, standing up and reaching her hand toward Robin. “My brother is being rude and not introducing us.”
“Ignore my wife,” Troy said, coming to stand by Meena. “She likes to poke at her brother. I’m Troy and it’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you both too,” Robin said.
“Can I get in the house?” Brian asked his sister, nudging her out of the way. “I want to introduce Robin to Mom and Dad and then take the dogs for a quick walk.”
“A walk sounds lovely, doesn’t it, Troy?” Meena asked.
“I’m pulling the bro card out. Your brother is able to walk around the block without his sister tagging along this time like the old days.”
Brian laughed. “Thanks, dude.” Meena had a funny pout on her face, but he just patted her shoulder and moved on