"What are you dressing up for?" Louisa asked Robbie. Then she scoffed. "Oh, yeah…tonight's your date with stupid Leslie. Give me your credit card so I can shop away my misery."

She held out her hand, but he didn't give her anything. He just continued tying his tie instead, and after it was tied, said, "Oh, I canceled with Leslie. I was thinking of taking you to dinner instead. But if you don't wanna go, that's fine. We'll stay home."

"But I made the date and everything!" Louisa complained. "It was a damn expensive restaurant. You can't just skip out!"

"I don't think you're listening to me very clearly cause you're still hung up on Leslie," Robbie told her, while taking her face in his hands. "You. Me. Restaurant. Tonight."

"So you want me to go in Leslie's place?" Louisa wanted to know. "But she's gonna be real upset when she gets here and you're nowhere in sight. Cause she doesn't she doesn't seem like the kind of woman deterred only by a simple cancellation."

"I don't care," Robbie replied. "And in the future, don't make me dinner dates with any of my old girlfriends, okay? Cause it just makes you feel unnecessarily hurt, and I hate watching you be upset. Do you like being upset?"

"No," Louisa shook her head. "I don't."

"Well, good," Robbie nodded. "We'll move on then. If you need any help getting dressed, let me know."

"I am perfectly capable of dressing myself, you naughty person!" Louisa replied and gave him a playful slap on the cheek.

"I meant if you needed help with something like your zipper," Robbie clarified. "I know I don't need to come in and dress you." He paused. "Unless you want me to. But I prefer undressing."

"Yeah, I know you do," Louisa nodded as he followed her to their bedroom and watched her rifle around for a dress.

"Go with the blue one," Robbie suggested.

"No, I wanna feel hot tonight!" Louisa shook her head and pulled out a red dress that had both a lace bodice and lace skirt. She put it on along with a cardigan, refused Robbie's offer to zip her up, then she took a few moments to curl her hair before stepping out of the bathroom and twirling around with the cardigan off for a moment, which made Robbie realize that the dress lacked a back, which is why she hadn't asked for help with her zipper.

"This good enough?" She asked.

"'Is this good enough?'" Robbie chuckled. "What a silly question. "Of course it is! Now, unless you need to do anything else, let's go to the restaurant!"

They drove there and after ordering drinks, they laughed and chatted, but it wasn't too long before the mood was broken by none other than Leslie White, who came stomping into the restaurant and right up to their table.

Robbie thought he was gonna have to send her away, but to his surprise, Louisa took charge of the situation. "What took you so long?" She asked. "I knew it would take more than just being dumped to make you go away. You wanna be dumped again in person?"

"Oh, would you go away?" Leslie scoffed. "You're nothing but a secretary. What would he want you for?"

"Well, clearly there are many good reasons," Robbie replied. "You know, since she's my date and you're not. And she's not a secretary."

"Yes, but I need specific reasons," Leslie replied.

"Because she's nice, she's pretty, she's smart, and I'm past the point in my life where I find shallow women like you attractive," Robbie told her patiently. "Louisa helped me get to that wonderful place. Now would you go away? You're wrecking our nice evening."

"Well, fine," Leslie stomped her foot. "But you're missing out, you know."

"I'm really not," Robbie chuckled. "Goodbye."

Leslie left in a huff and Louisa told Robbie, "Thank you for saying all those nice things about me. You're really sweet."

"It's not idle flattery," Robbie told her. "I didn't just say it to piss her off. It's all true. And with the way you handled her, I think I'll have to add your bravery to the list."

"Oh, it's not bravery," Louisa shrugged off the compliment. "She's hardly scary."

"Yes, but what that showed is that you're starting to realize your own worth," Robbie explained. "And that's really good!"

"Yeah, but it's not easy," Louisa replied and sipped her soda. "Would you pass me the bread, please?"

"Oh, sure," Robbie nodded and handed her the bread basket. "Here you go. What are you going to eat, do you think?"

"Fish, I believe," Louisa said as she buttered a roll. "And let me guess: you're a steak person."

"Yes," Robbie nodded. "Yes, I am. Well, the food kind, anyway."

"Ha ha, aren't you funny?" Louisa smirked.

"Yes," Robbie nodded. "I really think I am."

They lingered over dinner and shared a piece of carrot cake for dessert before heading back home and spending the rest of the night in front of the television and falling asleep on the sofa in their evening clothes.

"Hello, Robert," Gwen greeted her grandson over the phone a few days later. "When is it that you plan to introduce me to your new girlfriend?"

"I don't know if I should do that," Robbie replied. "It might be too soon. She's human, you know."

