Chapter Seven- Acceptance

"Cole wants me to go to New York with him." Phoebe announced that night at dinner.

Penny and Prue stared at her.

"What? But you've only been dating a month!" Penny protested.

"I know." Phoebe told her. "But, he wants me to meet his boss, the founder of Thorn and Co., Cole says that he's been like a father to him, his parents died years ago. He said it's really important to him that he meets me."

"Can't he come here?" Penny asked.

"They could." Phoebe said patiently. "But it would make more sense for me to go there."

"How so?" Prue asked, obviously not happy with the idea.

"Well, Mr. Raymond is a busy man, it would be ages before he would have the time to make a trip down here." Phoebe explained patiently. "However, Cole has to go to New York in a few weeks anyway, so it just makes sense for to me go with him and meet them then, doesn't it?"

Penny sighed. "Do I have a choice?"

"Not really." Phoebe told her. "After all, it is my decision. But, I'd like to have your approval."

Penny sighed again. "Alright, but when are you going, and what about Thanksgiving?"

Phoebe smiled. "We're leaving the day after Thanksgiving, so I'll be here for dinner."

Penny nodded. "Alright." Then she smiled. "That reminds me, I thought I'd invite Cole to Thanksgiving dinner, if you'd like."

Phoebe's face lit up. She had never even dared imagine her grandmother would be so wonderful!

"That would be fantastic! Thank you Grams!"

Penny smiled. "You're welcome, darling. I realize that Cole is obviously very important to you and I want you to know, I accept that."

Phoebe looked at Prue, knowing that it was unlikely that she'd say the same, but she wouldn't let that get to her. Not at this moment. The fact that Grams had given, if not her approval, at least her acceptance was enough for Phoebe.

"Thank you, Grams. You don't know how much that means to me."
* * * * *

"Grams, what was that?" Prue asked after dinner when Phoebe and Piper had both left the room.

Piper had gone to watch TV and Phoebe had gone to Cole's, most likely for the night.

"What was what?" Penny asked her eldest granddaughter, though she knew very well what she was referring to.

"Why did you tell Phoebe she could invite Cole for Thanksgiving dinner?" Prue said unhappily. "It's always been family only, I mean this is the first year you've let me invite Roger and we've been dating for four years."

Penny sighed, knowing that she couldn't explain the truth. That though she disapproved of Phoebe's new boyfriend, she would prefer being able to keep an eye on him, so that she could figure out exactly what it was about him that bothered her.

Also, she had the feeling that if she forced Phoebe to choose between her family or Cole, that she might not like the results.

Still, she doubted Prue would understand her motives, so she came up with a reasonable alternative.

"Prue, Roger has his only family to spend the holiday with, while Cole's is in New York."

She sighed. "Put it this way, if I didn't tell Phoebe to invite him, or if I actually told her she couldn't invite him, do you honestly believe that she wouldn't go with him to New York on the Thursday instead of the Friday?"

Prue was quiet and Penny saw that she had gotten through to her.

"I just don't like him." Prue muttered finally.

"Prue, it doesn't matter if you like him, or if I like him." Penny told her. "What matters is that Phoebe likes him."

She spoke the truth. Phoebe wouldn't listen to either her or Prue, she might listen to Piper, but Piper liked him too.

Penny sighed, wondering why she didn't.

Well, that wasn't true, it wasn't that she disliked Cole. He was charming, nice, and seemingly devoted to Phoebe, there was nothing for her not to like.

She just didn't trust him. Her instincts told her not to, and after sixty something years of being a witch, she had learnt to trust her instincts.

She just wished she knew what it was about him that disturbed her so much, because maybe then she could warn Phoebe.

But since she didn't, she just had to leave it be and pray that Phoebe would be alright.
* * * * *

"Cole, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?" Phoebe asked later that night as she lay in his arms.

"Nothing, why?" He asked with a smile.

Phoebe grinned. "Good, 'cause Grams told me I could invite you for dinner at our house. You will come won't you?"

Cole hid a grimace. He hated mortal holidays and never celebrated them. After all, he was a demon, he naturally disliked anything that made people generally happy and joyful.

More than that, he wasn't overly fond of Phoebe's family, especially not the grandmother who disturbed him, and the eldest sister, who just irritated him.

However, he knew that Phoebe wanted him to come with her, and though he usually avoided having lasting relationships with mortals, he knew that if they were to work at all, you had to try and make them happy.

"Of course I'll come." He answered, knowing he really had no other choice.

Phoebe's face lit up and she moved from where she was snuggled with her head against his chest, to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him soundly.

Cole wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss.

Maybe Thanksgiving wouldn't be that bad after all.
* * * * *