A/N: So I had an epiphany not long ago while working my way through this chapter, so I've changed what's in store for Hope's future in regards to succession for the throne of the United Realms… In my mind this makes more sense… I do think I mentioned something else earlier. Hope you can see past this change… I will later go back and edit out the other chapters. And now that we're at the editing part, I made the decision to find a beta reader. So within the next few weeks the chapters will be updated along the way. This chapter is the first finished chapter. A heartfelt thanks goes to "hookedonapirate" in helping me through my misplaced commas and other punctual errors (I'm not native speaking English, I'm Danish).
Enjoy this slightly long chapter…
Chapter 8: RuebenRueben paced back and forth in their hallway, grabbing his neck with his hands while shooting angry glares up the stairs. Why the hell would they take so long?
Moments later, a smirking Damien sashayed down the stairs, "Ready to meet the parents?"
"Fuck off," Rueben grumbled, trying to ease the tension in his shoulders. "Why did you take so long to finish?"
"Ah, mate." Damien sauntered over to the hallway mirror and began combing his fingers through his already styled hair. "I hav'ta look good for my princess."
"Bullshite." Rueben nudged his friend's shoulder. "You're going on a double date with William and Rose, as we've done multiple times. What's so different now?"
"I know why." William laughed from the stairs. "Because we love taking the piss out of you, my friend."
Glancing in the mirror, Rueben made sure his hair was slicked back properly into a ponytail. Though Hope might have mentioned how she liked his hair loose, he didn't think the look would be fit for meeting her parents. He was trying to forget they were practically royalty in the United Realms.
"Can we just go now?" Rueben found his leather jacket and shrugged it on, then waited for his friends.
"Yup, all ready to go," William answered with a grin. Then, walking past Rueben, he added, "Awe, come on, man, it will go smoothly, don't worry. You'll charm the socks off her parents." He clapped Rueben on the shoulder and found his car keys. They were talking William's car to the girls' house. Willian and Damien would then take Rose and Gloria on a double date so the house was ready for the grand meet the parents night.
"Not sure a pirate wears socks, mate," Damien laughed and followed the others out to the car.
"Don't remind me who her parents are, please." Rueben hated the pleading sound in his voice, but it was beginning to freak him out just a little.
"What? The Saviour and Captain Hook?" Damien kept his teasing tone as he jumped into the car, claiming the shotgun seat while Rueben squeezed into the back seat.
"Fuck," Rueben mumbled and dragged his hand over his face. He rested his head against the seat as William roared up the engine.
The drive to the girls' house comprised his friends' more or less helpful advice on what to talk about with her parents and the dos and don'ts. His head was spinning already as they parked the car. His two friends jumped out, both eager to pick up their girls.
Rueben followed his friends to the front door, which was already open. A smiling Rose greeted William with a hug that soon turned into a full blown makeout session.
Rolling his eyes, Rueben passed the couple, mumbling, "Get a room." Vaguely, he heard William chuckle behind him, but his focus was finding Hope.
He found her standing in the kitchen, where she was pulling various items out of the fridge.
"Hi," he greeted in a low voice, startling her. She nearly dropped a cucumber, but managed to hang on to it, clutching it to her chest. Trying not to look at her chest area, he apologized.
"Hi," she whispered, and without looking, she placed the vegetable on the counter next to her and stepped into his arms. "Missed you." She let her fingers skim over his chest before rising on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. Rueben willed his body to be calm, but her touch made it quite impossible, and before he knew it, he was pulling her closer to deepen the kiss. He let his arms wrap around her waist, mumbling, "Missed you, too." They forgot the world around them while their lips moved in a slow, sensual dance.
"Oy, love birds!" When Damien's voice pulled them out of their bubble, they turned to see their friends standing in the hallway, all grinning like madmen.
"Have fun," Rose said with an eyebrow waggle before she grabbed William's hand and walked with him outside.
"You, too!" Hope called after her friends before returning her gaze to Rueben. She rubbed her hands on the pants she wore.
Rueben gulped down when he realized she wore a pair of fitted leggings and a loose off-the-shoulder top, giving him a perfect view of her bare shoulders.
"So?" Rueben suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed and awkward.
