The checkered cab pulled up in front of an elegant brownstone. Greg paid the driver, who thanked him and then turned quickly towards the opened window for fresh air. Morgan cringed, embarrassed about the soured smell radiating from her now stained dress. This little trip she had dreaming about for the past week was becoming nothing but a nightmare. First, the airline lost her luggage. Then, while waiting in line to talk with customer service about her missing suitcase, a toddler standing with the exhausted family in front of her had projectile vomited all over her.
"Are you sure your parents aren't here yet? I want to make a good first impression and smelling like baby barf is not what I had in mind," Morgan said, her stomach churning just at the thought.
"Relax," Greg said removing his own luggage from the back of the cab, "they won't be home for at least an hour. Besides, they are going to adore you, puke or no puke." He kissed her cheek and then moved his lips down her neck. He stopped, pulling away as the wind shifted giving him a sniff of the stench reeking from Morgan's clothes. "Although, a shower is probably not a bad idea."
"Thanks." Morgan rolled her eyes. Greg opened the door to the house. She was taken back by how upscale everything was. Obviously, Greg's family had money, and from the looks of how meticulously everything was arranged, they had high standards too. Morgan gulped, suddenly very nervous and unsure of herself. What if she didn't measure up to the high ideals they most certainly had for their only child?
"Here, this is my room." Greg led the way up the stairs to his old bedroom. He set his things by the bed as Morgan browsed through his remnants of his childhood. She ran her fingers over the books, trophies, and awards that lined his bookshelf.
"Science fair, first place three years in a row. Impressive." She smiled watching him as he rummaged through the bureau drawers.
"President of the science club too,"he said handing her a t shirt and sweatpants. "That sounded cooler in my head. Now I realize I just sound like a dork." Morgan took the clothes, examining them.
"A dork who likes Marilyn Manson," she said holding up the old faded concert shirt. "Where the bathroom?" Greg directed her to a door on the side.
"The door doesn't shut all the way, and the lock is broken," he told her as he kicked off his shoes and laid back on the bed. "Let me know if you need help." She shot him a dirty look. "I meant with working the shower. Not that I would mind helping you out in other ways." He smirked.
"Maybe later. If I'm even still welcome here after having to meet your parents in your old sweats. I swear, they better find my luggage fast." She closed the door and Greg heard the water start running, sending his mind to wonder about what was on the other side of that door and how much longer until he could enjoy it. He turned on the tv to clear his thoughts.
After drying off, Morgan threw the shirt over her. She loved Greg's familiar scent of spice and cedar that enveloped her, still clinging to the decades old t shirt. While the top fit snug against her, the sweatpants were another story. They hung low on her hips and threaten to fall with any sudden movement. She used one hand to hold them up as she exited the bathroom.
"I don't think these pants are going to work," she said. Greg sat up straighter running his eyes over her in the form fitting tee.
He sat at the edge of the bed and grabbed her waist, pulling her against him. "How do you do it?" he purred in her ear.
"Do what?"
"Make everything look so damn sexy." He kissed her aggressively as she fell into him. They were too lost in the moment to hear the knock on the bedroom door, or when it began to open.
"Greg? Are you up here? Oh-" A slender older woman with eyes that mirrored Greg's peeked behind the door. Startled, they broke apart. Momentarily, Morgan forgot about her clothing dilemma until she felt a breeze hit her thighs and realized she was standing in front of Greg and his mother in a tight Marilyn Manson t-shirt and a pair of blue panties, the oversized sweatpants now circling her ankles. To make matters worse, her stained attire from earlier was strewn over the sink in the opened bathroom, giving the impression that much more had occurred. Morgan silently cursed herself as she quickly hauled the pants back up to her waist.
"Mom, this is Morgan Brody," Greg stiffened as he moved to his feet. "Um.. Morgan, this is my mother Else Sanders."
Morgan's face was a bright shade of crimson as she gave a weak wave with her free hand. "I'm so sorry. The airline lost my luggage and I borrowed some of Greg's clothes, but they…um, don't seem to fit." She explained lowering her gaze while giving an embarrassed smile.
Greg's mother smiled warmly, compassion in her voice as she spoke. "Oh no, dear! That is a problem. Here come with me. I probably have something you can wear." She took Morgan's free hand and led her out of the room to another one down the hall. "Oh, Greg, honey," she called out as they were moving. "Turn that tv down. It's too loud."
"It's such a pleasure to have you here, dear. We never get to have company over." Else's muffled voice came from the closet as she searched for something for Morgan, who stood awkwardly by the door making an effort to make sure all her clothes stayed on. "In fact, you are the first girlfriend of Greg's I've ever met." The words became clearer as Else came into view, several items in her hands. "Here try these on." She handed them to Morgan.
"Really?" Morgan was a little taken back by what she had said about Greg. "You've never met anyone he's dated before?" She took the clothes and scurried off to the nearby bathroom to change.
"Well, you know my son. He tells us all about his job and his friends, but I have to drag any tiny fragment about his love life out of him." Else continued the conversation on the other side of the door. "But we are so glad to have you here, dear. Delighted, in fact. You just make yourself right at home."
Morgan opened the door, now wearing a purple dress that fit much better and without any risk of exposure. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Sanders," she said.
"Oh you are very welcome. It looks better on you anyway," Else smiled. "Oh, to be young again. Well, I'm going to check on my roast in the oven. Why don't you take the rest of those things over to the guest room?" She motioned to the room next to Greg's. "Then you two can come downstairs and keep me company. I would love for you to tell me all the details my son won't." She patted Morgan on the hand and then began down the stairs, humming a cheerful tune as she went. Morgan felt a mix of relief and anxiety wash over her. She knew now where Greg got his charming ability to put everyone at ease. But knowing she was the first girl Greg had ever introduced his mother to made her feel anything but that.
