"Zoe- Zo, stop fretting! It's gonna be fine." Max soothed his girlfriend as they drove to "Ciao Italiana", ready for a meal with Max's mother. The consultant was more than nervous; this was her first meeting with any of Max's family other than Robyn and her stomach was full of butterflies.
"I'm not fretting, what are you talking about?" She scoffed, eyes widening slightly as she turned to look out of the window.
"Nice try- you're doing that thing you always do with your hands. Always gives it away." He grinned, glancing down to where her manicured nails dug in and out of her palms. She immediately stopped and crossed her arms instead.
"Why couldn't we have had this meal at home? Rather than some Italian restaurant 4 miles out of our way that someone on TripAdvisor rated "so unsatisfactory I have no words to describe it"." She muttered. Her boyfriend rolled his eyes.
"If someone on that beloved website of yours told you to jump off a cliff, would you do it?" He asked, and sighed when he got no response.
"Zo this meal means a lot to me. Mum's been asking to meet you since Robyn posted that picture on Facebook the day we kissed in reception. We'll get through it, and who knows- maybe you'll like her? You and her do have a few things in common you know."
Zoe pulled down the mirror from above her head and got her make-up purse out of her bag.
"Like what?" She asked, picking up an eyeshadow palette and cursing herself as she realised her hands were shaking. Zoe Hanna didn't do "meeting the family" shakes- or, just "meeting the family" really.
Max gestured to the bag on her knee.
"Well you both like your make-up for starters, though, mum probably does like hers a little too much. And you're both fond of your heels too! She's very proud of her Loubouitons-"
The consultant cut him off, midway through her lipstick.
"-how dare you, you know they're more Connie's preference. But I'll forgive you for that. Go on."
"Also you're both… strong willed." He grinned, pulling into a carpark next to a dimly lit building.
"Are you saying I'm bossy?" His girlfriend exclaimed as the engine went off. "Well actually thinking about it, yeah I get what you're saying." Her head scanned the car park before settling on a lone woman stood by the entrance, peering over their way.
"That's her!" Max sighed inwardly as he turned to face his passenger. "Ready to meet the whirlwind that is Ms Greta Miller?"
"As ready as I'll ever be I suppose." She raised her head and smiled. "Let's go."
The two got out of the car and winced as the bitter wind hit them. For the middle of June, it couldn't half get cold. They reached the steps to the restaurant in no time, and before he knew it, Greta had pulled Max into a huge hug.
"Hello my handsome man! Good god, you must have grown at least 4 inches since I last saw you!" She beamed, her whole face lighting up. She was in her mid-50's, with medium dusty brown hair and a kindly face painted with make-up. Max was right, Zoe thought, putting on a smile as the lady turned to her. She really was a fan of the ol' concealer.
"You must be Zoe! It's a pleasure to meet you honey, I'm Greta Miller- but you just call me Greta. Max talks about you so much!" She exclaimed, startling the younger woman by pulling her in for a hug too. The floppy haired porter stifled a laugh at Zoe's alarmed face, before holding open the doors for the two women.
…
Once they were seated and had ordered their meal, Greta put her head on her chin and looked directly at Zoe.
"So, tell me about yourself honey- what's your job, any family etc?" She raised her eyebrows hopefully. "Grand-kids for me some day, perhaps?"
Max's eyes widened and he avoided his girlfriend's gaze as she took a much needed sip of her wine.
"My life is- really, boring." She half laughed nervously. "You don't want to hear me banging on about that. Tell me about you! What do you work as?" She asked in a desperate bid to change the direction of the conversation. Children wasn't the best topic for a first meeting. However, the woman seemed determined to interrogate her possible daughter-in-law.
"No no, don't be silly- please, tell." Her warm smile caused a small, internal sigh from Zoe before she began to talk.
"Well I'm a consultant at Holby ED, as I'm sure Max will have told you. My mother lives up in Liverpool and my father isn't with us anymore. I don't have any sisters or brothers." She took another sip from her glass and shot a desperate look over the rim at Max. He just pulled a face.