"Yeah..." Hope looked around as if she were trying to gather her thoughts. "Eh, we're making salad. My mom is coming over with Chicken Parmesan." She ran a hand through her hair and added, "Oh yeah, we need to turn on the oven and have a pot ready for the pasta." She sifted through the cabinets for a minute until she finally found a pot.
Rueben stepped in and took it out of her slightly trembling hands. "Here, let me fill that and you find the things for the salad." When she nodded, he filled the pot with water and managed to locate a matching lid for it in the cabinet.
Turning to her again, he could see she'd placed all the various greens for the salad on the counter, and found two chopping boards and knives. She smiled at him and nodded toward one of the chopping boards. "Hope you don't mind working—I mean, helping." She sighed and bit her lip nervously.
"I'd love to." He washed his hands and got ready to work. When she didn't say anything, he looked at her again. "What's wrong, Hope?"
"God, I don't know." She sighed. "I mean, it's my parents. It's you, I know you, and I know my parents. It's just all so—" she waved her hands aimlessly in the air, " — so different somehow." She glanced at him.
"I know. I was antsy this entire morning, making my friends begin to think I'd gone nuts." He closed the distance between them and swiped a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. She smiled sheepishly, nodding in understanding.
"Yeah, you must feel a bit strange meeting my parents. It's just so huge, you know? I mean, I know we love each other and they should meet you. This just makes all of this so very real."
"It is very real." He took her hand and placed it on his chest; he could hear her breath catch in her throat, her eyes searching his. He smiled and added, "I'll survive this. For you, I'll do anything."
She stepped closer and whispered, "Thank you." He bent down and captured her lips for another kiss. He could hear his blood pound in his ears as he tried to dim the heat level but her searching tongue was not helping. Finally taking a step back, he took her hands in his and admired her flushed cheeks, blue eyes peeking from under her eyelashes.
God she's beautiful.
"We better make the salad," he finally managed to say, and nodded to the chopping boards beside them. With a sheepish grin, she agreed.
They proceeded to chop up the greens for the salad while they talked about school, the future and the present. Sometimes they would nudge the other, making teasing comments or flicking small pieces of vegetables at each other. The atmosphere was thick with emotion, and they were both very much aware of how close they stood. Everytime their shoulders brushed against the other, he could feel the heat radiating from her skin.
At one point, Rueben managed to toss a slice of cucumber at her, making her squeal in mock anger. "Hey buddy, knock it off! We're supposed to be making a salad here, not having a food fight."
"We are making salad, and I'm also aiming to get you riled up a bit. You're cute when you're pissed," Rueben teased with a bold smirk. When her shimmering blue eyes glared at him, he could see the glimmer of mischief in her sapphire orbs.
"Is that so?" She placed her knife on the counter, then turned toward him, her hands firmly planted on her waist. "You want to see me get pissed?"
"Yup." Setting down his knife, he turned toward her, donning a smirk. When he crossed his arms over his chest, her eyes scanned his upper body, and he had to refrain from puffing out his chest. This girl was far too easy to tease, and he sort of liked it.
"Why?" She glared at him, but the small shift in her posture told him she was holding back a smile.
"Because I want to be able to do this..." He reached for her and pulled her close to his chest, shifting them around until he had her trapped against the counter. He let one hand slide up her arm, and with a satisfied grin, he watched as goosebumps rose on her skin. When his fingers traced over her bare shoulder, her breath hitched; silently, she showed how much she liked his explorations. Finally, he leaned down and let his mouth follow the path of his fingers, letting his tongue sweep over the contours of her shoulder. When his mouth found its way to her ear, he whispered, "And I want to kiss you."
She hummed her approval as her hands travelled over his waist and back before she placed a hand on his cheek.
"Kiss me," she whispered. He gladly obliged and moved his lips against hers in a warm and passionate kiss. When her tongue sneaked into his mouth he forgot where they were and what they were doing. He pulled her closer to his body and she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, bringing herself closer, her fingers sliding through his ponytail. With no effort, he lifted her up and placed her on the counter, making sure there were no veggies laying there first. She wrapped her legs around his middle, pulling him closer.
