A Life Plan Without You. (18 page)

“Is that you Michelle, what do you want?” Mum was in the
kitchen.

“Yes Mum, nothing thanks.” Edible food would be a nice
surprise? Nope, doing laundry again. What a pity she couldn’t cook
half as good as she did that, if she did then we would be eating
like kings every night if she did. Had she actually heard all that,
I would be running for the door. She had a great aim with that shoe
of hers and boy did it hurt.

“I thought you were at church today?”

“No mother, it was a joke, you know the hahaha thing? I
figured it was too early to introduce Sam to the wrath of God at
Gram’s church. Thanks for letting him know about me and seeing the
others. That was not something he needed to know, why did you do it
Mum?”

“Well as soon as he sees for himself you’re a nutter the
quicker he finishes with you, it’s only going to end in tears, what
does a lad as old as him want with you? Is he using you to have,
you know, is he just using you for sex?”

“No Mum, we are not having sex. Why are you being such a bitch
to me Mum? Please don’t bother taking your shoe off, I may chuck
the next one on the bloody roof because I’m a little bit old to be
slippered Mother. Why do you think I only deserve bad things to
happen to me? Don’t answer that I know because the bloody answer is
always the chuffing same, because of me your life was ruined. I
didn’t ask to be born and that is getting to be a bloody old
scratched record, if you don’t like it leave, or tell Dad to leave,
if your life is so shit change it but stop blaming everyone else
for how your life is now.” Oh did I really just say all that to
Mummy Dearest, I must have done, she stopped taking her shoe off
mid-aim.

She was starting on the slaughter of dinner now, having told
me to leave it to her, I did and thank God I wasn’t eating it. I
went into front room dreading it because Dad was there deep breath.
Onward Christian Soldiers was playing in the head again, the bass
drum getting louder. I walked into front room and Dad and Grandpa
are talking and Grandma was busy knitting.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were coming… I would have got up if I’d
known you were here, are you here for long?” I rushed over to kiss
Gramps and sat on the arm of the chair next to Grams, she smiled up
at me over her glasses. Mum has told them all about Sam…
Bummer.

“What times half past twelve to be getting up anyway young
lady, that’s half the day wasted, we’re here for the day, we’ve
looked at a house here near Uncle Michaels and we like it, so we
have decided to come back home.” Bugger it they are moving from
Hambleton, damn it, I love that place. Grams had stopped knitting
and I looked at the clock, shit Sam would be here soon and knowing
him bloody early and unaware of the ambush that lay in
wait.

“I wasn’t wasting it Grams. I was regenerating for the
upcoming battle. I was out with a friend until late and I had been
rushed of my feet at work and needed to sleep, sorry.” Dad looked
up from the paper.

“Does this friend have a name then?” The battle had
commenced.

“Yes Dad he is called Samuel Todd.” Gramps turn next, shitting
hell they’re working like a well-oiled tag team.

“What does Sam do for a living?” I really am going to kill Mum
later.

“He is an apprentice architect, Gramps. He works and he
studies at the local university too.” Come on the wheels were
turning now.

“Good thing apprenticeships, they lead to good jobs. Now how
old would he be then this Sam?” I will not lie, because I hate
liars with a passion.

“He would be twenty two Gramps.” With that there was a knock
at the door. “He’s here, so play nice you lot or there’ll be more
than a few a few Missy-fits and you don’t want to upset me, not
today. Mum has already had her shoe threatened with being thrown on
the roof and if she chucks it at me again, she will need new shoes
Dad!” They were grinning, now mother had joined them too! Her shoe
now firmly back on her foot. I got up to answer the door. Here he
was my lamb to the slaughter. He looked hot too, I couldn’t resist
the kiss, he groaned as I pulled away and he smiled.

“Sorry about this Sam but you’re before the full family court,
not just Mum and Dad.” He looked gorgeous black jeans, white linen
shirt and leather jacket and thank the lord, good he has on clean
shoes. That would be the first thing Gramps would look at. He
looked puzzled.