"Interesting," Gwen said. "Why in the world would you pick a human to be with?"

"Because I like her," Robbie replied firmly. "I like her very much. And whenever it is that I introduce her to you, don't you pick on her."

"Little me?" Gwen asked innocently. "I would never! I put up with all the other guttersnipes you've brought home over the years, haven't I?"

"Louisa is not a guttersnipe!" Robbie corrected. "She's perfectly lovely."

"I have to meet her sometime if you're going to be serious about her," Gwen said firmly.

"Fine," Robbie sighed. "Whatever."

"I know this might be too much too soon, but I got a call from my grandmother and she says that if you and I are gonna see each other, she has to meet you," Robbie told Louisa apologetically.

"Well, that's not a problem," Louisa replied, turned off the sink in the kitchen, and wiped her hands on her jeans. "I would love to meet your grandmother."

"She's not the sweet old cookie-baking kind," Robbie warned. "She's a bit of a viper. And she seemed really shocked when I told her you were human."

"Does she have a prejudice against humans or something?" Louisa asked. "I mean, not that it'll stop me from being with you if she does, but it's nice to know ahead of time."

"Really?" Robbie asked. "It won't stop you?"

"Think of all the weird stuff I've encountered since I met Eli," Louisa pointed out. "What could your witch grandmother do that would shock me?"

"Don't tempt fate," Robbie cautioned. "I'm sure she'd think of something if the mood struck her."

"Just how bad is she?" Louisa asked, her eyes widening.

"Well, you've seen Bewitched, right?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah," Louisa nodded.

"Well," Robbie cleared his throat. "Remember Endora?"

"Oh, my god, your grandmother is like Endora?" Louisa's eyes widened.

"Well, yes," Robbie said. "A little nuttier, even. But I'm sure that if you just be as polite as possible, she won't turn you into furniture or anything like that."

"That's very reassuring," Louisa got out. "And when is it that we're supposed to meet her? Please let it be as soon as possible."

"It should be," Robbie nodded. "You won't have long to worry."

He had just enough time to tell his mother about Gwen's interrogation before Gwen popped in.

"What a lovely house, you have, Robert!" She called. "It's nice to see you're finally planning to settle down."

"Yes," Robbie nodded as he and Louisa came to meet her. "And this is the woman I plan to settle down with."

"Oh, yes," Gwen nodded, circling her while Louisa tried to stand up straight and control her breathing so the woman wouldn't see she was terrified. "Very nice. Not incredibly gorgeous, but beautiful in an innocent ingenue kind of way."

"Thank you," Louisa said.

"Don't be too proud of your looks!" Gwen snapped. "It's not becoming."

"Sorry," Louisa flushed and kept her eyes averted.

"Are you well-educated?" Gwen questioned.

"I finished high school and then my education got delayed due to my first marriage" (which she had to assure Gwen was over when the woman's eyes widened and she raised her hand, pointer finger high, and Louisa heard magic crackle) "but I plan to continue this upcoming fall," Louisa assured her. "I'm taking some business classes and other things like that."

"Good!" Gwen smiled and lowered her hand. "I won't have the woman Robert is with be idle. It caused his mother enough trouble. He needs to be around someone who has goals and ambitions and direction!"

"Well, I do," Louisa said. "I promise!"

"She really does," Robbie added. "Grandma, you can believe that."

"There's only one more thing I need to check over," Gwen said, getting right up in Louisa's face. "I'm sure that by now, he's told you…what he is?"

"You mean, the vampire-warlock thing?" Louisa nodded. "Yeah, I know that."

"I thought you might," Gwen nodded. "You'll keep that a secret, won't you? I can't have people in my family who blab things like that to everyone they meet."

"Oh, I'll be the soul of discretion," Louisa assured her. "I swear."

"I hope so," Gwen replied. "Cause if you aren't, I'll make sure you never say another word again."

"Y-yes, ma'am," Louisa nodded and chuckled nervously.

"One more thing, and then you'll have my blessing," Gwen went on. "Do you intend on staying human? Or, after a point, will you let my grandson turn you?"

"You can't ask her to do something like that!" Robbie shouted. "And I don't need her to change! I like her just the way she is!"

"Oh, I'm sure you do now," Gwen nodded and flattened some wrinkles out of her Chanel suit. "But you won't enjoy it so much when you have to lower her cold, dead human body into a grave with the knowledge that you'll never see her again. Robert, I'm just looking out for your well-being. I don't want you to be in a situation where you'll have to have as long a list of conquests as your mother."