Rueben felt his body hum in appreciation; they'd kissed and made out like this quite a lot lately. Their relationship had evolved since that day on the beach where they declared their love for one another. So he knew what she liked and where to place his hands or mouth to make her moan in pleasure—a sound he quite liked hearing. He could feel his body responding to her sounds of pleasure, and he knew she could feel his arousal pressing against her thigh. Her nimble fingers began tugging at the hem of his shirt, trying to pull the material from his pants. Once slightly successful, she slid her hands under his shirt and let her fingers skim over the heated skin of his back.
"Bloody hell," a voice suddenly rang through the kitchen, "my eyes, oh God my eyes. How am I ever going to unsee this?"
Rueben jumped away from Hope, and as she tried to get down from the countertop, a few stray tomatoes rolled onto the floor, but neither paid attention to this.
"Bloody hell, LIAM!" Hope's voice was shrill and loud.
Rueben glanced at her as she tried to put some order to her clothes; he'd forgotten how his own hands had travelled under her shirt only seconds ago. When her clothes were in place, she stomped toward her brother—well, he could only assume it was her brother, as she'd mentioned his name a few times. The young man was standing in the kitchen entrance, his hands dramatically covering his eyes.
"Are you decent?" Liam grimaced.
"Fuck, you're stupid." Hope swatted his hands away.
Liam was now grinning as he took in his sister's appearance and motioned at her hair. "Ya might need to find a mirror. Your hair's a mess." Then he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"God, don't you ever knock?" Hope sighed, then spotted her parents standing behind Liam. "Hi Mom... Daddy." She ran a hand through her unruly hair, and Rueben imagined she was a bit red in the face.
"What's going on?" Emma entered the kitchen, holding a pan of food, and took a look at the chopping boards and the veggies spread out all over the countertop.
"We're… eh, you know... making salad." When Hope turned around, Rueben could see the embarrassment in her eyes. She looked sheepishly at him, and while he wasn't sure what to do, he did offer a small smile in return. He was still trying to cool down his arousal, so he stayed behind the kitchen island, hoping no one would notice.
"Salad?" Liam piped up and rolled his eyes. "Yeah riiiiiight." He huffed and stomped toward the living room, mumbling, "Great, my sister gets more action than I do."
Hope did a double-take and glanced at her brother, then looked at her parents. "What's gotten him in such a sour mood."
Emma reached for her daughter and hugged Hope with her free arm. "He's pining over a girl from school."
Rueben glanced at the young man in question, and noticed he did look like a poor lost soul. He returned his gaze to Hope, who was talking with her mother.
"Oh God, who is the poor girl?" Hope asked with a chuckle.
"Thea." When Hope raised a curious brow, Emma explained. "Her parents are Anna and Kristof."
"Oh yeah, I remember seeing her a few years back; scrawny little redhead." Hope looked back at her brother, who glared at her angrily.
"She ain't scrawny no more." Liam contended. His eyes turned sad and wistful. Rueben smiled; the poor guy had it bad.
Emma shook her head and lifted the pan in her hand, "Is the oven preheated at least?"
"Um yeah, sure." Hope waved her hand toward the kitchen, then walked over to her father. Rueben gulped down as he took in the person everyone knew as Captain Hook. Once a feared pirate, now a family man. It was clear how much he had changed. Hope hugged her father, who in return planted a tiny, butterfly kiss on his daughter's forehead. They spoke quietly together, and Rueben was too busy trying to hear what they were saying, he failed to notice Emma walking up to him.
"Hi, you must be Rueben." Her chipper voice pulled him back to reality.
Hope rushed over to stand between her mother and Rueben, "Oh, I'm forgetting my manners, my idiotic brother distracted me." She glared at her brother now slouching in the armchair that faced the open space kitchen.
"Yeah yeah," Liam fired back, "If you didn't have your boyfriend's tongue down your throat you would've remembered we were coming over."
Hope mumbled something under her breath, something sounding very much like "bugger off". Then she returned her gaze to her mother and said, "Yes mom, this is Rueben, my boyfriend." Turning to Rueben, "Rueben meet my mom."
Nervously, he wiped his sweaty hand on his jeans. Luckily, his body had calmed down after their quite heated makeout session. He gave her his best smile and reached out his hand.
"Good afternoon, Princess Emma. It's nice to finally meet you." He managed to say while doing a small bow.
Emma shook his hand and looked at him with a huge smile, waving him off with her other hand. "No need for such formalities."
He smiled sheepishly.
