Mid day, the next day Darien pulled up into the drive way of Serena's parents house. Irene and Ken were working on the garden. Irene watering the plants and Ken mowing away at their little patch of lawn. They both looked up and watched as he got out of the car.
"Darien!" Irene said with her usual cheerful smile. "What are you doing here? Did Serena tell you to come?"
Darien did a quick bow. "Hello Mrs-"
"Darien, no 'Mrs' anything, you call me mom! I would hug you but I am all dirty."
"It's okay...Mom..."
"And you know you can always call me dad." Ken said approaching him with his hand out. Darien shook it. "What brings you here?"
"We thought you were so busy with work." Irene added.
Darien removed his sunglasses, looked in his eyes. "I realize Dad, I never did this correctly."
"This...?"
"Dad," He paused. "It is kind of weird now that I want to say it out loud." He did a light cough.
"Do you need a drink son?" Irene looked at him concerned. "Your throat drying up?"
"No I am okay. Mom." He took a second to collect himself. "I am just here to ask... If I can take Serena on a date?"
Ken looked at Irene, he wasn't sure if he had heard that correctly. Irene looked just as confused.
"I know it is weird, considering we were engaged not that long ago, but as you both probably noticed, she isn't wearing her ring anymore, and somewhere along the way we crumbled. Mainly my fault. I will own up to it, all of it." He put his glasses back on. "I need to rebuild us and the only way for me to do this, is if I start from beginning." He took a breath. "So I am asking you, may I please have your permission to take Serena on a date?"
Ken was not sure how to answer. He looked to Irene again. When Serena was younger he would have answered no, without a second thought and walked away. Irene would have had to request he reconsider, but things were different now.
"I think..." She paused. "I think we need to let Serena decide this one. Let me call her out. SERENA!"
Ken just observed Darien. He was sweating. He was uncomfortable. He was obviously nervous.
"Serena!"Irene called again. "Can you please come out here?"
"Maybe call her phone. You know that girl always has that on her." Ken suggested.
Just then they heard the door crack open. Darien looked up. His stomach flipped.
"What mom?" Her voice can be heard.
"I think the correct response is 'yes, mom?' Irene shouted back. "Come here, bunny."
"I am coming!" She walked down the steps and headed towards the lawn. She stopped midway when she noticed the third shadow. She looked up, and crossed her arms. "What is going on?"
"Sere, Darien here is asking if you would like to go on a date with him?" Irene said with a small smile.
She let out a sarcastic laugh. "This is a joke right? Why are you really here?"
"I am here because I would like to take you out. I realized in the many years we have been together, we never really had a first date. One that I actually took all the proper steps in. Oh and..." He opened his car door, leaned in from the drivers side to grab something on the passenger side. "These are for you." He came out of the car with bear and flowers. "I seen this in a movie, so I figured it is what you're supposed to do." He explained nervously. Sweat at this point was dripping down his face.
"This is a ver sweet gesture Darien," Irene was gushing.
"So... Serena, will you go on a date with me?"
Serena looked at her mom, who was smiling from ear to ear, her dad who looked as confused as ever, then to Darien, who stood there with a bear and flowers fidgeting.
"Serena...?" Ken called.
"No." Serena said swiftly and turned to walk away.
"Serena?" Irene called. "He wants to take you out? You have been in the house all day."
Serena paused. "Mommy, I came here to spend time with you and dad. Wish Sammy was here but it's okay. I am not going to go on a date with him and losing time with you guys. I begged him to take me on dates for years and nothing."
"Serena, please, I am trying."
"No Darien, just go back to work, or whatever it is you have going on here."She shrugged her and headed into the house, leaving Darien and her parents behind.
When the house door was closed. Ken and Irene again focused on Darien.
"Maybe I will go talk to her." Irene suggested.
"Thanks mom, but it's okay. I should have known it wouldn't be this easy, but I will try again. And I will keep trying." He took a step forward. "Can you please give these to her for me though?" Darien put out the flowers and bear.
"Of course sweetheart." Irene took the items.
"Where are you staying son?" Ken asked.
"At the hotel not too far from here."
