Thank you guys for the support. This is a lighter chapter before the drama comes soon. Enjoy!

Chapter 11

"Knock again," Charles told Elsie. Elsie glanced at him and sighed.

"I told you surprising her at home was a bad idea. She probably…." Charles interrupted her words by walking by her and lifting his hand up and knocking his own fist against his daughter's door. Again, there was no response.

"Are we sure this is the right flat?" Charles questioned.

"Yes," Elsie said with another sigh. "She's not home."

"It's nine in the morning, where else would she be?"

"I don't know, breakfast? Over at…."

"Check the number again," Charles insisted.

"Charlie, she's not here. Why don't we give her a call?"

"Fine, call her."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"Good morning, my darling," John murmured in Anna's ear, as she inched further into his arms. For the first few nights, Anna had started sleeping in the guest bedroom, but she always ended up in John's bed by the next morning. So by the fourth night, Anna decided to sleep with John in his bed.

Nothing ever happened outside of sleeping. She wasn't ready for that, yet. But being in the bed with him made her feel loved and safe. She enjoyed their evening and morning cuddles.

Anna turned around in John's arms and smiled against his chest.

"Good morning."

John pressed a kiss against Anna's head and Anna glanced up at him.

"What do you want to do today?"

Before John could answer, Anna's phone began to ring. She reluctantly sat up and took her phone off the bedside table.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Anna, it's Mum. Your dad and I drove into town last night and we thought we'd surprise you this morning, but I guess we missed you."

"Missed me?" Anna asked, confused. Never, not once, since she had moved to Downton, had her parents surprised her. "Where are you?"

"Outside your apartment, dear." Anna suddenly felt like a teenager again. Her cheeks reddened and she bit down on the corner of her lip.

"I…I'm not there," Anna slowly answered.

"Yes, we're aware of that. Where are you? We'll come to you."

"Um…..I….I've been staying at John's since we got back from our trip," she told her mother.

"Oh," Elsie simply replied, but Anna could tell there was a deeper meaning behind that oh. Even though her mother would likely be more acceptable of staying with John, she still was not 100 percent on board with it.

"Yes. We can meet you both somewhere for brunch," Anna quickly stated, as she climbed out of the bed and met John's eyes. She covered the phone with her hand and whispered to John, "My parents are in town."

"Why?"

"I…I don't know…."

"Anna, dear?" Elsie's voice asked.

"Yes, mum."

"We'll just come on over there. Text me his address."

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather…."

"We'll see you shortly."

Anna hung up the phone and then texted her mother the address to John's flat. Then she sighed, looked up, and gave John a crooked smile.

"So….my parents are on their way over," Anna said, her lips curling awkwardly.

"What?" John asked. He sat up and shook his head. "When?"

"Um….about ten minutes." John jumped out of his bed and began to search for some clothes to put on.

"They decided to surprise me this morning at my flat and then found out I wasn't there."

"Great, more reason for your dad to hate me," John said with a shake of his head. "I don't even have time to shower and shave." Anna walked over toward him and ran her finger along his jawline.

"I kind of like the stubble," Anna chuckled. John couldn't help but smile, as he brought his hand up to take hers and brought it to his lips for a kiss.

"Yeah?"

"Yes, absolutely," Anna said with a wink.

John then shook his head and dropped Anna's hand, "I doubt your father will be a fan of it. I have a feeling he prefers the clean look."

"You're not wrong, but he'll survive…probably," Anna said with a hearty laugh. Then she rushed off to the guest room to get herself dressed.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"Why are we going to his place?" Charles gruffly questioned his wife, as the two climbed into the car.

"It's where Anna is," Elsie simply answered. Charles grumbled and shook his head.

"We could have met her somewhere."

"Charlie, John is her boyfriend, the father of her baby. You ought to get used to the idea. He'll be in our lives for a long time. I'm not sure why you don't like him."

"He's a fine man," Charles stated with a slight grumble, "But he's too old for our Anna."

"Well, it's too late for that now," Elsie flippantly stated. "And I assume it wouldn't matter how old he was. No one will be good enough for her to you."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"Hi Mum! Dad!" Anna happily said, wrapping them into her arms, before telling them to come into John's flat. Both walked into the small apartment and glanced around the nearly empty space.

"Well, it's um….quaint," Elsie finally stated. Charles just clucked his tongue.

"John will be right out," Anna told them. "Come, take a seat. Can I get you some tea?" She was anxious, nervous. Even though her parents had spent an entire week with John, this was different. They were in his space now.

