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Paramour
(Institutionalisation)
"...And somehow he'd convinced all the other kids to move their furniture outside to sleep under the stars" Freya Sander's voice filled the dining room as she reminisced about the trouble her son had gotten into during summer camp over twenty years ago. "He was sent home for all of the pranks he pulled on the camp leaders that summer"
Sara sat beside Greg their fingers tangled together under the table as they listened to the stories that were being shared by his parents about his childhood and worrying teenage years. Every so often she would find him rolling his eyes as he attempted to pretend that certain things weren't being shared over food but it only seemed to endear her more.
"We'd love to meet your parents Sara- wouldn't we Adrian" Greg's mother announced her eye's meeting Sara's as she attempted to keep calm about the mention of her parents.
"Sara's parents aren't around anymore..." Greg interjected. Sara squeezed his hand glad to not have to answer the question realising how what it was she had missed out on all of these years; a solid family unit.
"Oh" His mother raised his eye brows at him with what could only be described as mock surprise. "I'll just go get dessert" She beamed at them standing up in with swift motion disappearing into the kitchen.
"We think it's great you've come to visit us...the both of you" Adrian beamed attempting to sooth the atmosphere that had been caused by the sharp edge to his wife's voice this evening.
"Thanks dad..." Greg nodded before giving Sara a small smile to let her know that things were going to be fine.
Freya returned with plates containing generous helpings of chocolate cake watching her son's response carefully as he realised what it was he was being offered.
"My favourite" He smiled at her not hesitating as he took a fork-full shovelling it into his mouth as if he were a toddler- forgetting all of the manners he'd learnt as an adult.
"I know dear" Freya sat herself down opposite the couple a sense of satisfaction sinking into her system to see Greg happy.
As she surveyed the woman sitting beside him a strange sense of panic sunk into her system as she realised that her son had really grow up. Sara wasn't the girl she had expected Greg to fall for- he'd always been in love with the girl next door. But as she took in the barely there make up and the dark clothes she wondered if Greg was going through another phrase like he had done while he'd been dating that Goth girl he'd met in collage.
And there was the age issue- Sara was older than Greg. It was obvious enough looking at them. What had made him chose someone older- Freya wondered. It was possible that there was something about an older woman that intrigued him, or maybe she had pushed him into being more mature than his years. But in the end that wasn't who Greg was.
"Things are so different these days...men and women seem to be playing the same roles... strange don't you think Sara?" Freya commented bringing up a conversation topic that was bound to hit a nerve for a women working the hours Sara did. Also the almost untraceable dig at her age didn't go unnoticed by the audience.
"I think that gender equality can only be a good thing. I mean who wants to be chained to a sink these days when the world is so vivacious." She shot back keeping a mild tone not wanting to lose her temper. She had promised Greg that she would be on her best behaviour for the weekend they were spending with his parents.
"Well I've never had a problem being 'chained to a sink' as you say... I find it fulfilling to make Adrian happy" The bite was more than obvious in her voice and the way she glared at Sara the moment she had walked through the door had not faded in the slightest.
"You can make a man happy without sacrificing your own happiness. I find that our relationship thrives on sharing our interests, I don't have to hear about Greg's day when he gets home, I don't have to wave him goodbye as he goes to work every day. We make each other happy by being together, being close to each other." Sara had started noticing just how much she loved waking up with Greg in the mornings knowing that they wouldn't have to be apart for too long.
"It would have been different had your parents set an example for you. Did your mother work a lot too?" The question seemed to settle in the atmosphere like storm clouds and before she snapped Sara stood up tucking her chair back under the table.
"If you would please excuse me" She said quietly making her way out of the room. She hadn't wanted to talk about her parents or her childhood it was not until seeing what Greg had at home that Sara realised just how different their lives had been all of those years ago.
As Sara walked towards the back door she wondered if Greg would have been the same loving, kind man that he was had she grown up in foster care like she had done- or was Freya right in thinking a stable environment is necessary.
Greg stared at his mother accusing across the dining table as he attempted to figure out how he could solve the friction that was clearly appearing between her and Sara. He'd had a feeling that this would happen but realised he wanted to show Sara off- he wanted his parents to meet the woman he was so in love with.
"Tone it down a little please? She's trying really hard. Cut her some slack" he muttered abandoning his dessert and going in search of Sara. What he said was true- on the car journey she had asked insistent questions attempting to familiarise herself with his families temperament not wanting to automatically seem like the outsider.
Greg found her standing at the bottom of the garden a cigarette between her fingers, exhaling smoke slowly into the cool night air. Her eyes were focused on the stars above her while she did everything she could to keep on top of the situation that had unfolded with their first few hours here. She didn't want to lose her temper and lash out but she realised that never had she been put on the spot in such a way.
"Sara" Greg spoke softly as he took the spot by her side attempting to gage what it was she needed to make her feel better.
Sara turned to face him not a word on her lips, tears stinging her eyes gleaming in the dim lighting. She felt hurt that much was obvious.
"My mum...she's just...who she is" Greg began tucking his hands awkwardly into his pockets. "And the things she says make no different to me...I love you for who you are Sara..."
"Are you sure...because she sounds pretty convincing" Sara spoke through the lump that had build up in her throat while she attempted to stop herself from breaking down. She tossed her cigarette to the ground putting out the butt with her toes.
Without saying a word Greg took Sara's hands into his own getting down on one knee his eyes focused fully on her expression.
"I'm sure...Sara Sidle will you do the honour of being my wife?" Greg asked not being able to repress the smile that was tugging at his lips as he saw the shock the women in front of him appear to be experiencing as what he'd asked started to feel like reality.
'What are you doing? Get up Greg' she frowned at him but he refused to move or let go of her hands. "You're crazy do you know that? Of course I'll marry you!"
Greg almost leapt off the ground pulling Sara towards him as he did so their bodies colliding their lips crashing together. He held her against him the feel of his heart beat pounding in his head speaking of all the excitement he was feeling in that moment.
This was it.
This was his forever.
It had never occurred to Greg that one day he would meet someone that made him want to spend the rest of his life by her side- but Sara had. She made him helpless, loving, generous and happy in ways he had always imagined.
"We have one problem..." Sara muttered in his ear once their kiss had ending their arms still tightly wrapped around each other.
"What's that?" Greg raised an eyebrow at her.
"How are we going to tell your mother?"