I ran upstairs as quickly as I could once I heard that doorbell. Well, not exactly, but Spencer said that we would be in her old bedroom so I ran up to go find it. I wasn't exactly ready to meet her entire fucking family yet. I was still jet- lagged for Christ's sake. I didn't want to be meeting my in laws in a grumpy mood anyhow. First impressions are scarce. They're crucial to every relationship, no matter how small. You never forget that kind of thing. I'm not going to fuck that up.

But right now, we're in Spencer's old bedroom unpacking and silently arguing for a reason I can't decipher.

"Thanks for telling me that I was going to meet your entire family today Spencer," I rolled my eyes, taking off my hoodie. She made a shocked face while she did the same. "Could have at least warned me."

"I didn't know," She sat on the bed to untie her shoes. "I wouldn't have set you up like that. You can just stay up here and sleep if you want."

"No," I stood up, facing her. She looked up at me, her eyebrow arched. "Are you ready for this?"

She chuckled, straightening out my clothes. She'd make a good wife. No, the best wife. "Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll never be."

I leaned down to kiss her- just to feel her security and faith around me- but the door opened, which sent me flying across the room so whoever opened it couldn't see. I could see Spencer huffing and puffing in panic where she stood.

"Spencer!" The lady at the door ran in and gave Spencer, who now just looked completely overwhelmed, a big hug. Spencer hugged her back happily, while looking at me over the lady's shoulder. "I didn't think you'd be here!"

"Of course I'd be here," Spencer pulled back, scratching her head awkwardly. I could tell that she was probably trying to make up a story in her head. She always scratches her head amongst doing so. "I couldn't miss my little Holly's birthday."

"She's missed you," the lady smiled. She had a sweet smile. A genuine, kind smile. Arthur's smile. She looked at me. "This must be Ashley."

Spencer raised her eyebrow, "You know?"

"Well yeah Spence," the lady stood in front of me, still smiling her face off. I smiled at her, taking one of the hands from behind my back away. She looked back at Spencer for a brief second and started whispering, "I do read the tabloids and all, and might I add that you did a great job picking a looker!"

Spencer laughed, "Well you know me."

"Hi I'm Ashley," I finally spoke, sticking my hand out for a shake. She just looked at my hand like it was diseased.

She looked back up at me, "Honey, we don't shake hands here. At least, not with me."

She opened her arms up, still smiling, and wrapped me up in a hug. I was too shocked to say anything, so I just hugged her back. I didn't expect Spencer's family to be so... accepting.

"I'm Spencer's Aunt Amanda," she smiled at me when she pulled away, her hands holding my forearms so I wouldn't go anywhere. "I'm Arthur's sister. Holly's mom."

"It's lovely to meet you," I smiled. "Where is your daughter? I'd like to tell her happy birthday sometime today."

Amanda's face brightened. I smiled at that. "Oh well, she's downstairs. Why don't you go look for her? She has a crown and everything. I've got to talk to my niece here anyway."

I smiled, nodding. I looked back at Spencer to check if it was okay. She nodded, smiling at me, so I left. As I opened the door to leave, I could faintly hear Amanda telling Spencer about what good a pick I seemed to be.

That only made me want to live up to that.

I sighed once I was on the other side of the door. To say hello to this little girl, I would have to go downstairs into a whole floor full of Spencer's family. Plus, I'm sure that they already know who I am and aren't very too fond of me for 'influencing' their precious Spencer to a life of sin.

"Fuck it," I sighed, walking down the stairs and started praying to the random crosses on the walls that Glen, or somebody, was here.

I don't know how, but I ended up in the kitchen. Surprisingly, no one was there. Everyone was outside at the pool. Luckily, no one saw me come down- hell, no one saw me at all- so I just sighed, standing in the kitchen, alone, leaning on the refrigerator.

"Who are you?"

I looked down to where the voice came from. A little girl, about eight, stood in front of me with a crown and smile on her face.

I smiled, "You must be Holly."

"That's scary."

I made a face, "What is?"

"How you know my name and I have no idea who you are."

I smiled, I like this kid. I leaned down to her level, "Well you're the birthday girl. Everyone knows the birthday girl. Happy birthday, Holly. I'm Ashley."

She nodded, smiling at me. "Where's my present?"

I smiled, looking down at everything I had at the moment. I didn't have anything that appealing to an 8 year old. I looked down at my wrist, "Well I can give you this bracelet my sister gave me. It's 100% made out of recyclable material, so probably saved about 4 polar bears with this bad boy."

I took the weird tribal looking bracelet off my wrist and slid in on hers. She looked like it was the coolest thing on Earth, which made me happy because only 8 years old think like that nowadays.

I hope Kyla won't mind.

"I saw you on a magazine Mommy showed me," I looked up at her while she continued; "You were with Spencer."

"Well yeah," I nodded, "Spencer and I are very good friends."

"Mommy said you two are together. Like boyfriend and girlfriend together."

I gulped, "Well, what do you think about that, birthday girl?"

She shrugged, "Girls can love girls too. I love all my girlfriends!"

I chuckled, nodding. This kid is cute. "Oh, really? I'm sure they love you too."

