Ok, the end has come for one cliffhanger at least!
Lilmisswriter: Thanks for the praise of Lauren's mom, but I have to get a little candid here for a second and tell you that she is not T.V. mom. That's my mom, I loosely based Lauren's mother on my own, and she does have one guy she thinks is the begin all and end all for me. Anyway, I am so glad you like my story.
Blonde-Angel: You are too nice! Thanks so much.
Oh, and to both of those I've thanked: I know both of you have your own stories that you are writing, and let me just beg you both to also update quickly! I am dying to see what happens!
"Hello! It is soooo great to see you again!" Cory enthused as soon as his lovely girlfriend opened the door of her home to him. He stood on the porch for a second, just drinking in the sight of her. He was also trying to savor the last few seconds before he met her parents, but that was another story.
"Hi! It's been way to long, you know that?" She answered, taking the initiative and planting a wet one on him. They stood in the doorway for a second kissing and embracing, until her father came up behind them.
"Well hello there Cory. It's nice to meet you. You know my little girl just can't stop talking about you." He reached out and offered his hand, which Cory took and shook gladly. "He doesn't seem so bad" Cory considered "this might turn out ok."
Just then, Lauren's mother walked in, and Cory immediately felt as if someone was attempting to bore 50 gauge needles into his skull. "Hi" she seemed to cackle, "So you must be Cory. Lauren dear, get over here and come help me get dinner on the table. It's time to eat." Lauren gave Cory an I'm so sorry look and glaring at her mother she followed her out of the living room and into the kitchen, where dinner was waiting to be served.
"So Cory, you're a senior in high school like Lauren huh?" Asked her dad as he led Cory into the dining room. Do you plan to go to college?"
"Yes sir, I have applied to a few schools, including Pennbrook and Penn State."
"I think Lauren applied to those as well. Honey! Get in here, I have something I want to ask you." Lauren came in, closely followed by her mother, who was bearing a serving platter on which rested a gorgeous slow cooked roast beef. "What?"
"Didn't you apply to Pennbrook and Penn State?
"Yea, why"
"Because Cory here did too."
"Oh, I know, we are hoping to go to the same college."
"Now dear, what did I tell you about applying to all those high priced colleges so far from home?" her mother spoke up, and turned to Cory "We expect Lauren to pay her own way through school, we can't afford to help her out at all. I keep telling her she doesn't have any idea how much tuition, room and board are going to cost."
"Can't, or won't?" Lauren whispered under her breath. Allowed she restoted "Mom, I can get scholarships and grants, I'll find a way."
"You'd be much better off just staying at home and going to the community college. It's cheaper and here you don't have to pay room and board. Isn't that right dear?" She turned to Lauren's father for support
"Here" Lauren thought spitefully "I'd have to put up with you!" But she remained quiet, going to set beside Cory at the table and grabbing his hand protectively under the tablecloth
"Honey leave her alone! She's old enough now to make up her own mind." Her dad replied "Now let's get down to the business of dinner, I for one happen to be hungry, and this roast looks delicious. Tell him who made it Lauren." He smiled sweetly in his daughters direction.
"Dad! I made it." She told Cory
"Quite the cook, my girl. That's where I got this." And her dad reached down and jiggled his more than ample girth. Cory laughed quietly
"Well sir, I'm sure she is. It really does look delicious. The sides are also quite tempting might I add."
Lauren had worked most of the day preparing dinner. It hadn't been easy with one hand and wrist immovable, but she'd managed. She had roast beef; roasted carrots and potatoes, homemade biscuits and gravy, and even some buttered mushrooms and poached asparagus to go along with it. The big finish was one of her famous raspberry cheesecakes, everyone who'd ever tried one raved on them. She couldn't wait for Cory to sample it.
During the meal Cory became extremely uncomfortable to say the least. Lauren's mother did not give her tirade, verbally harassing him at every turn. "Lauren told me about how she broke her wrist, why'd you take her to a place like that?" "So do you have a job, what do you plan to do with your future?" "What are your parents like?" "Are they happily married?"
"The Spanish Inquisitors had nothing on you lady!" Cory mused silently. He could see that he was not the only one embarrassed and put out by the way Lauren's mom was acting. Lauren herself looked as if she hoped that any minute a hole would open up and sallow her. Even her dad looked a bit upset, and tried his best to run interference. In this way the dinner went on, forever it seemed to Cory, until finally dessert was served and Cory found he could make his escape. He and Lauren were planning to catch a late movie after they ate.
"Well, that was delicious. Lauren, your dad wasn't lying when he said how good of a cook you are. Sir, I see what you were talking about." Cory stood up and started to head into the living room."
"Well son, you have a good time at the movies, and don't be to late. She might be 18, but my girl still lives in my house and she has a curfew. No later than midnight, you hear?"