"No, thank you," Elsie answered. Charles still remained quiet. Then Elsie patted the seat next to her for Anna to sit down. Anna did as her mother said. "There's a small bump," Elsie then added with a smile. Anna glanced down and yes, there was a small, noticeable bump.

"Yes. So what are you both doing here?"

"We're looking for a place to move to, dear," Elsie explained. "We were thinking of looking near your flat, but are you going to be living here now?" At her question, Charles grumbled under his breath.

Anna twisted her lips uncomfortably. She didn't know. It wasn't a decision she or John had made. Their relationship was still very new and there were elements that her parents didn't and couldn't know. Thankfully, John came out from his bedroom and Anna didn't have to answer. The three of them stood and John reached out his hand for Charles to shake. Reluctantly, Charles took his hand, before glancing back around his flat.

"There's not much in here," Charles stated to John. His eyes lingered over John's unshaven face and he pursed his lips into a thin, disapproving line.

"No," John agreed. "There's not."

"John's a minimalist," Anna answered for him.

"A what?"

"Minimalist. He doesn't hold on to a lot of stuff. He just has what he needs," Anna explained.

"And what about when there's a baby? Will it be allowed to have toys everywhere?" Charles asked, his voice laced with dissatisfaction.

"Of course, Dad," Anna said, shaking her head.

"Where will the baby stay? This isn't a large flat?" Charles continued with his questioning.

"There's a guest room," John answered.

"And Anna?"

"Dad," Anna muttered.

"Yes, Charlie, that's quite enough of your questioning," Elsie broke in. "How about the four of us goes out to brunch? Your dad and I have to meet with the realtor at noon. Then we are heading back home."

"Such a short visit?" Anna asked, feigning disappointment.

"Yes, but we hope to be moving here by next month," Elsie answered.

"Oh, a month, how wonderful," Anna replied. "Yes, let's go to brunch."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Brunch had gone better than Anna expected. Her father had made several glances at John, but he hadn't asked any more questions or said anything else. The main conversation stayed between Anna and Elsie. They discussed the upcoming move. A part of Anna was thrilled to have her parents moving nearby, but a larger part was scared of the truth coming out.

"So what is your plan, Anna?" Elsie asked, throwing Anna off guard.

"Plan?"

"Yes, are you moving in with John? It seems silly to keep your place if you aren't staying there."

"Um," Anna began, as she scrapped her fork against the plate to get the final crumbs up. "I…."

"Yes, Anna is moving in with me. Once her lease it up, she'll officially move in," John randomly answered. Anna dropped her fork and her eyes landed on John. She sighed and nearly asked him what he was talking about. However, she quickly gained her composure, turned toward her parents, and smiled.

"Yes. My lease ends in a few weeks. We….we were just waiting until it was all settled to make it official," Anna quickly stated. Once again, Charles grumbled. But Elsie smiled.

"How wonderful! We will all be moving around the same time. We can help one another out."

"Absolutely," Anna replied, glancing back down at her plate.

As they walked outside after their meal, Elsie ran back in because she had forgotten her shawl and John went on to his car. Anna gave her father another hug and kissed his cheek.

"It was great seeing you," Anna sincerely told him.

"Anna, you know you can come to us for anything, right?" Anna nodded. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and whisper the truth in his ear. But she refrained.

"I know, Dad. You need to be kinder to John. He's a good guy," Anna said.

"Anna….."

"For me, please, Dad?" Anna pulled out her sweetest smile. Charles sighed.

"Fine, anything for you, sweetheart."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

As soon as Anna climbed into the car, John apologized.

"I….I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from. I should have never said you were moving in with me until we discussed it."

"No," Anna agreed, "You shouldn't have. But…." Anna sighed, "It's not the worst idea."

"No?"

"No. Raising a baby together would be easier if we were in the same place. Plus, sharing the rent would help for money for the baby," Anna said. She reached over and took his hand into her own. "Also, I like staying with you."

"I like it, too. I just don't want to move things too quickly for you," John replied. "And it wasn't fair of me to announce that to your parents."

"Well, it's done now," Anna stated. "Just no more making big decisions without discussing it first."

"Yes, understood," John said with a wink. "Do you want to go back to the flat? Or down to the bakery for a cupcake?"

"Trying to sweeten me up, huh?"

"Absolutely."

"Cupcakes it is. And it'll be more than one, you owe me."

"Of course, my darling."

To be continued...

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