NOTE – I do not own the WWE or its characters, they belong to Titan Sports and Vince McMahon. Please don't sell, don't sue, thanks*****
"Your parents?" Lori blinked in surprise.
"Yeah, I guess they decided to drop in," Chris nodded getting out the truck.
"I'll get my own door," Lori told him her voice tense. 'Don't want her to get the wrong impression of us,' She reasoned in her thoughts.
"Chris!" The older woman cried happily and threw her arms around him in greeting.
"Mom, it's so good to see you," Chris told her. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I would've picked you up from the airport."
"Now, now I didn't want to trouble you," His mother told him, "I know your days off go so quickly for you." Then she caught sight of Lori, "Oh Chris, is this the girl you told me about?"
"Yes, Mom," Chris gulped as his mind raced. 'Please Mom, remember Lori doesn't think you know about the baby. Please don't say anything, please!' He pleaded silently then voiced an introduction, "This is Lori Ford. Lori this is my mom Katherine Irvine."
"Please to meet you ma'am," Lori ventured and stuck out her hand.
Mrs. Irvine promptly shook it, "I'm glad to finally meet you, my dear. But please call me Katherine."
"Hey where's Dad?" Chris asked as he looked around.
"Back at home," Katherine explained. "He wasn't able to get out of work long enough to come down."
"Oh," Chris responded. "Well, let's not just stand outside all day; come on in ladies."
Once through the door, the young couple was greeted by the smell of something good baking.
"You made cookies?" Chris asked instantly recognizing the sweet scent.
"Chocolate chip, your favorite," His mother smiled proudly.
"Thanks mom, you're the greatest," He told her happily.
The older woman blushed but said nothing more until they were in the kitchen.
"Here Lori," Chris smiled handing out a cookie. "Try one."
Lori took it and bit into it carefully savoring the flavor, "Wow, these are really good."
"Thank you dear," Katherine nodded in appreciation then addressed her son in a more serious tone, "Chris, I'd like to speak with you in private if that's okay?"
"Sure Mom, we can go into my office if you like," Chris told her. "Lori, if you'll excuse us?"
"I'm fine Chris," Lori returned picking up a second cookie.
A few moments later in Chris's office…
"What's up Mom?" Chris asked her taking a seat behind the desk.
"Have you asked her yet?" Katherine's question was to the point.
"No Mom, I don't think she's ready to be asked yet," Chris sighed dismayedly.
"You're sure she's the one?" Katherine searched his eyes.
"I know she's the one," Chris told her with conviction. "Every time I think she's ready to be asked, something upsets her and she retreats back into this…this wall, she's put up around her."
"I see," Katherine replied her tone thoughtful. "What do you think upsets her?"
"Well for one thing, she's got this disillusioned view of Christians," Chris tried to explain Lori's spiel about hypocrites and socialites. "I think maybe her parents were like that, but she's never told me."
"Hmm," Katherine shook her head sadly. "Be patient Chris, maybe she'll see it for how it really is in time."
"That's what I'm hoping for," Chris nodded. "So tell me, you didn't come all the way from Canada just to ask me that did you?"
"No son, you're right," Katherine laughed nervously. "I was kind of dying to meet her and hoping that maybe I could start spreading the word about my first grandbaby."
"Well Mom, I've got some news for you," Chris told her calmly.
"What?" His mother sensed his excitement.
"We were at the doctors today," Chris continued. "And the doctor told us that its going to be twins."
"Twins!" Katherine exclaimed loudly. "Oh how wonderful!"
"Mom!" Chris cautioned her and pleaded. "Calm down, Lori doesn't know you know yet."
"I'm sorry, it's just so exciting," Katherine laughed a bit softer. "Oh I don't know how I'm going to be able to keep quiet about this now."
Chris chuckled before continuing, "Let me talk to her, maybe I can convince her to let you in."
Just then there was a knock at the door before Lori poked her head in the room.
"Is everything all right in here?" Lori looked in with a questioning glance at Katherine.
"Everything is just fine hon," Chris smiled and beckoned her into the room. "We're finished right, Mom?"
"Yes Chris, that's all," Katherine nodded trying not to grin to obviously. "I'm going to go finish unpacking my things now."
"OK," Chris returned as he pulled Lori onto his lap. "You're staying in the room at the end of the hall right?"
"Yes," Katherine affirmed then turned and left quickly.
After she'd gone, Lori studied Chris's face a moment before speaking.
"I heard her exclaim the word twins," Lori regarded him. "Care to explain?"
'Oh crap, I'm in trouble now,' Chris thought as he struggled to explain properly.
"Well?" Lori urged. "How long has she known?"
"Since the hospital," Chris admitted hoping Lori wouldn't fly off the handle in the next moments. "I'm sorry, I know you told me not to tell anyone, but I just was so scared."
"Of what?" Lori blinked as anger clouded her eyes.
"Of losing you," Chris replied emotionally. "and with you any children I might have had. I called her to tell her to pray and to tell her that I'd found the one I'd been looking for all my life."
Lori gulped as she felt emotion brewing in her own eyes. "The one?"
"Yes, Lori the one," He affirmed cradling her cheek gently as a tear rolled down his face. "That's you Lori. If you had died that night, my heart would have died with you. I don't think I could ever feel this way about anyone."
Lori allowed herself to really hear him and his words for the first time. The ramifications of what he was saying overwhelmed her and left her speechless. Strangely, she no longer felt anger with him for breaking his promise, instead she felt…loved unconditionally by this man. Finding her voice Lori breathed, "I feel it too."
"Will you marry me Lori?" Chris asked her softly.
"Yes," Lori's heart answered before her head had time to stop her.
Chris covered her lips with his own and kissed her softly. She melted into his tender embrace and felt …safe and …happy.