“What, Mi cielo?” I pointed to the front room door and I
cringed.

“My family would like to meet you, and I'm sorry you can’t get
out of it, if you want to see me.”

“Of course I want to see you and more. So let’s get this over
with, will I be all right?” I laughed, he gave me a very quick
kiss, and perhaps he thought my parents would catch him?

“You will be fine, just don’t lie when you answer the
questions, because Dad has a habit of finding out if you do, he has
eyes everywhere and remember keep calm, thank you angel and good
luck!” Another kiss given as he ummed into it! He followed me into
the front room for introductions. He was shaking, he was actually
afraid, awe bless.

“This is my dad, Michael. That’s my Grandpa James, that’s my
Grandma Maria. You’re sitting next to my mum Susan, sit down
please, this everyone is Samuel Todd, but he prefers Sam.” True to
form Gramps was checking his shoes. He always says you can tell a
lot about a man from the shoes they wear, Sam’s would pass
muster.

“It's so nice to meet you all.” He shook their hands in turn,
Dad smiles as he shook and grabbed his hand tightly.

“Would you like a drink Sam?” Dad asked. I think he was
scaring Sam on purpose.

“That would be nice thanks.” He looked so uncomfortable, yet
was still smiling at me.

“Do you all want one?” I asked four more yeses.

“Right give me your jacket Sam I’m on cafe duty again. Please
sit Sam.” Mum followed me into the kitchen she could have given me
the heads up. I put his coat over the back room sofa and went to do
the drinks.

I did as I was told by her mother, she was most insistent
that I was to be there for one, so I headed to Michelle’s. It’s my
turn to meet the in-laws. She looked so frightened when she
answered the door. Her kisses savoured, if this fails there will be
no more. I gulped my last breath as I entered the front room. Holy
hell it’s a full house of grinning relatives, I sat between her
Gramps and mum, whilst Gramps looked down at my shoes, opps too
much the Italian handmade shoes perhaps?

Wow, I can’t get over how she looks so like her dad and
Gramps! Now I’m being looked over, like a lost lamb being cornered
by a pack of hungry wolves all baying for my blood, nerves aside
let the sweating begin! Having never met a girlfriends parents
before let alone her grandparents too, this is a little off
putting, but a task I will gladly do if I get to keep seeing
Michelle, her mother slipped out and back in again, just in time
for me to me be seen to be playing with the ratty looking dog, it
really was ugly in a cute sort of way? I laughed inside Michelle
was right, Tilly was a rat dawg. Mr Welles senior speaks! I think
he is the head of house, and he is the one she loves the most, he
loves her too, his face lights up when he sees her and when she
sees him she too smiles, it’s sweet to see!

“Sam, what are your intentions towards my Granddaughter?”
Shit, I wasn’t expecting that one.

“Jim, leave him alone you’ll frighten him off.” I smiled.
Thank you Grandma Welles, only two days in and I’m already being
asked what my intentions are. I know what I want eventually! I want
to be asking their permission to marry her but I will have to
convince Missy that she wants it too, but I somehow I feel a very
tough time is a head of me in getting her to agree to
it!

“Making sure she is always treated properly, that is my first
priority! I don’t know really, what is expected of me? Have no
fears she will always be treated with respect and kindness. I think
she is too headstrong a girl to take any rubbish from me, not that
I would do! I have a mother who thinks she is wonderful, and have
been warned she is to be treated properly, but she didn’t have to
warn me, take that as a given, that she will be and will want for
nothing. I’ve never done this thing before and well it’s a bit new
to me having a proper girlfriend, but I promise to look after her
properly.” I can’t tell them anything more other than that, I do
want to respect her and treat her right.

“Well Sam see you do she is my little girl and well, watch
your step lad.” I will Grandpa Welles.

“I’d hate to have to break your legs lad.” Erg right Mr
Welles noted, don’t mess with Michelle or legs broke got that, I
hope I didn’t just gulp then, because her father is laughing, the
tight hand shake earlier was a killer grab, too!