"They do," she broke out into a smile. "They're all here. You can meet them if you want."

"I'll be looking forward to it," I smiled. Well, at least it won't be that awkward for me now. Or maybe even more awkward? Hanging out with a bunch of 8 year olds? Well, at least I got someone on my side.

"You know when I said girls can love girls too?" She asked, looking down at me.

"Mhm."

"Well, you need to promise me something, okay?"

I nodded, smiling. "Anything."

She stuck out her pinky, which I happily enlaced with mine.

"I get to be the flower girl at you and Spencer's wedding."

I laughed, "That's a guarantee."

A wedding with my two favorite Carlins.

Holly brought me out to the pool area after that. It was a bit awkward for me, because I got random stares at multiple people. Having this being a kid's party, I shouldn't be surprised that Holly's friend's parents' decided to show up, which made it even worse, but at the same time better because I know that I'm not the only one here without the surname. I ended up sitting in a corner on a lawn chair by the bar by myself, staring at the little kids having fun.

Creeper alert.

"You look like you're having fun," an old man sat down on the lawn chair next to me. He wasn't that old, about 70 or so. He looked happy going. He looked like an older version of Arthur. He stuck his hand out for me to shake. "I'm Arthur Senior."

"I'm Ashley," I shook his hand. Now I'm meeting Spencer's grandpa. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"I know who you are," He smiled at me, leaning back on his chair. I immediately tensed, force of habit, because this was Spencer's family and definitely something that I didn't want to fuck up with. "Don't worry; I'm not going to spray you with holy water or anything."

I nodded, relaxing a bit. "Does everyone know?"

He shrugged, "Pretty much, yes."

I looked down at my hands, "Are you okay with it, sir?"

He looked at me, not smiling anymore. "To be honest with you," I gulped. This sentence cannot end well. "I want what's best for my granddaughter."

I nodded, "I understand."

"I love her to bits and pieces," He cleared his throat, looking back at the children for a bit. "I want what's best for her, you know?"

"As do I."

He looked over at me, "You planning on marrying the girl?"

"I do," I nodded, looking down at my hands. I looked over at where the food was, to find Spencer and another lady (probably one of her Aunt's) talking. "I mean... If Spencer wanted to spend the rest of her life with me, yeah. If your son would give me the honor, then yes. I would marry her in a second."

"Well at least Spencer has found an old fashioned gentlemen uh, gal," He smiled at me. I chuckled. "But no."

I tensed again. I could feel my heartbeat going up. "Excuse me, sir?"

"No shotgun wedding for my granddaughter," He shook his head. "You're going to give her the best, right?"

"Everything I can give."

He nodded, looking over at his love. I could tell that that had to be his wife because of the way he looked at her. He looked... in awe. "That's my wife over there."

I looked over at where he was gesturing. There stood a woman looking just about his age, hugging Spencer.

"I spent 60 years of my life with her," He smiled proudly. "I met her when I was 10. I still love her just the same though."

I smiled. I wondered if Spencer and I would still be together when we were 70. If she could still stand to be around me. If I could stop fucking up by then. If I could really give her the best.

"How long have you known with Spencer?"

"4 years, sir."

"How long have you been in love with her?"

"4 years, sir."

He smiled, "Can you picture your life with her when you both are 70?"

I chuckled. I actually could. "Yes, I could."

His smile widened. "Well... get on with it. Tell me."

I laughed, "I don't know, really. I just know that... It'll feel so amazing just to be able to call her my wife."

He smiled. I sat there, thinking about it while staring at Spencer for a bit.

"I can picture myself waking up one morning and smiling once I see her lying next to me. I already do that now, but I like that she's got a ring on her finger now. Now I know. And then I'll kiss her cheek and go make her breakfast in bed. She'll eat while I read, and she'll watch the news. After that, our kids will come over and visit without us having to ask them to because Spencer will be such a good mom that they want to visit," I nodded, smiling slightly. That sounds right. "Then when they leave, she'll hug them a bit longer than most hugs and she'll tear up while she watched them drive away with pride. I'll tell her about how well she did with everything and we'll fall asleep together, still in awe and still in love."

I nodded, thinking about it. That was it. That was our future. That would make me happy. I could make her happy.

Grandpa Arthur nodded his head at me, smiling at me. He patted my shoulder, "You should stick around."

My smile brightened. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Hello," Spencer jumped in front of us, with Arthur Senior's wife. I looked over at Arthur Senior, who seemed to brighten up. I smiled at her, while she did the same to me. "Everything going well?"

"Everything is going perfect," Arthur Senior smiled. "Martha love, this is Spencer's love."

Spencer's grandma Martha smiled at me. "I've heard."

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am."

"Everyone sit down!" Arthur Senior smiled. "We can all talk about everything."

I chuckled. Arthur Senior is officially another one of my favorite Carlins. Spencer laughed as well, looking at me. I smiled back.

She looks beautiful today. She always does.

The lady that Spencer was previously talking to before came up, smiling at Spencer and Grandma Martha. Once she got close and saw me, she looked at Spencer.

"What the hell is she doing here?"

I sighed, while Arthur Senior sighed with me.

I knew something just had to fuck everything up.