"I'm just like Cinderella." Lauren joked. "I promise he'll have me back in time dad."
"Yes sir, twelve sharp."
"Ok, you kids have fun." Lauren's dad said goodbye and watched them head down the steps and get safely into the car. Her mom had not bothered to come to the door. As soon as they drove away, Lauren turned to Cory with a pained expression on her face.
"I am so sorry! I am sorrier than sorry! It's not your fault; she's like that with everybody. There's one guy she wants me to be with, and no one else is going to suit her."
"It's ok" Cory responded, "Don't worry about it. I would have loved it if your mom had fallen in love with me, but just because she didn't doesn't change my feelings for you. Does her opinion of me bother you?"
"No! If I let her opinion of a guy make my decisions for me, I'd never date! So you're really ok with this? My dad seemed to like you."
"He's nice. I liked him too. And yes, I'm fine. I had to meet your parents sometime, now lets forget all that and go enjoy a movie!"
Cory was amazed to discover that he really was fine with the way the dinner had gone. He'd thought that it would really devastate him if Lauren's parents didn't like him, but he found that it didn't matter as much as he'd thought. He cared for Lauren enough that that became the only thing that made any difference. Besides, her dad did seem to get along with him, and Lauren appeared to be much closer to her father anyway. He figured that as long as he got along with her dad then she would be ok.
Lauren was pretty much feeling the way Cory anticipated. She and her mother had not been close for a long time, and though she still loved her as someone does the person who raised them well and treated them kindly overall, there were gaps in the relationship that were not soon to be fixed. Her dad on the other hand, she loved him so much that the mere thought of his death brought tears to her eyes. She was a daddies little girl, no questions asked, and so his opinion mattered. He'd liked Cory, she could tell, and that made everything her mother said as so much dust in the wind.
"Yes, let's go enjoy a movie, and forget everything else. Your going to have a great time this week, I have so much I want to show you, it's going to be awesome, I promise!"
"Of course it is, I'll be with you." Cory was so sappy sometimes, but it was part of his charm. "Hey, you haven't turned any cartwheels for me yet!"
"Another three weeks, sorry! I'm turning them in spirit though."
"Well, I guess that will have to do." Cory smiled, reached across the gearshift and squeezed Lauren's hand tightly as they headed to the theater.
I'd go on to Topanga, but this chapter is already long enough! Chapter 13, Topanga's Reaction, coming soon. Review!! It's the only way I know you've read.
Lilmisswriter: Thanks for the praise of Lauren's mom, but I have to get a little candid here for a second and tell you that she is not T.V. mom. That's my mom, I loosely based Lauren's mother on my own, and she does have one guy she thinks is the begin all and end all for me. Anyway, I am so glad you like my story.
Blonde-Angel: You are too nice! Thanks so much.
Oh, and to both of those I've thanked: I know both of you have your own stories that you are writing, and let me just beg you both to also update quickly! I am dying to see what happens!
"Hello! It is soooo great to see you again!" Cory enthused as soon as his lovely girlfriend opened the door of her home to him. He stood on the porch for a second, just drinking in the sight of her. He was also trying to savor the last few seconds before he met her parents, but that was another story.
"Hi! It's been way to long, you know that?" She answered, taking the initiative and planting a wet one on him. They stood in the doorway for a second kissing and embracing, until her father came up behind them.
"Well hello there Cory. It's nice to meet you. You know my little girl just can't stop talking about you." He reached out and offered his hand, which Cory took and shook gladly. "He doesn't seem so bad" Cory considered "this might turn out ok."
Just then, Lauren's mother walked in, and Cory immediately felt as if someone was attempting to bore 50 gauge needles into his skull. "Hi" she seemed to cackle, "So you must be Cory. Lauren dear, get over here and come help me get dinner on the table. It's time to eat." Lauren gave Cory an I'm so sorry look and glaring at her mother she followed her out of the living room and into the kitchen, where dinner was waiting to be served.
"So Cory, you're a senior in high school like Lauren huh?" Asked her dad as he led Cory into the dining room. Do you plan to go to college?"
"Yes sir, I have applied to a few schools, including Pennbrook and Penn State."
"I think Lauren applied to those as well. Honey! Get in here, I have something I want to ask you." Lauren came in, closely followed by her mother, who was bearing a serving platter on which rested a gorgeous slow cooked roast beef. "What?"
"Didn't you apply to Pennbrook and Penn State?
"Yea, why"
"Because Cory here did too."
"Oh, I know, we are hoping to go to the same college."
"Now dear, what did I tell you about applying to all those high priced colleges so far from home?" her mother spoke up, and turned to Cory "We expect Lauren to pay her own way through school, we can't afford to help her out at all. I keep telling her she doesn't have any idea how much tuition, room and board are going to cost."