"We'll figure something out," Robbie told her firmly as he stepped in front of Louisa to shield her. "Although you're kind to worry about me, how Louisa and I want to conduct our relationship is our business, not yours."

"Well, fine," Gwen said. "Good luck."

"Thank you," Robbie nodded and led her to the door while Louisa collapsed on the sofa and took some deep, calming breaths. She didn't want to admit it, but Gwen had a point. She and Robbie wouldn't be able to be together for the rest of their lives if she didn't change. If not now, then eventually, she would have to. She figured that Robbie couldn't be the one to do it, since he was so intent on her staying the way she was, but perhaps she could ask Eli. He owed her after all. And she was sure that he had no objections whatsoever. She locked herself into the bathroom and made the call.

"So you want me to turn you now?" Eli asked, sounding shocked. "Was this cause of Gwen? Robbie called and told Rebecca she was coming. Don't let her intimidate you into doing something you don't want to do."

"Well, of course I don't want to do it yet, cause I wanna have a family, and can I assume that will be impossible if I turn?" Louisa wanted to know.

"Yeah, for you, it would be," Eli confirmed.

"So I'll wait however long I need to, and then, when I've had all the family I'm gonna have, will you turn me then?" Louisa wanted to know.

"Why can't Robbie turn you?" Eli asked. "Why are you asking me?"

"Cause I don't think Robbie will turn me," Louisa replied. "I think he's too intent on me staying just the way I am cause that's how he likes me."

"Well, if you feel you need to turn, I'll do it," Eli replied. "Just come over when you're ready and we'll get it taken care of."

"Thank you," Louisa said, feeling grateful toward him. "But it won't be for years. I still have a lot of time."

"All right," Eli nodded. "That's fine with me."

Then, Louisa heard a knock on the bathroom door. "Are you all right?" Robbie called. "What are you doing in there? Are you sick?"

"No, I'm not sick," Louisa assured him. "I'll be out in a minute."

"Good," Robbie replied from the other side of the closed door. "Then, we can go see a movie. You wanna do that?"

"Sure," Louisa replied and opened the door. "Sounds like fun. Especially after all we just went through with your grandmother."

When Robbie and Louisa got home, the movie having raised their spirits after the encounter with Gwen, Robbie was surprised to see his mother's car in the driveway.

"Oh, dear god," he said. "Wasn't dealing with my grandmother bad enough? I mean, I called to tell my mom about Grandma coming, but I didn't expect her to do more than listen to me over the phone. This is torture."

"Yeah!" Louisa cried "What did I do to deserve all this punishment?"

But when they got inside, they found Rebecca sitting on the couch with a bouquet of daisies, which she gave to Louisa. "Heard you had to put up with my mother and it looks like you made it through alive," she said. "Congratulations. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," Louisa replied. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Was she well-behaved?" Eli asked, coming from the bathroom.

"Yeah," Louisa nodded.

"Probably because she knew you were human," Eli replied. "If you'd been anything else, you would have seen all the horror that she's capable of."

"Well, I'll consider myself lucky," Louisa told him. "Thanks. Although she did threaten to stop me from speaking if I ever told anyone what Robbie was. But that was the only scary thing she did." Then she smiled at Rebecca and sniffed the daisies. "These are beautiful," she remarked. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Rebecca nodded. "If anyone knows how taxing it can be to put up with my mother, it's me, so I thought you deserved a little reward."

They were silent for a bit and then Rebecca stood up. "Well, now that we've done what we came to do, we don't want to be in your way anymore. We can go."

"Oh, you don't have to go if you don't want to," Louisa said. "I mean, you can. But I think that since everything has been set right with the four of us…maybe we could try and be friends? Or at least be civil?"

"Fine with me," Eli replied.

"Yeah," Rebecca nodded. "But not too often. I'm sure Robbie doesn't want to spend a bunch of date nights with his mother."

"Well, better you than Grandma," Robbie said.

"That's so sweet!" Rebecca smiled and came over to kiss his forehead and give him a long hug.

"Mom, not in front of company!" Robbie whispered angrily while Eli averted his gaze and Louisa giggled

"It's okay," she said. "I think it's cute."

"Who wants a drink?" Robbie asked and broke free of his mother's grip. "You can have anything."

"Just some white wine would be good for me," Rebecca replied.

"Beer, please," Eli got out.

"A beer?" Robbie chuckled in disbelief. "You?"

"Just get it," Louisa said. "There's no need for extra commentary."

When everyone had their drinks, Louisa made a toast. "To new beginnings," she said. "Although things started out rocky between the four of us, there's no reason that can't change."

They toasted, drank their drinks, and when they eventually left, Robbie picked Louisa up and took her to bed.