"Hey, I thought you were the one who supposed to be humiliated, not me." Morgan marched into Greg's room pinning him back against the dresser. Greg laughed and then tickled her neck with kisses.
"Yeah, but you're so much better at it and so cute when you're embarrassed. By the way, blue is a great color on you." He smirked.
Morgan looked down at her outfit confused. "This is purple-" Then it dawned on her what he was referring to and she shoved him farther against the bureau as he laughed harder.
"So when do I get to see you in that color again?" he asked.
"Play your cards right, and maybe tonight will be your lucky night." She kissed him again, slow and sensual. "But right now, your mom wants us downstairs for dinner. Oh and to talk about your love life." She shot him a seductive smirk and strolled away as he shook his head in frustration.
"So Greg, how come you've never introduced your parents to any of other girlfriends?" Morgan asked causally as she helped Else prepare the table for dinner. Both women paused eagerly waiting for his response.
Greg shifted his gaze between them sighing. He was cornered. He should have nicer to Morgan and not teased her so much. Maybe then she would have been his ally instead of ganging up against him with his mother.
"Morgan's special. What can I say?" he answered hoping to end the conversation. Instead he spurred it on.
"I can see that, dear. So tell me about this special relationship between you two. When did it start and where is it heading?" Else asked putting her son on the spot.
"Mom, we just started dating. We haven't really discussed the future yet." Morgan was surprised to see Greg blush as he spoke.
"Let's talk about it now." She wasn't even sure where that came from. Else looked at them both excitedly while Greg stared at her dumbfounded.
"Okay," Greg drug out the word unsure of where to go from there. His mother started filling in the gaps with uncomfortable questions.
"So where do you two want to be a year from now?" she asked, studying Greg and Morgan.
"Together," Greg said curtly.
"Married, engaged, dating?" Else pushed.
"Engaged would be nice," Morgan said quickly averting her eyes. "Or whatever you were thinking Greg." She tried to recover, not wanting to seem too enthusiastic.
"Sure," Greg gave a nervous smile.
"Great. What about kids?" Else continued questioning.
"Mom!"
"Greg, honey, you're not getting any younger. You need to discuss these things up front. Before you realize you don't agree and your heart gets tangled up," she commanded, and then turned her attention to Morgan. "You want a family, don't you dear?"
"Sure. I mean, one day, that would be nice." Morgan responded eyeing Greg's reaction.
"How many? How soon?" Greg's mother's prodding resumed.
"Um…" Both looked to the other to answer when the door opened and a tall large man with dark hair and eyes entered the house.
"Dad," Greg turned away grateful for the distraction. "This is Morgan Brody. Morgan, this is my dad Gordon Sanders." Morgan went to shake his hand and was carried off into a sweeping hug.
"Nice to finally meet you, darlin'. Now let's eat."
Greg's sense of humor definitely came from his father as the older man regale them with yet another hilarious tale of Greg's childhood antics.
"And there the boy was, naked as a jaybird, running down the street. Else never let me watch him alone again." He laughed looking lovingly at his wife who sat next to him at the dinner table. Greg groaned.
"Wow, Greg, you sure are naked in a lot in all these stories I'm hearing about you," Morgan teased grinning at him.
"Hey, I don't think you have any room to talk." He put his arm around her shoulder inching closer to her. Morgan blushed and stared down at her food, glancing briefly at Greg to give him a scowl soften by her small smile. "Sorry baby," he brushed his lips against her ear.
"Morgan, do you want to see some pictures of Greg as a child?" Else asked.
"Yes, please." Morgan followed her as she led them all to the living room where they sat looking through old photos and remembering good times.
"Look at how cute you were. What happened?" Morgan pointed to a picture of Greg as a baby. "Awww, look here you are naked again, just like all your stories."
"Let me see that," Greg snatched the photo away. "Well I don't have as much baby fat anymore. It's all muscle and well, you know, more." Morgan smacked him on the shoulder. Greg laughed and leaned in to whisper. "You'll see later." He winked.
"Oh Greg was such a doll as a baby. I loved dressing him up." Else smiled at her son. "I can't wait to have another little baby around to play with. It has been a while." Morgan and Greg exchanged a glance.
"Maybe we should check out my high school yearbook. Just as awkward, but no babies and nakedness." Greg grabbed another book off the shelf and they spend the next few hours just listening to Greg reminisce.
After saying goodnight to Greg's parents, Morgan and Greg found themselves undressing and falling into Greg's bed.
"You have no idea how long I have wanted to do this," he said as he helped her remove her dress.
"Oh I have an idea," she said stripping him of his shirt. He ran his hands over her, both of them feeling the intensity build with every touch.
"I think blue is my new favorite color," he whispered helping her remove the last of her garments. They let their inhibitions dissolve as they spend the rest of the night exploring each other and then falling asleep in a loving embrace.
"Greg, Greg." He felt someone tugging on his shoulder as a woman's voice woke him from his deep slumber. He opened his eyes to see Morgan still asleep beside him, her bare back facing him. The shaking and talking continued though, confusing him. He tilted his head to come face to face with his mother.
"Jesus Christ! Mom! What are you doing here?" He yelled pulling the covers further up over him. Morgan stirred at his voice and froze, clinging to the covers when she saw Else standing next to Greg.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude, but someone from the airline dropped this off." She held up Morgan's suitcase. "I thought Morgan might need it, but I couldn't find her in her room." She gave a slight frown as Morgan and Greg shifted uncomfortably under the sheets. "I think you two need to talk about speeding up your timeline a bit, if you are going to be practically living together. I'll see you in a bit for breakfast. I hope you like pancakes, Morgan."