11. Unexpected Questions


Phil adjusted his tie and looked in the mirror once more, he made sure he looked his best. He had faced many court cases where the judge was as cold and as scrutinizing as they came and he faced him/her with a determined face and he wouldn't dare to looked scared or flustered, always managing to look fearless.

But tonight he wasn't meeting a cold-hearted judge in front of other people and he wasn't defending anyone who was going to jail, or anyone who was fighting for someone else to go to jail, or whatever the case was. No, tonight he was doing something much worse, so life risking.

Vaguely he recalled his trip to the mountains with Colt and this paled in comparison in so many ways. Sure the mountains had lions that could have possibly turned him into their next meal but he wasn't even scared then. Now, he was putting his own life on the line.

And for what?

For a 95 pounder who was a tad nuts?

"Phil!"

He looked up and saw A.J walking into their room with a smile, "you ready, yet?"

She was wearing a simple sundress and he couldn't help but think she looked beautiful with her hair curled and her light make-up. A.J wasn't superficial and that's what he liked most about her, he gave a slow nod and approached her slowly.

"Hmph," she giggled, "you looked awfully nervous."

"Why wouldn't I be?" he frowned, "you do realize what we're doing tonight, right?"

"Phil, you're being ridiculous," she laughed, "we aren't going into a cage full of hungry lions."

"Oh no, but I wish we were," he sighs, "sweetheart, what we're doing pales in comparison."

"Stop being such a wuss," she laughed, "you face all these really mean judges who actually judge and you're over here telling me you can't face this one thing without freaking out?"

"You don't get it," he frowns

"I get it, you're a big scardy cat," she laughs taking her hand in his

"If I die-"

"Then I'm sure my dad will be glad," she smirks

He frowns, "not funny."

"So you say," she winks, "now let's go."

"No," he shakes his head, "cancel, I've changed my mind."

"Look, Punk, we're just having dinner at my parents place," she snarls, "don-"

"I'm not ready to meet your parents," he tells her because if they're anything like you, I'm officially screwed

"Come now," she smiles, "I'll hold your hand if you're scared."

He frowns at her words as they walk out, "I hate you sometimes."

"Eh," she shrugs, "the feeling is mutual."


He's seated next to A.J and her dad is at the head of the table, his wife next to him on his left side, A.J on his right. Her brother, Scott is seated next to him and his wife next to him. He notices her other brother is missing and he wonders why.

"Where's Michael?" A.J asks her father

"Running a bit late," her dad answers, "his girlfriend is pregnant, things get harder."

"So this is the three-year boyfriend, April?" Scott smirks, "Why are you barely introducing us."

"Because," she frowns, "butt off, Scott."

"Nice to meet you, man," Scott laughs, "I'm Scott and she's my wife Amy."

"Nice to meet you," the blond-haired woman smiles brightly

He shakes Scott's hand and mutters a quick, "nice to meet you too."

"So," her father begins, "why are you dating our daughter and why have you only made your presence known until now?"

Phil frowns, and so the torture begins, "I'm dating your daughter because I love her, and as for the second question, A.J never mentioned you until now."

"Oh she didn't?" her father returns his gaze to her and he hears A.J mutter a small "traitor" to him, "Why is that, April?"

Before she can answer, Michael and his girlfriend walk in, and he notices the small bump on her stomach. She wearing a very large grin at the sight and he waves before introducing himself and is girlfriend to him. He teases A.J on her lack of growing since the last time he saw her and she snears and tells him she saw him and Scott for lunch last weekend.

Their food is brought out shortly and they begin to eat, everything is quiet a few questions are thrown his way and then some to A.J's brothers. They don't seem to be too intimidated by their dad and he suddenly envies them.

"So tell me," her mother starts, "are we expecting a marriage soon."

A.J coughs and shakes her head furiously before snapping at her, "mother."

"What?" she smiles innocently, "it's only natural after dating for three years."

"Don't be so absurd," A.J scoffed, "things will happen and that's that."

"And how about children?" her mother asked brightly

At this he noticed the color drain from A.J's face, he almost laughed, well if her father wasn't staring him down and her mother wasn't looking at him with hopeful eyes. He cleared his throat and gave a small nod.

"Um, after we're married," he told them

"So you haven't touched my daughter?" her father asks

"I hav-"

"Stop asking these embarrassing questions," A.J squeaks out, "my brothers are here and so are their ladies, leave my relationship alone."

"April," her mother smiles, "we're just being curious is all."

"Yeah well don't be," she frowns, "or at least ask normal questions, okay?"

Her mother nods, "of course, sweet pea."

A.J frowns and continues to eat and he does the same, his father moves to asking her brother's more questions and they answer really surely. Except for the question Michael got about putting a ring on the girl he was dating's finger. Michael looked slightly embarrassed and he couldn't help but notice how he resembled A.J in many ways.

The rest of dinner continued with normal questions on his profession as a lawyer, her mother would ask the occasional, 'will you be home for holidays' and 'will your work be too demanding that you can't make it to your child's birth' or well they were as normal as they could be when A.J's mother was involved. And once they were done they decided to bid their goodbye's and leave.

As A.J slipped out of the door, after kissing her father and mother goodbye and giving her brothers and their girls hugs, he was pulled back by her father. He had the most domineering expression on his face and Phil became slightly scared. He was clutching onto his shoulder really tightly and he had a sneer plastered on his lips.

"Sir?"

"Take good care of my only daughter," he tells him

"Yes sir," he nods

"If she gets knocked up before soon," he starts

And Phil is expecting a 'get married to her, son' or even the 'please make an honest woman out of her'. He's expecting A.J's father to be kind enough to let it slide, his need for grandchildren being far greater than anything else.

"I'll kill you," he ends his sentence

Phil nods slowly, "yes sir."

And with that A.J tugs him back to their side and they leave the large house. Phil is still trying to recover from the shock he got from her parents, and A.J's trying to not even think about all the awful questions her parents dared to ask Phil.

"You okay there?" she asks him once they're finally on their way home

He nods slowly,"yeah, good."

"You look pale," she comments

"I'm fine," he sighs

"Good," she giggles, "I thought you were going to be mad or something cause my dad can be a bit scary, huh?"

"Hey A.J?"

"Yeah?"

"You're meeting my parents next week," he tells her almost emotionless

She squeaks out and Phil finally smirks, so she may have won this battle but she won't win this war.

"I hate you, Phil," she huffs crossing her arms

"No you don't," he scoffs with a smirk still intact

"Asshole," she mutters

"Whatever you say, princess."


If there is no day 12 tomorrow, I apologize. I've got a very busy weekend approaching so updating will be almost impossible, but I'll try my best, okay? Lots of love - sam x