"I walked through the door with you, the air was cold, but something 'bout it felt like home somehow..."
When Niles parked the car outside his parents' home, he turned to C.C. with a smile, which she returned with one that did not quite reach her eyes. Before he could open his mouth to ask what was wrong, she answered his question.
"Will they like me?" she asked in a small, breathy voice.
Niles shook his head and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.
"They will love you," he assured her quietly, allowing his hand to linger lovingly upon her cheek.
C.C. smiled softly and nodded, still uncertain but trusting in her husband and best friend. He leaned into her to place a comforting kiss onto her lips and then pulled her into a strong hug.
"I've been wanting them to meet you for so long... longer than you know," he admitted. "Just don't hump the furniture," he added, hoping to set her at ease with a bit of their normalcy.
His comment had the desired effect, as C.C. laughed and rolled her eyes at him.
"I hate you," she said deeply.
"Hate you more."
Niles could not help but notice the hesitation in C.C.'s steps as they approached the house. He placed his hand on her lower back and gave her another reassuring smile, which seemed to comfort her somewhat, as he felt a small release of tension in the muscles of her back when he did so.
C.C.'s heart pounded as Niles knocked on the door. They would hate her; she grew more and more sure of this with each frantic beat of her heart as they waited.
C.C.'s mind whirled, making it a blur as the door opened at last, and a thin, gentle-looking older woman appeared and pulled Niles into a tight embrace.
"I've missed you, Mum," he said with a bright smile that matched his mother's and warmed C.C.'s heart.
"I've missed you too," she replied, clasping his hands in hers.
C.C. felt her heart skip a beat as the woman's light blue eyes turned to her. The older woman's face spread into a renewed smile, which C.C. nervously tried to return as convincingly as she could.
"Niles," the older woman spoke quietly, "she's every bit as beautiful as you've always said."
"She is," he replied warmly, sliding his arm securely around his wife's waist, knowing that she was still nervous.
"It's starting to get chilly out," his mother commented as an icy breeze blew past them into the house. "Come on inside and get warm."
C.C.'s lips parted slightly as she entered the lovely quaint house where Niles grew up. She felt a rush of emotion spread through her, and she could not shake the feeling that this felt like home somehow...
To be continued