“I don’t intend doing anything to make her, or her family
unhappy, she really is my first priority, that and keeping her
safe.” Oh, and I want to marry her too. Nope leave that for another
week!

“I would have appreciated a warning that the firing squad had
arrived.”

“They arrived an hour ago.” I dreaded the questions he could
be facing in there, but couldn’t do anything in here kettles never
go quickly when you’re in a hurry.

“Can you pass me a tray please Mother, are you re-joining the
firing squad too?” She was already in there, shit when did she
sneak out? All I needed now was Becky and JJ, to complete the set.
The band had just stuck up my favourite tune, let battle commence,
into battle I go. I had the tray full of mugs and a plate of
biscuits. Opened the door with my bum and in I went, Sam was in the
middle of Mum and Gramps smiling, bugger it they have questioned
him, because Gramps is giving me the thumbs up. They were all
chatting, as if they had known him forever.

I laugh as she returns, opening the door with that bum of
hers and her tray filled with drinks, her backside, that backside
attached to those legs, the legs I want wrapped around me tightly,
don’t perv at the sexy girlfriend, in front of the right hook,
there would be more than broken legs if he knew what I wanted to do
with my Michelle! Bring on the questions then, they can’t be worse
than that last ones, surely?

My Sam was charming the pants off them. Clever man, my man
Sam, drinks distributed as I plonked myself by Grams chair, sitting
in the window and looking at my lamb, who is about to be fed to the
hungry lions.

“So Sam, what do you do for a living then.” I shot dad that
look, bugger him I had already told him what he did. He smiled at
me and he knew I was going to flip with him later. My dad was so
predictable with my friends, but a boyfriend this was new territory
for both of us. Becks had fellas hanging on her arm all the time,
this though was totally new ground for him, me and Sam, it felt
different for some reason. Dad was smiling as Gramps listened and
Grams carried on knitting, listening and looking up at Sam and
smiling.

“Mr Welles, I’m an apprentice architect and go to the uni, one
day a week, I hope to be qualified this year, and then I’m doing a
full time university course, to hopefully land a better job and
better prospects for later.” He had held his own and Gramps was
nodding his head in approval. Two in his pocket already.

“How did you meet our Michelle then?” Oh grandma, a killer
blow, this would be fun would I have to help him?

“I take dance classes and met her there. I have a works do
coming up and its proper dancing, so I took a couple of classes.”
Phew if only they knew.

“Oh, I do like a man who can dance, hear that Jim he can
dance, Michelle dances very well, she and her sister have been
dancing for years Sam, and I like to show her off at the tower when
she comes to see us.”

He’s nods at Grams and agrees with her, great he’s on a roll
three for three. How would mum screw it up for me? He charmed her
without speaking as he was stroking Tilly. Mum had noticed and
smiled over at him. All of them, very nicely done. They like his
mother did to me, they had wheedle information out of him, dad does
know his father, and Sam sighs asking not to judge him on his
father. Dad says he ever judges people until he knows them, which
makes Sam sigh. I’m curious though, what’s the problem with his
father, I'll soon find out I suppose?

“Well if you’ve all finished your drinks. I’ll take your cups
and we have friends to meet, so have to be going, has he passed the
interview then?” Sam threw me a look.

“Yes, he has.” That came from Gramps so good because dad can’t
over rule him. I returned with my jacket on, I handed Sam
his.

“You’re welcome back any time Sam, just watch out for my
daughter and you will be fine, she isn’t to get drunk, and no late
stop outs, that I don’t know about before you do take her out. I
have people who, sorry for this, want to get at me through my
beautiful daughter, and I hold you responsible for her safety
whilst she’s in your company.”

“Will do, keeping her safe is my number one priority, thanks
for the coffee, nice meeting you all, see you all again.” With
that, I hurried out dragging Sam with me.

“I am so sorry, they were all in there when I got up and well,
you knocked on the door and well the rest of the nightmare you sat
through, I nearly choked at the how you met me one. Good job
really, I’m sure they didn’t want to know you are a super stalker
and deflowerer of their daughter and granddaughter.” I’d made him
laugh again.