Seth killed the engine of the car and turned his head to look at Corinne. He could see she was nervous. He knew it was a big deal that he was about to meet her parents for the first time.
She had stalled for what seemed like forever. They had been together for way longer than any normal couple without him meeting her parents. She had met his a long time ago. Before they moved in together.
For some reason she kept putting him meeting her parents off until she couldn't anymore. A direct invitation for her mother's birthday, and Seth had pushed a little for her to accept so he could finally meet the two people behind creating the love of his life.
"It's gonna be okay. Most parents love me," he said.
She turned her head and looked in his eyes. He loved her funny eyes. One brown and one blue. She had heterochromia iridum. A rare condition but it made her even more special to him. Because she was fucking special. No doubt about it.
"You don't know them like I do," she said.
"How bad can they be?" He asked.
"It's not just about them," she sighed. "I'm different around them."
He reached a hand over to tuck her shoulder long, cappuccino brown hair behind her ear.
"Nothing you say or do in there will make me love you any less," he said.
He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
"Okay?" He smiled. "I love you, babe. Are you ready to go inside?"
"Yeah, let's get this over with," she said.
He reached behind her seat to pick up the bouquet of flowers for her mother. She had no idea what to give her own mother for her birthday so they had agreed on an expensive bouquet. He had picked it out since she had said it didn't matter what she chose.
"Okay, time for me to get slaughtered by the in laws," he joked.
He was hoping to make her laugh or at least smile but he got nothing back. She really didn't want to be there. He had no idea what could be so bad about her parents but he hoped it was just some sort of family drama they could figure out how to solve down the line.
They both got out of the car and walked up the driveway. To his surprise she didn't open the door and walk straight in like most people would do at their parents' homes. She rang the door bell and waited. It didn't take long for a woman to open who he knew had to be her mother.
"Corinne," her mother nodded. "And who is this handsome, young man?"
"Seth, ma'am," Seth said.
"And he has manners," her mother looked at Corinne. "Hopefully he can teach you some."
Seth looked at Corinne too who just gave him a small shrug in return. It seemed weird to him that her mother would say that. Corinne never came across as rude towards anyone. He cleared his throat and looked at her mother again.
"These are for you," he said.
Her mother took the flowers and kept his eyes on him.
"Did you pick them out?" Her mother asked.
"Yes," Seth answered.
"I figured," her mother broke out in a wide smile. "Corinne never could pick out any flowers for my liking. Or anything else for that matter. But these... These are beautiful. I love them. Thank you, Seth."
"They're from both of us," Seth tried.
Her mother chose to ignore his words and started walking back into the house. Seth looked at Corinne but she avoided eye contact while walking into the house too. Her posture was so different from how she usually looked. She looked defeated.
He was beginning to understand what was going on already. Apparently she was never good enough in her mother's eyes. It didn't go unnoticed to him that her mother didn't smile or seem to care about the flowers until he confirmed that he had picked them out. He was sure if Corinne had picked them out, the response would have been very different.
"Is she always like this?" He whispered.
"They both are," she whispered back.
"That's fucked up," he whispered.
"You're the one who wanted to come here," she reminded him. "Let's just get this over with. It's okay. I'm used to it."
He was about to tell her how wrong of a way to think that was but she continued into the living room. He followed behind and found what he assumed was her father in there.
"So this is Seth," her father smiled. "How did you get such a good looking man? Is he blind?"
Her father winked at Seth and laughed. It was clear he was expecting Seth to laugh too, but Seth just stood there feeling dumbfounded. Both of her parents were degrading her for no reason at all.
"Sit down," her father ignored Seth's lack of response. "What are you drinking, son? Beer? Whiskey? Brandy? I got it all."
"Just water, thank you," Seth said.
"Water?" Her father questioned. "Did Corinne make you stop drinking? Come on, don't listen to a silly, little girl like her. Real men drink."
"I'm driving home," Seth said.
"A drink won't hurt," her father said.
"He said no," Corinne tried.
Seth felt his heart break by the sound of Corinne's voice. It sounded so different. Scared. Like a little girl afraid of being punished for doing something wrong.
"I'm not talking to you," her father said firmly. "Don't interrupt when men are speaking."
"She's right though," Seth quickly said. "Water is all I want. Maybe a drink later but it's still early."
"It's always noon somewhere," her father grinned. "But alright. Later it is. We can have a beer for lunch."
