"Meeting the family huh? That's big." Adam remarked as he packed away his wrestling gear. He looked over at the multi-colored headed man sitting on the locker room bench. Jeff had managed to keep the news of his Long Island trip pretty quiet around his wrestling buddies for more then a month. Since most of them were married they felt the need to constantly harass him for details on his crazy bachelor stories of loose morals and even looser women. It seemed like he was the messenger, bringing tales of the outside world to a band of prisoners, locked away from the rest of society. Jeff becoming serious with a woman was almost an act of treason to the guys, especially Adam. He had been married for less then a year and had already developed an unusual amount of cynicism for the holly institution. Not that Jeff blamed him; if he was married to Alannah he'd probably have a negative outlook as well. From the moment he met her Jeff knew this was not the right woman for Adam. He was such a cool easy going kind of guy, where as she was a neurotic needy she-devil. The kind of person you just wanted to smother with a pillow until they stopped moving, just so they'd shut up for a while. She was always screaming at poor Adam over something. Whether it was him not being home enough or her accusing him of cheating or whatever ridiculous thought that popped into her clearly unbalanced head. So it was no surprise that Adam chose to live vicariously through Jeff. Losing him to a monogamist relationship was like letting go of that last hope of freedom.

"It's nothing. It's just dinner for a holiday. Say a little pray, eat a little food. It'll be fine."

"Of course it will." Jay said taking a seat next to Jeff. "Just bring a change of clothes. I nearly wet myself the first time I met my wife's dad. Scary guy."

"Don't get us wrong man. We love Emilie, we really do, she's great. But you guys are moving pretty fast. We just wanna make sure you're not getting in over your head.

"I'm not. Her family is a big part of her life, as much as she doesn't want to admit it, and if I wanna be part of her life I'm gonna have to make them apart of mine. It's what you do when you love someone."

"Love" Adam laughed "Of course you're in love. Everyone's in love in the beginning, all you ever do is have sex. What's not to love? But three years down the road she's got a head ach every night and you're jerking off in the shower like some pubescent teenager."

"Christ Man!" Jeff yelled, hoping that was the end of Adam vividly graphic rant. But Adam ignored his friends cry and continued with his look into the life of a married man rant.

"I mean, sure you're happy now but try not having sex for three months. Three months! Do I look happy to you?!"

"No, but you do look a little psychotic."

"Adam, dude, you need to lay off the caffeine there buddy." Jay suggested to his overexcited partner.

"Look I really appreciate the advice, but I love Emilie with every inch of my soul. I want to meet her family and someday yes I want to marry her but for now I just want to be around her. And that's why I asked her to move in with me"

"You what?!"

"What did she say?"

"She said she wasn't ready."

"Smart girl." Adam mumbled under his breath.

"What happened to its just dinner?" Jay asked.

"It is, for now."

"Sure that's how it starts. A dinner here a picnic there, next thing you know she'll be throwing out all your porn and you're walking around your house with your tail between your legs like a neutered dog." Adam replied as he zipped up his bag. "Well Jeff buddy I hope you have a good time. Good luck." He threw the strap of the bag over his shoulder and strutted out of the room singing the chorus of Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust".

"I worry about him." Jeff joked before turning back to Jay. "It's can't be that bad. There are good things to marriage right?"

"Yeah, sure there is. It makes your life seem longer."

"Not you too."

"I'm just kidding. Look man, don't listen to him. Married life's not a walk in the park, it takes a lot of hard work and commitment, but it certainly can be a wonderful thing if you've found the right person. I love Denise; I can't even fathom what it would be like not being married to her. Adam means well but you gotta consider the shrew he married. I mean his wife makes Sybil look like Donna Reed."

Jeff just laughed as Jay stood up and grabbed the bag that sat next to his feet.

"Don't sweat it Jeffro. Everything's gonna be fine."

"Thanks man."

Jay gave him a friendly punch on the arm before walking out the door leaving Jeff alone in the empty locker room. He sat there for a moment, replaying everything Adam had said. He knew the older Canadian was just being his wacky self but was there some truth behind his words. But just as quickly as the doubts entered his head they were rapidly replaced with the spectacular image of Emilie. The curve of her hips, the slope of her nose, her sweet soothing voice. There was no way he would ever regret making her his wife. After all she was his exquisite corpse.

Emilie ran through her tiny apartment holding up the white towel that was wrapped around her wet body. Water dripped down from her damp hair leaving a little trail from the bathroom tile to the living room carpet. She jumped over the coffee table as the sharp ringing of the telephone sounded for the third time. "Don't hang up" she silently prayed reaching for the receiver. She picked it up but accidentally slammed her big toe into the edge of the kitchen counter.

"Shit! Fuck!" She screamed out loud. She brought the phone up to her ear attempting to ignore the throbbing pain the pulsed through her foot. "Hello?"

"Not exactly the greeting I was expecting but still imaginative." Jeff's familiar voice answered on the other end.

"Sorry about that, I stubbed my toe."

"Oh I hate that. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've got nine other ones. Too bad your not here to kiss it better."

"That's not all I'd kiss."

Emilie could feel her cheeks turn red. It was amazing how he could still make her blush no matter how sexual their relationship was.

"Bad boy." She giggled. "Not that I don't want to talk to you but I just got out of the shower and I'm dripping all over my kitchen, so what's up?"

"Just wanted to let you know what time I'm arriving and the flight number."

"Oh yeah good idea."

"Okay its flight 287 and it should be arriving around four."

"LaGuardia or Kennedy?"

"Kennedy."

"Cool. Okay so I'll pick you up at four and that'll give us enough time to stop by my place, drop your stuff off, and make it to my parents before seven."

"Sounds good."

"So you're absolutely sure you wanna go through with this?"

"Em don't start this again. We're going to your parent's house and we're gonna have a great time."

"I know, but you don't know my family. They're not the most tactful people. If they don't like something about somebody they'll let you know."

"Now I see where you get it from."

"I'm serious Jeff. I just don't want them to offend you or make you feel uncomfortable."

"Since when have you known me to get offended by what anyone thinks about me?"

"It's just..."

"Have a little faith in your family babe. Maybe they'll love me. Everyone else does." He joked.

"It must be your overwhelming modesty."

"You know it. Well I'll let you go dry off. I'll see ya in a few days."

"I can't wait. I love Jeff."

"I love you too Emilie."