Love at First Touch Chapter 18 - Meet the Parents

The doorbell rang.

Shawn adjusted his tie and practically jumped down the stairs on the way to the door to greet his girlfriend.

The door opens.

"Well hello there, sweetness." He said to Belle as his face was radiant with his gorgeous smile.

Belle blushed as she sneaked a peek through the door to see if the coast was clear.

"They're in the kitchen," Shawn stepped outside and closed the door softly behind him. "I want to be alone for a few seconds."

He leaned over to kiss Belle, but she stepped away.

"Shawn. not now. Your parents can see us through the window or open the door." Belle protested.

"Ok, we'll have plenty of time afterwards." Shawn replied with an evil smirk. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Shawn extended his hand and took a hold of Belle's. He could tell that she was a nervous wreck, he hands were moist from her anxiety. He lifted his other hand to brush her cheek and said, "No need to be nervous, I'm sure they'll love you as much as I do. You are an angel."

Belle smiled as Shawn began opening the door.

As she took one step inside the Brady home, Shawn's father, Bo, stepped through the kitchen doors.

"Well well well, is this my sailor man's lovely girlfriend?" Bo said with a big grin.

"Dad, I want you to meet Belle Black. Belle, this is my father, Bo, one of Salem's finest." Shawn said as he introduced both of them.

"It's a pleasure, Mr. Brady." She said, trying to be as courteous and proper as possible. She offered her hand for a handshake. Bo accepted and shook her hand firmly.

Belle's face suddenly scrunched up for a few seconds as Bo's grip on her delicate hand gave her a slight pain.

"What's the matter, Belle?" Shawn said as he looked at Belle.

"Oh, nothing. Just have an itch on my face." She was obviously embarrassed and turned around.

"OOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWW." She said under her breath as she shook her hand from the pain.

She turned back around and gave her best smile she could possibly give to cover up the pain of her hand.

"Dinner will be ready soon, why don't you kids take a seat on the couch and we'll be out in a little while to let you know when it's done?" Bo said.

"Sure, dad."

Bo walked through the kitchen doors and disappeared.

Shawn and Belle took a seat on the couch.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Shawn asked Belle.

"I'm fine!! Your dad just squeezed my hand a little too tight. That's all." Belle said as she turned red.

Shawn let out a laugh.

"What? What are you laughing at??" Belle said.

"You are cute." Shawn replied.

"I'm glad you find this amusing, Shawn."

"I'm glad I do, too. Now, stop whining and give me your hand." Shawn requested.

Belle, in a childish manner, stuck out her tongue at Shawn and threw her hand in his.

"I think I can help your pain go away." He assured her.

He gently massaged her hand and raised it to his lips for lots of kisses.

"Is the pain gone?"

"What pain?" Belle said.

"That's what I thought." He said as he leaned over and kissed Belle on the cheek.

Bo yelled out through the kitchen doors, "Food's ready, come inside!"

"Let's get this show on the road!" Shawn said to Belle.

--

Belle and Shawn stepped through the kitchen doors.

"Aren't you a pretty girl?!" Hope, Shawn's mom, said as she greeted Belle. "Shawn here has told me so much about you and how much you mean to him."

Belle blushed again.

"Thank you, Mrs. Brady."

"Call me Hope, I'm sure you'll be around here lots and I think I'll feel old if you keep calling me Mrs. Brady!" Hope said as she giggled.

"Ok. Hope."

"Now, let's sit down and eat our dinner. I'm starving." Bo said as he sat down at the dinner table.

--

After eating, they sat at the dinner table and dabbled in some conversation.

"You said your name was Belle BLACK?" Bo asked Belle.

"Yes, sir."

"Do you have any relation to John and Marlena?" Bo questioned Belle.

"They are my parents."

"Shawn and Hope, can I see you in the living room a second?"

Belle was left alone at the dinner table. "What is going on?" She thought to herself.

Bo pulled Shawn through the kitchen doors.

"How in the world can you go out with a BLACK?! I thought I told you to stay away from anyone with that last name. I told you this time and time again since you were a child." Bo lectured Shawn.

"You never told me why, dad! Why do I need to stay away from her? She's the best thing that's happened in my life?" Shawn said as he defended himself.

"They are trouble. All they do is cause trouble. We've done our best to keep the Blacks away. My God, come to think of it, she's a splitting image of her mother. You need to end this now."

"I'm not ending nothing! I love her!"

"Well then, I guess I'll have to take care of another Black again." Bo said as she looked at Hope. Hope shook her head as insinuating that he's saying too much.

"What do you mean by that?" Shawn asked his father.

"What I mean is that you need to stay away from that girl. Send her home now and tell her never to see you or come near this home again."

Shawn was enraged. "I am not going to do that! If you don't like my dating this girl, then that's your problem. I'm a grown man and can pick and choose whomever I see."

Shawn stormed through the kitchen doors and asked Belle to come with him. He led her out the back door and headed to his truck.

--

In the living room.

"You almost gave yourself away, Brady." Hope said to Bo.

"That woman INFURIATES me. She ruined us once, she will not do it again through her daughter. I thought I took care of this years ago. It's like she's come to haunt us!" Bo yelled.

"Bo, calm down." Hope reached for Bo's arm but he smacked her arm away.

"I will not calm down. If that boy doesn't break this off, I'm going to have to send her to see her mother."