Hope walked over to Ruben's side and turned around, wrapping her arm around his waist. "Come meet my dad." Gulping down his anxiety, he took a few steps toward Killian.
"Good afternoon, sir. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Rueben shook hands with Killian, who studied him with a raised eyebrow. The blue eyes, much resembling Hope's, kept looking at him, scrutinizing him. Rueben gulped when he noticed the hook on Killian's left arm.
"Daddy?" Hope said in a subtle warning tone.
"Ehm, yeah. Nice to meet you, too, Rueben." When Killian stepped back a little, Rueben noticed how the man glanced down at Hope's hand which was now resting on Rueben's upper arm, her other arm still wrapped around his waist. She was so close—not that he was complaining, but the scent of her perfume filled his nostrils and made him slightly dizzy. Hope flashed him a knowing smile.
"So, food is in the oven and I turned the heat up on the buner so we can cook the pasta noodles," Emma explained, bringing them out of their little bubble. "Is the salad ready?"
"Uhm, yeah. I think, eh—" Hope stepped away from Rueben, who took a deep, shuddering breath. This was a bit awkward.
Hope managed to toss together the salad, while Emma began rummaging around in the cabinets. When she pulled out a stack of plates, Rueben reached for them. "Let me do that."
"Thank you," Emma said with a big smile.
When he turned to walk to the table, he could hear Emma whisper to Hope, "That man is a keeper; so helpful."
"Mom!" Hope exclaimed.
Rueben tried to suppress the smile beginning to form on his face. He finished setting the table and returned to the kitchen to find utensils. He cast a nervous glance at Killian, who was holding the bag of pasta and using his hook to slide it open. Killian caught him looking.
"My hook is very handy, even in an everyday situation," Killian smirked, as if he knew Rueben was a bit nervous. Ruben gulped and nodded, trying to focus on finding the right drawer. This was not really helping to ease his mind.
"Bloody hell, Daddy, stop it alright. God, you're so embarrassing." Hope poked her father's side, making him take a step back.
"Nah, I think Rueben here is a clever lad, and he knows I won't hurt him," Killian said with a smile, and nodded at Rueben. "Ain't that right, lad?"
"Yeah," Rueben managed to say, finally finding the utensils he was looking for. As he focused on his task, he could sense Hope behind him, then her hand rested on his back.
"Ignore my daddy. He can be a pain in the arse," Hope whispered and wrapped both arms around him.
"Hmm." Rueben glanced at her father, who, by now, had forgotten all about the bag of pasta in his hand. Killian's eyes were laser focused on them. Rueben imagined the man wasn't too fond of how close they stood.
"Daddy, the water is boiling," Hope said with a sigh. With a shake of his head, Killian returned his focus to the pasta and poured it into the pot.
Rueben tried to hide the grin on his face, turning to place the utensils on the table. Hope walked back to the kitchen. He vaguely heard Hope chat with her parents. He could already see the family was close. Something he, too, had with his parents. Sans siblings, he was still happy with his family and looking forward to the next weekend, when Hope would meet his parents.
Once the pasta was cooked, and the Chicken Parmesan was done, they got ready to eat. Rueben was happy to be placed next to Hope, her father sitting on the other side of her at the head of the table. He came to like the pirate, but wasn't too crazy about sitting too close to his hook. Emma and Liam sat opposite of Hope and Rueben. Liam was still being a moody teenager, but when the food was served, he perked up a little and, soon, the conversation flowed a bit easier.
Both Emma and Killian asked Rueben a myriad of questions, some making Hope roll her eyes and ask her parents to stop being embarrassing. Rueben only smiled and tried to answer everything the best he could. He really wanted to make a good impression on her parents. Even Liam began asking questions, and when the young man also shared embarrassing stories about Hope and their childhood, Rueben started to enjoy the evening quite a bit.
"So your father was an explorer when he met your mother?" Emma asked, taking the last bite of her chicken
"Yeah, he's sailed to a lot of places in his time." Rueben glanced at Killian and added, "I imagine you and him would have a few seafaring tales to share." He really hoped he didn't overstep some lines here.
When Killian beamed, Rueben sighed in relief.
"Aye, we might." Killian leaned back in his seat. "Perhaps we could meet someday?"
"Hmm, yeah." Rueben glanced at Hope, who had a small smile on her lips. She even looked relieved by the fact that they all seemed to talk so easily together.