Seth had no intention of drinking but he felt it was the best way forward for now to keep the peace. Corinne's mother came walking in with a glass of water. Clearly she had been listening in on the conversation. She handed Seth the water and sat down. Seth looked over at Corinne and then down at his glass of water. Her own parents hadn't bothered asking her if she wanted anything. They were already treating him like a son while she was being treated like dirt.
"Do you want something?" Seth asked.
"She knows where everything is. She can get up off her lazy ass and go get her own water if she's thirsty," her mother said.
Again Seth looked over at Corinne. She kept her eyes on the floor. She wasn't lazy at all. He knew that first hand.
"So, lunch," her mother said. "What do you want? I'll make anything you want."
"Corinne talked about a sushi place she would like to take me to," Seth said.
"Don't listen to what she wants. You're the man in the relationship. You get to decide," her father said.
"I like sushi," Seth said.
"Pick anything. Anything but sushi. I'm a great cook unlike Corinne here. Sometimes I swear I must have adopted her in my sleep and that she's not actually mine. She's a horrible cook," her mother said.
"She's horrible at most things," her father chuckled.
Seth put the glass of water down on the table and once again looked over at Corinne. She just sat there and allowed her parents to walk all over her.
"Are you just gonna let them talk to you like that?" Seth asked.
Both her parents went silent. Corinne raised her head and looked into Seth's eyes. Her eyes were wet but she was holding back the tears. She didn't say anything. She just stared at him. Clearly she was used to this treatment, and he hated himself in that moment for pushing her into going back home just so he could meet her parents. If he never saw them again, that would be too soon.
"Does she have you whipped, son?" Her father asked. "Corinne knows her place in this house. I thought for sure she had found a real man to teach her how to behave."
"That's it. I'm leaving," Seth said. "Do you wanna come with me or do you wanna stay with them when they treat you like this?"
Corinne blinked and moved her eyes nervously to her father, then to her mother, and then back to Seth.
"Don't you dare!" Her father threatened. "Clearly this young man is not right for you. He's no longer welcome in our home, and you won't see him again."
"What the actual fuck?" Seth blurted out.
Her mother gasped. Apparently swearing wasn't allowed in the home but Seth wasn't about to apologize.
"Corinne, what the fuck?" Seth looked at her pleadingly. "I'm sorry for making you come here, but I'm not gonna let them treat you like that. Come with me. Please!"
"Get out of my house!" Her father snarled.
Corinne stood up and kept her eyes on Seth. He couldn't help but crack the smallest of smiles. He knew it was a big deal to walk out on her parents like she was about to. He kept her gaze locked. She clearly needed his reassurance and to avoid any eye contact with her parents.
"If you leave with him, I'm taking you out of my will," her father threatened.
"She makes enough money wrestling," Seth smirked.
"I doubt I was in the will to begin with anyway," Corinne said.
"Your daughter is the most wonderful woman I've ever met. Clearly she didn't get that from any of you," Seth said.
Corinne quickly walked over to Seth, grabbed his hand and almost dragged him out of the house. None of them looked back as they jumped into the car and started driving away.
"Your parents suck!" He said loudly.
After turning a corner, he pulled over, leaned over and pulled her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head and sighed.
"I'm so sorry," he said.
"It's not your fault," she said.
"I pushed for this," he said. "Fuck, I'm an idiot!"
"Stop blaming yourself. I should have told you. I just didn't know how or if you would even believe me. And I was kinda hoping they would have gotten better with age, or that they at least would treat me a little better with you there. I was wrong," she said.
He placed his hands on her cheeks and stroked them.
"I can't imagine having to grow up in such a toxic home," he said. "No more."
"No more," she repeated.
"Never again. And that's a promise," he smiled.
She smiled back and nodded. She had made it this far without her parents' help. She didn't need them in her life at all.
"It's a beautiful day," he said.
"What's on your mind?" She asked.
"We could go home," he said. "But I also heard there's a great sushi place in this town. I believe you were gonna take me there."
She grinned at him and sat back in the seat. He grabbed the steering wheel and pulled out on the street again.
"Straight ahead," she said. "You're gonna be sushi bombed into oblivion."
"Damn, that bad?" He laughed.
"No, it's that good," she laughed too. "Thank you, Seth. Thank you for being here for me and loving me the way you do. You're fucking amazing, babe."