"And children?" Greta prompted. Instead of speaking, Zoe just shook her head.
"She can't have them." Max interrupted gently. This earned him a warning, yet thankful gaze from the consultant. The woman didn't seem to mind however, and she looked to her son with a grin.
"Ah well, nature's will and all that. Guess I'll have to rely on Robyn-Bobbin for grand kids. Though, that isn't looking very likely either, going by her Facebook…" She mused, slipping into her thoughts for a few moments before shaking her head slightly.
"Sorry honey, I drift off sometimes. Getting old." She winked, and Zoe instantly protested.
"Don't be ridiculous!" She frowned, but the woman shook her attempt at flattery away with the wave of a hand.
"Oh have away with you. I might be getting old but I still remember Max's childhood as if he were only 7 yesterday. Did he ever tell you the story of the leek when he was 8?" She asked, and instantly the porter's head fell into his hands.
"Please mum, no." He groaned. "We're about to eat, she doesn't want to know about that."
"Oh I think I do?" Zoe questioned, a small smile spreading across her face. Max just shook his head.
"Seriously, you don't."
"Well he had just gone into year 3 and he was friends with this little odd ball called Ben- sweet thing he was but really strange. Couldn't quite put my finger on why… Anyway, one day little Maximillian came home-"
"-I asked you to stop calling me that years ago!" He exclaimed, looking up and cheeks reddening as Zoe laughed, her wine sloshing from side to side in her glass.
"-and told me that little Ben had told him you could boil an egg in your butt hole." She carried on, raising her eyebrows and shot a smile at her son, who promptly groaned and put his head back in his hands.
"I told him that was ridiculous because an egg wouldn't even fit up there! He went off in a huff and stormed to his room. Next thing I knew it was half past 11 at night and someone was screaming in the kitchen. I ran downstairs and what did I find? Little Max with a snapped leek stuck up his touchie. Screaming blue murder he was, honestly- I'm surprised the neighbours didn't call the police!"
By this point Zoe was laughing, her eyes glittering as she watched her boyfriend's head sink lower and lower to the table.
"And that is the story of the leek. Spread to whomever you wish." She winked and Max's head shot up.
"Mum- stop!" The woman just laughed, rubbing his arm.
"I'm only messing darling, you know that."
A few seconds later their food arrived, and they settled down to eat.
…
"I think if I ate another bite I'd explode." Max sat back, rubbing his stomach. Zoe and Greta had both left the last bits of their pasta and pushed their plate away too.
"I take back any doubts I had about this place." The consultant confirmed, looking round. "It's alright."
"I told you!" He grinned, watching as she smiled and topped up her wine glass. There was something about her smile that brought his knees to jelly every time he saw it; she looked so radiant, so happy and carefree it just filled him head to toe with love.
Greta watched her son out of the corner of her eye, and it was at that moment that she knew. She knew Zoe was the woman for him; she'd never seen the man so in love before, it was almost like seeing a whole new person.
When it was time to go, Greta stood with Zoe whilst Max brought their car round to the entrance, saving her walking all the way across the car park in a short dress and 3'C wind.
"You know, he's totally smitten with you." The older woman commented, watching the car start up with a cloud of heat escaping from the engine.
"I know." Zoe smiled, clutching her hand bag. "Trust me."
"If you two ever decide to get married then I'd be more than happy to give you my blessing. You would make a lovely married couple and an even better daughter-in-law."
The brunette's breath caught in her throat; no-one had ever said anything like that to her before.
"Thank you Greta. It- it means a lot." She winked as the car pulled up and Max got out to say goodbye to his mother.
"See you mum, drive safe. Well, the nearest you can get- I know what your driving's like." He grinned as the woman slapped him playfully on the arm.
"Bye- it was lovely meeting you. You should come over for drinks sometime?" Zoe asked, going in for a hug.
"That would be nice honey, thank you." They broke apart and Greta's eyes softened when she looked at them side by side, going down the steps together.
"Your dad would have been proud." She said quietly to herself, waving as they got in the car and drove away into the night.