"Oh, Hope your birthday!" Emma clapped her hands, looking pleased with herself.
"Birthday?" Rueben asked in surprise. Hope never mentioned anything about a birthday coming up. His mind was already beginning to wonder what he should buy her.
"Yeah," Hope shrugged, "Mom wants to throw a big party, you know, for the big 21 coming up." She rolled her eyes.
"I definitely wouldn't want to miss my girlfriend's birthday," Rueben said grinning at Hope. But a slight grunt was heard from Killian when he said the word girlfriend.
Hope turned to her father. "Oh, Daddy, stop. Yeah, Rueben is my boyfriend, get used to it… seriously." She rolled her eyes and took Rueben's hand in hers as if she were trying to show her parents how serious it was between them. In Rueben's eyes, it was very serious, and he really hoped things between them would work out.
"Oh yeah, you should invite Rueben's parents to your party," Emma suggested with a wide smile. "Everyone is coming."
"Everyone?" Rueben murmured.
"Yeah, we have a big family." Emma explained with a shrug, "So please invite your parents if you want to." She rose from her seat and began gathering dishes and taking them to the kitchen.
Hope looked at Rueben and asked, "What do you think?"
"Yeah sure, why not." Rueben rubbed the back of his neck as he also got up and began clearing the plates off the table. He was a bit unsure how things would go, but he also wanted to show the world, their parents included, they shared something special here, him and Hope.
After they cleaned up in the kitchen, Emma and Killian got ready to head home. Rueben was beginning to enjoy spending time with her parents, even her father, who didn't seem so scary any more. So he walked to the man and extended his hand in a farewell.
"Goodnight, Mr. Jones."
Killian took his hand and gave him a smile, then squeezed his hand a little firmer, looking straight into Rueben's eyes. "Good night lad. Our daughter likes you, that I can see. But if you hurt her or break her heart, I—"
"Bloody hell, Daddy!" Hope swooped right in and pulled her father's hand away from Rueben's hand. She stood between them and placed her hands on her hips, much like she'd done earlier when Rueben had attempted to piss her off with the food fight. He grinned as Hope kept berating her father, "Don't you bloody dare threaten Rueben. I know how to take care of myself." She was about to say more when Emma came over.
"Killian, really?" Emma turned to Rueben. "I'm really sorry about that. My husband seemed to have forgotten his good manners at home." She patted Rueben on the arm, "You really are a great guy, and I see our Hope really likes you. That's good enough for me—for us." She glared at her husband, "Right, sweetheart?"
"Aye." Killian looked a little sheepishly at Rueben, who only waved off his expression.
"Don't worry about it. I understand," Rueben said with a smile, then pulled Hope to him, winding his arm around her shoulder. "You do have a special and pretty awesome daughter."
Hope looked up at him with huge blue eyes, and when he blinked, she blushed even more.
"God, you two are so sickeningly sweet." Liam commented with a fake, gagging noise when he walked past them.
"Shut up, Liam." Hope rolled her eyes. "If you could just get your head out of your arse for a bloody sec, you might be able to do right by this poor girl you seem to pine so hard over."
"How the hell do you suppose I do that when she won't even acknowledge my existence," Liam practically whined.
"Have you tried talking to the girl?" Rueben asked, feeling sorry for the younger man.
"Yup." Liam shook his head, his long dark locks falling over his eyes. He combed his fingers through his hair. Rueben could see how much he looked like Killian, and in all honesty, it might just be a matter of time before Liam would be able to catch the attention of the young lady.
"Keep trying, man," Rueben encouraged and clapped Liam on the shoulder in an attempt to show his support.
"Aye, will do." Liam shuffled to the front door. "Bye, sis. Rueben, nice to meet you. Make my sister happy, aye?" He waved and walked out.
"You know, I did invite Anna and Kristof to your party." Emma pursed her lips in contemplation, reminding him of a mom trying to meddle in her children's love lives. "I can encourage them to bring their kids," she mused.
"Are you really going to ask every bloody person we know in the United Realms?"
"It's your 21st birthday, and it's to be expected, as you're the 2nd in succession to be queen," Emma explained proudly.
The words kept echoing inside Rueben's head. Queen.