"Why don't you come for dinner? Have a home cooked meal."
"Thanks Dad, but I don't want to upset Serena."
"Well, she will have to deal with it. It is after all Irene and my home. And I am inviting you over as my guest." Ken said firmly.
"I'll make us something nice. Be here at 6-7?"
"That's more of an order, son."
Darien was too scared to say no. He was terrified of how Serena would act, but he was more scared of Ken's reaction if he said no. So he just nodded. "Do...you maybe need help?" He looked around the house.
"You know I could use some help with some things around here."
"I will go and get changed and I will be back."
Ken nodded.
Serena watched as Darien drove away from the living room window. She closed the curtain and grabbed her phone. She contemplated calling Mina and the girls but she didn't want them worry about her. Rita had called her but she lied and told her she was busy with her parents.
"Serena honey!?" Her mom called.
"Yes mom?"
"How about we go to the store and grab somethings for dinner tonight?" Irene said hanging up her sun hat.
"What are you making?"
"I am not sure, let's just go out and see what comes to us while we are there?"
Serena nodded at her mom. She got changed, grabbed her purse and they were off. They had been out for maybe two hours, when they turned into their drive way the site of Darien's car caused Serena's heart to race and her face became flushed.
"Why is his car here mom?"
"I am not sure, honey." Irene was just as confused. "I know dad did invite him over for dinner."
"He did what? Mom?!" Serena started to get loud.
"Don't raise your voice at me Serena," Irene sternly said with her pointer finger up. "Your dad invited him as a guest, and regardless of what is going on with you two, you will act like we taught you some manners and treat him as such. You will be respectful."
Serena threw her body back into her chair crossed her arms. "You're supposed to be on my side mom."
"There are two sides to every story and I've barely heard yours so, let's get out and start cooking." She forced a smile, pulled the key from the ignition and got out of the car.
Serena watched as Irene went around to the trunk.
"I am going to need help so I highly recommend you get out too!" Irene yelled.
Irene rolled her eyes and got out slowly. Just as she was completely out she could see her dad and Darien walking over to the car.
"Honey do you need help?" Ken called.
"Yes please." She handed some bags to Ken. Serena rolled her eyes as her mom handed the bags to Darien. "Come on Sere let's get to cooking."
"Serena cooking?" Ken teased.
"Yeah dad, crazy isn't it? Had to learn how to make dinners for one eventually." She gave him rude a smirk.
He stopped dead in his tracks until Serena caught up to him. She too stopped.
"Young lady, you will be respectful. Darien here is helping me with some things around the house and the least I can do is feed him."
"Could have ordered him take out to his hotel." Serena snapped and walked back into the house.
Once all the groceries were set down. Darien awkwardly stood there, shoulders slumped and head half way down. "Do you guys need help with anything."
"NO!" Serena answered rapidly.
"Serena...?"
"Sorry mom." She then turned to Darien. "No Darien we do not need you help. Thanks for the offer."
"Why don't you go help Ken finish up whatever you guys were doing. Did you bring extra clothes? You aren't going to eat in that work stuff are you?" Irene looked a little disgusted. The idea of sweaty dusty clothes on her furniture made her stomach turn.
"I did mom."
Serena looked at her mother in disgust, as Darien headed out. She waited until the backdoor closed behind him. "Did he just call you mom?"
"Of course he would call me that, what else would he call me?"
"Mom we were never married, he has no right to call you mom."
"But you guys are-"
"Were engaged! I called it off."
"Which I am still upset you didn't tell me. I had to find out when I was making a payment to venue?"
"I don't even know why you had a venue, no plans were made. No date was set. He never took the-" Serena could feel herself getting loud, so she stopped. Took a breath. "He never took the time to help me plan." Serena shook her head and started chewing on a piece of skin in her lip. "He is not your son."
"Darien has been in your life for over a decade. I have seen him grow just as much as I have seen you grow, so he is my son. And though there may not be weddings and rings now..." She tapped Serena nose. "I don't see you with anybody other than him."
Serena again rolled her teary eyes.
"Stop rolling your eyes at me or I will use chopsticks to poke them out." She teased.