DISCLAIMER: I do not own Anna and the French Kiss. :)
A/N: This is set 4 years after A&FK. This is my version of Anna meeting Mrs. St. Clair :) and this is my first one-shot
outside of Twilight (I finally grew up. Lol.) so please be gentle. Haha.
There are a few things that pop into my mind whenever I hear the word mother-in-law. 1) A bitch 2) Annoying 3) I remember the Jennifer Lopez movie Monster-in-law. I know they're practically the same but it's the truth. Some mother's are really like that but some others are not. Or maybe I just watch a lot of dramas.
The clear crystal shaped rock sparkle under the sun in my hand as I stare down to watch it. It's been an hour since I've woken up but I never want to leave this bed with an arm wrapped around my waist and the cool breath caressing the skin of my neck, making the hairs from my arm stand up.
Cue the Maroon 5 song.
I shifted my body to face the sleeping man beside me and looked at him. Etienne St. Clair's eyes were closed, his hair sticking in other directions. I giggled softly and ran a hand through his perfect hair. The hair that lured me in when I first saw him in SOAP.
Sometimes, I kinda want to give my father a present for him sending me to Paris.
UGH. NEVER.
Etienne groaned and his eyes opened, blinking for a few seconds to adjust from the glare of the sun. And then his brown ones meet mine. He kissed me softly and then pulled away. I whimper from the lost of contact. He just freaking laughed.
"Morning, Banana." Etienne greeted, caressing the side of my face. I leaned into his touch. His British accent still gets me and I need to control my breathing for that. I. Am. So. Lame.
"Morning, St. Clair." I said, imitating his accent.
Etienne cocked an eyebrow then lunged to tickle me. We stayed in our room and we never want to stay behind doors.
It's funny that I'm with St. Clair for four years and I've never even met his mom. Sure, we talk on the phone and send e-mails but because of my busy schedule and her work, we don't have the time to see each other.
But now, my hands are starting to sweat. Great.
The terms about the word mother-in-law that I said a while ago does not exist when it comes to Etienne's mother.
She was a sweet woman who loves her son very much and she's happy that we're together. I remember the time when I was my life was in the drama stage where break-ups, cheating and fighting are often around, Etienne's mother is very supportive of our friendship and was so glad that we were together even though we do not know each other very much.
Etienne wrapped an arm around me and guided us to his mother's flat.
Take a deep breath, Anna. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.
"Would you just calm down, Anna?" Etienne asked, grinning at the fact that I'm being jumpy when meeting his "mum".
"Shut up, St. Clair." I retorted, bumping my shoulder to his. He just rolled his eyes and kissed my stripe.
We entered the flat and then I finally saw Susan St. Clair.
She had a dark blonde hair that is tied like a bun at the back of her hair. She had thick glasses that covers her beautiful brown eyes. The lines on her face are minimum and she was holding a tray of cookies.
It feels like this whole scene is from a cheesy movie.
"Mum!" St. Clair shouted, still like a baby, and moved towards his mother. He wrapped his arms around her and rocks her slightly back and forth. I never doubt my fiancee's love for his mother.
"Etienne, my darling." Susan, Mrs. St. Clair, mom (I don't know what to call her) said. Then she meets my gaze.
"Anna," She smiles and hugs me. I was taken aback and Etienne just laughed at the expression on my face.
Her hugs are just like Etienne's. It's inviting.
Etienne's snore can be heard from the kitchen. My poor St. Clair is exhausted. I am helping Susan or Mrs. St. Clair or mom
(I still don't know what to call her) in the kitchen after our dinner. Like a perfect future daughter-in-law would do but I'm seriously not going to follow that guide. I just want to be myself. And what I'm doing IS really me.
"Anna, I have to tell you something." Etienne's mom's voice echoed through the flat and I jumped.
"What is it, Mrs. St. Clair?" I asked formally. I. Suck. Bad.
She just laughed. "Just mom, dear. You ARE going to be my daughter in the next month."
I blushed and she continued. "I know that you and my son have known each other for a long time..."
Okay, what is she trying to say? I'm starting to sweat again. Gosh.
"...and I know that you love each other so much..."
Please stop with the stalling. It's creeping me out.
"...but please never forget to look out for him."
My breathing stopped and my eyes widened. "Um, what?" I dumbly asked.
"I'm just trying to say that you guys should never forget to look out for each other." My second mom said. I'm still too stunned to speak.
She cleared her voice. "Etienne's father and I were never really on good terms when he started to lose his mind to work.
He forgot about his family and all he cares about is the money from work."
"He's a workaholic." I finally found my voice but it's still crackly.
She shook her head. "Not just workaholic but an alcoholic too. I never told Etienne this - and please do not tell this to him - that his father sometimes... beats me up. Not something major but pushing me to the ground and to the wall is the major things he would do.
"I keep on waiting for the time that he's going to clear up his messed-up head and restart our marriage again. I know there's a part of me and a part of him that still cares for each other but it's all buried deep inside. I know it sounds disturbing to ever love a man like him but it's just it, I just can't believe that it will turn into something like this.
"I've now accepted the truth, you know. There's never going to be us anymore. It's not going to be a fairytale ending that I hoped for when I was a little girl. But I have my son Etienne. He's the most precious part in our relationship. He's the only one." Her voice cracked in the end.
I didn't know that we were already crying. Damn.
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, wiping my tears.
She wipes hers too. "It's because I don't want you to end up like me and Etienne's father. He forgot to look out for me."
I smiled and hugged my mother. "Thank you for telling me this. It means a lot."
"You're welcome. It actually feels good to let it all out." She chuckled.
Then right on time, I heard St. Clair yawn.
"Hey... have you guys been bonding?" He asked, a smile on his face.
"Not really," I said sarcastically. He went to hug me and lift me into his arms. I cried for him to stop because it tickles but he just keeps on laughing.
He finally set me down and whispered into my ear, "I love you." Soft enough for only me to hear.
"Je taime, Etienne." I said back. Studying in a French place could let you do that.
I saw from the corner of my eye Susan St. Clair smile.