Rueben knew how things worked in the different parts of the United Realms; some areas had kings or queens, ambassadors, presidents, or mayors. It all depended on what had been done prior to when Queen Regina had united the realms. He just hadn't really given it much thought about what Hope's future might be.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." When Hope sighed, Rueben squeezed her hand in reassurance.
"Thanks for tonight, Cygnet." Emma beamed at the couple. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Rueben. You're a fine, young man."
"Eh, thanks." Rueben rubbed his neck nervously and then waved his hand at the retreating forms of Hope's parents.
When the door closed behind them, Hope slumped against him, and he pulled her fully into his arms. He rested his chin on her head. "That went well."
"Yeah, I guess it did." Hope lifted her eyes to his. "Sorry about my moping brother." She rolled her eyes. "He can be a bit of a drama queen, sometimes."
"He's still young," Ruben shrugged. "Just happy your father didn't cut me with his hook." He grinned, hoping she could see the teasing in his words.
"My dad can be a huge pain in the arse." Hope huffed in annoyance.
"He just wants to make sure his baby girl is taken good care of." Ruben swiped a stray piece of hair behind her ear and let his hand rest on her cheek.
"Hmm, I know." Hope pulled herself closer by wrapping her arms around his neck, encouraging him to kiss her. Rueben was happy to oblige. "I love you," she whispered against his lips. Closing the gap between them, Rueben kissed her deeply, wanting to show her how much he loved her in return.
Once they finally pulled apart, Hope suggested they watch a movie while they waited for their friends to return.
Walking to the couch, Rueben asked, "So, what did your mother mean by 2nd in succession?"
"Yeah, about that," Hope said, finding a seat on the worn couch. "I'm in the direct line to become the Queen of the United Realms after my mother. You know my grandmother Snow White she wants to stay on as mayor of Storybrooke for as long as they keep voting her in. And since she and my mom are about the same age it makes sense."
Rueben blinked a few times, then remembered something, "Eh don't you have an older brother?"
"Yup, but he was voted king of Camelot years back, not long after the United Realms was created by my Aunt. Camelot was crumbling as a realm. but my big brother sorted things out, and now it's thriving," Hope explained, then shrugged, "well technically she is my great grandmother, but we always called her Auntie Gina."
"Oh." Rueben rubbed his neck while he tried to sort out the finer details of what Hope's future life would be like. "You seem pretty cool and laid back about all of this." He looked around the living room, "And you live in a townhouse why not—?"
"The castle?" Hope chuckled, "I wanted a normal youth, living like this with my friends gives me that. My parents live in a cute house close to the ocean in Storybrooke, we might be royal but we do things differently here in the United Realms." She began to flip through the movies on the streaming service—yup they had Netflix in the United Realms.
Rueben was trying to shake off the myriad of thoughts all this brought to him. When she snuggled closer, he sighed and decided he would just enjoy their quiet time together, watching whatever movie she picked out.
They watched a comedy, and somewhere in the middle, Hope had sneaked her hand under his shirt, drawing lazy patterns over his abdomen. Sucking in a breath of air, he gently placed his hand over hers. Chuckling, she shifted around, straddled his lap and pulled him in for a kiss. Rueben kissed her back and forgot all about the movie playing in the background. Both seemed more interested in exploring their new found love and passion. Yet, both also agreed that now was not the time to take the next step in their relationship.
Hope and Rueben kept kissing and cuddling on the couch, not giving much thought to what time it was. Suddenly the door burst open, and their friends waltzed inside.
"Oy, mate, hands off," Damien admonished with a chuckle. The girls giggled behind him.
Rueben flipped him off over his shoulder, and gave Hope a last kiss. "Guess the night is over."
"Hmm, it was fun." She pulled back, holding his gaze, "You did great. I'm pretty sure you charmed my parents. Maybe even Liam." She laughed.
"That's good. I'll call you tomorrow." Rueben helped her up and straightened his shirt, ignoring the crazy cat calls from Damien. Rueben gave her one last kiss and sauntered to his friends, who were waiting for him. He said hello to the girls before walking out of the door with William and Damien. He guessed the girls would grill Hope about how the evening went. In his mind, it couldn't have gone better, even if he'd been a little intimidated by her father at times. But seeing how at ease and how much love the Swan-Jones family shared made him more and more certain she would get along well with his own parents when they went out there next weekend.