“We actually met during the summer,” he informed them, a certain detail I’d left out when I had spoken to them, on purpose.
“Really!” Mom gasped in surprise. “I didn’t know that!”
“Yeah, we met when Leah was in Munich,” Axel explained, both of them were even more surprised by this.
“What are the chances,” Dad stated and smiled at Mom.
“Yeah, we actually never asked each other where we were from, so you can imagine my surprise when Leah shows up at my place of work as a customer.” Axel chuckled deeply.
“It was fate,” Mom sighed dreamily.
“That’s what I keep saying.” He chuckled.
“So, do you and your family live around here?” Mom asked curious.
“No, I’m actually from Munich and that’s where my family is. I live here though, not far from the campus,” he informed them.
“Wow, so it’s just you, all alone here,” Mom surmised, sounding sad for him.
“Well, I have Leah and my friends but yeah, my family is all in Munich.” He shrugged.
“Do you see them often?” she asked.
“Twice a year, once in winter and once in the summer. Leah and I just happened to meet when I was visiting them. Never met once here but bumped into each other on a completely different continent.” He chuckled again.
“Funny how things work out.” Dad smiled. Jackie walked into the kitchen, gracing us with her presence, she was clearly was not thrilled to be here.
“Hey Jackie,” I said to her, hoping she’d be on her best behavior.
“Jackie, come meet Axel, Leah’s boyfriend. He is simply wonderful,” Mom cooed. I laughed inwardly at Mom; she was loving Axel and definitely planning the wedding in her head.
“We’ve already met,” she said, rolling her eyes rudely.
“Oh, you have?” Mom questioned surprised.
“Yeah, he was two years ahead of me when I was at University of Florida, before I dropped out,” she said, clearly trying to emphasize just how much older he was than me. “He is also the security at the bar Ashley and I go to,” she said, making me cringe when she brought up Ashley. I knew she was trying to make this uncomfortable for all of us and get Mom and Dad to question our relationship and age difference. Axel squeezed my hand, sensing my discomfort. “Well, now that everyone’s here, let’s eat,” Mom said, getting up, not understanding Jackie’s standoffishness. We got up and sat in the dining room as Mom served us lasagna and salad.
“Now I know where Leah gets her cooking skills from,” Axel moaned in delight, as he dug into his lasagna, complimenting us both. “This is delicious.”
“Oh, why thank you. Eat up there’s plenty more,” she told him, looking overjoyed. Dinner was going great; everyone was talking and having a good time. Except for Jackie, who remained mute when not sighing, from time to time. Axel was explaining to everyone his business plan that he was hoping to start up in the fall.
“That sounds wonderful,” my father commended.
“So, you’re putting down roots here,” Mom surmised, thrilled.
“Yeah, this is my home,” Axel said, smiling at me and squeezing my hand. My heart raced.
“Leah will still be in school and you’ll be running a business?” Jackie asked, speaking for the first time, a jab clearly pointed at me and my youth.
“Just for a year and then I’ll be licensed,” I said to her, frustrated.
“Just sounds hard, like you two will both be pretty busy,” she said lamely, as she pushed her lasagna around on her plate with her fork.
“I don’t think it will be a problem at all, besides when Leah’s lease ends this summer for her dorm, she’ll be moving in with me,” Axel said challengingly to Jackie. Her eyes widened dumbfounded and she shut up quick.
“That’s amazing news!” Mom exclaimed, looking close to tears. I was surprised Axel had told them, I hadn’t been planning on telling them for a few months but I guess the cat was out of the bag.
“That’s very exciting!” Dad smiled proudly.
“Yeah it is,” I agreed, unable to keep the smile off my face. Axel and I cleared the dinner table, even though Mom protested the entire time but I could tell she was thankful.
“I’ll make some tea and we can have dessert,” Mom said as she put away the dishes.
“I’m heading out soon, Ashley and I are going out,” Jackie said, making me nervous at the thought of Ashley coming over but Jackie wouldn’t be that cruel.
“Okay,” Mom said sounding disappointed, as Jackie left to go get ready in her room. Mom made a chocolate cake for dessert that was delicious; I licked my fork clean, savoring the chocolate frosting.
“That was delicious, Mom,” I said, as Axel devoured a second piece, moaning in agreement between bites. Mom laughed, pleased and I was really happy that I’d agreed with Axel and let him meet them. Tonight was going really well, even with all the unneeded tension that Jackie brought, it had been great. I looked around at my parents and Axel, all smiling and having a good time and realized how perfect it all felt together and that this was exactly how I wanted all my family dinners to be.
“Hi,” I heard Ashley’s voice say, before I saw her face come into view behind us. My eyes went wide involuntarily and I felt my breath catch in my throat. Anger coursed through my veins. She’d almost ruined my relationship with Axel and now she was going to ruin my first family dinner with him, she had some nerve.
“Hi,” everyone but Axel said, he’d gone stiff upon her arrival as well.
“Jackie’s upstairs,” I told her, trying to give her the hint to go away. She nodded ignoring me.
“How’s it going Axel?” she asked.
“Good,” he said his voice clearly uninterested. He finished his last bite of cake and then got up to clear the dirty dishes. I helped him and followed to keep Ashley away from him, he was mine.
“Haven’t seen you in a while,” Ashley said to him,