"Can't, or won't?" Lauren whispered under her breath. Allowed she restoted "Mom, I can get scholarships and grants, I'll find a way."
"You'd be much better off just staying at home and going to the community college. It's cheaper and here you don't have to pay room and board. Isn't that right dear?" She turned to Lauren's father for support
"Here" Lauren thought spitefully "I'd have to put up with you!" But she remained quiet, going to set beside Cory at the table and grabbing his hand protectively under the tablecloth
"Honey leave her alone! She's old enough now to make up her own mind." Her dad replied "Now let's get down to the business of dinner, I for one happen to be hungry, and this roast looks delicious. Tell him who made it Lauren." He smiled sweetly in his daughters direction.
"Dad! I made it." She told Cory
"Quite the cook, my girl. That's where I got this." And her dad reached down and jiggled his more than ample girth. Cory laughed quietly
"Well sir, I'm sure she is. It really does look delicious. The sides are also quite tempting might I add."
Lauren had worked most of the day preparing dinner. It hadn't been easy with one hand and wrist immovable, but she'd managed. She had roast beef; roasted carrots and potatoes, homemade biscuits and gravy, and even some buttered mushrooms and poached asparagus to go along with it. The big finish was one of her famous raspberry cheesecakes, everyone who'd ever tried one raved on them. She couldn't wait for Cory to sample it.
During the meal Cory became extremely uncomfortable to say the least. Lauren's mother did not give her tirade, verbally harassing him at every turn. "Lauren told me about how she broke her wrist, why'd you take her to a place like that?" "So do you have a job, what do you plan to do with your future?" "What are your parents like?" "Are they happily married?"
"The Spanish Inquisitors had nothing on you lady!" Cory mused silently. He could see that he was not the only one embarrassed and put out by the way Lauren's mom was acting. Lauren herself looked as if she hoped that any minute a hole would open up and sallow her. Even her dad looked a bit upset, and tried his best to run interference. In this way the dinner went on, forever it seemed to Cory, until finally dessert was served and Cory found he could make his escape. He and Lauren were planning to catch a late movie after they ate.
"Well, that was delicious. Lauren, your dad wasn't lying when he said how good of a cook you are. Sir, I see what you were talking about." Cory stood up and started to head into the living room."
"Well son, you have a good time at the movies, and don't be to late. She might be 18, but my girl still lives in my house and she has a curfew. No later than midnight, you hear?"
"I'm just like Cinderella." Lauren joked. "I promise he'll have me back in time dad."
"Yes sir, twelve sharp."
"Ok, you kids have fun." Lauren's dad said goodbye and watched them head down the steps and get safely into the car. Her mom had not bothered to come to the door. As soon as they drove away, Lauren turned to Cory with a pained expression on her face.
"I am so sorry! I am sorrier than sorry! It's not your fault; she's like that with everybody. There's one guy she wants me to be with, and no one else is going to suit her."
"It's ok" Cory responded, "Don't worry about it. I would have loved it if your mom had fallen in love with me, but just because she didn't doesn't change my feelings for you. Does her opinion of me bother you?"
"No! If I let her opinion of a guy make my decisions for me, I'd never date! So you're really ok with this? My dad seemed to like you."
"He's nice. I liked him too. And yes, I'm fine. I had to meet your parents sometime, now lets forget all that and go enjoy a movie!"
Cory was amazed to discover that he really was fine with the way the dinner had gone. He'd thought that it would really devastate him if Lauren's parents didn't like him, but he found that it didn't matter as much as he'd thought. He cared for Lauren enough that that became the only thing that made any difference. Besides, her dad did seem to get along with him, and Lauren appeared to be much closer to her father anyway. He figured that as long as he got along with her dad then she would be ok.
Lauren was pretty much feeling the way Cory anticipated. She and her mother had not been close for a long time, and though she still loved her as someone does the person who raised them well and treated them kindly overall, there were gaps in the relationship that were not soon to be fixed. Her dad on the other hand, she loved him so much that the mere thought of his death brought tears to her eyes. She was a daddies little girl, no questions asked, and so his opinion mattered. He'd liked Cory, she could tell, and that made everything her mother said as so much dust in the wind.
"Yes, let's go enjoy a movie, and forget everything else. Your going to have a great time this week, I have so much I want to show you, it's going to be awesome, I promise!"
"Of course it is, I'll be with you." Cory was so sappy sometimes, but it was part of his charm. "Hey, you haven't turned any cartwheels for me yet!"
"Another three weeks, sorry! I'm turning them in spirit though."
"Well, I guess that will have to do." Cory smiled, reached across the gearshift and squeezed Lauren's hand tightly as they headed to the theater.
I'd go on to Topanga, but this chapter is already long enough! Chapter 13, Topanga's Reaction, coming soon. Review!! It's the only way I know you've read.