A/N: I definitely got guilt-tripped into writing this. When someone leaves a review saying, "Have you forgotten about us?" it sort of makes you feel bad, lol. So...you get a new chapter! I can't promise that updates will be frequent on this anymore (I've lost my steam a bit on this one) but I will do my best.
Chapter Twenty Two
April sent her family out to do some grocery shopping before she propped her feet up on the coffee table and called Jackson. He answered after a few rings and the first thing she said was, "You cannot hold me responsible for what I am about to say."
She could hear the smile on Jackson's face when he slowly said, "Alright, go on."
That smile wouldn't be there for long.
"My parents know we're dating," she said. "And they want to meet you."
"They want to meet me?"
"I tried to get you out of it," she said. "Really, I did my best, but they already think I was hiding you from them –which I sort of was – and it would have looked suspicious if I fought the dinner too much."
"So, I'm having dinner with your parents?"
She nodded morosely. "Unfortunately, yes. And they want to do it tonight."
"Alright, that's fine," he said, his voice suspiciously calm. "So, what time do I need to be there?"
He sounded much too okay with this dinner. No man wanted to meet a girl's parents. Regardless of what it represented in a relationship, it was always done with a certain level of let's-get-this-over-with. There was grudging acceptance. Trepidation. Jackson almost sounded like he didn't mind.
"Why do you sound so gun-ho?" she asked.
He laughed. "Gun-ho? How exactly does one sound 'gun-ho'?"
"You're not even the least bit disappointed that you're being stuck with my parents?" April asked. "I mean, I was disappointed when I got hoodwinked into that lunch with your mom."
"I thought you didn't mind."
"I didn't," she returned. "But I also wasn't jumping up and down at the prospect. Oh God, you're not going to go to bat for my virtue or something, are you?"
"April, meeting the parents is part of this," he said slowly. "And we both know your virtue is far too gone to be salvaged by anyone. Particularly me."
She grinned, picking at the cushion. "You really don't mind?"
"Do I sound like I mind?"
"No," she admitted. "But I can't see you, and sometimes your face gives stuff away."
"I promise you, my face is giving nothing away. Where are we going?"
"Outriggers," April said. "Tonight at seven."
"Alright, I'll be there. So, how is everything else going?"
April switched the phone to her other ear and said, "Oh, it's fine. My mother rearranged all of my cabinets, meaning I will never be able to find anything again. She also thinks you look shifty."
"She thinks I look shifty?"
"Yep, so you better bring your A game tonight. Besides that, there's really not much going on over here."
"How are you feeling?"
"Besides a headache that has nothing to do with my small brush with the other side, I'm doing okay."
"Your voice sounds stronger," Jackson noted. When they spoke the day before, it had been difficult for her to go on for even a few minutes.
"Yeah, I can actually talk for long stretches of time without sounding like I've smoked for forty years," she said.
He laughed. "That's good to hear. Well, I need to go. I'm going to grab a quick lunch before rounding on some patients."
"Okay. I'll see you tonight?"
"I'll be there. Love you."
"You too. Bye."
She clicked her phone off and rested her head against the couch cushion. He didn't sound worried about dinner, and she told herself that she shouldn't be, either. If she could handle Catherine Avery, then Jackson could handle Bob and Janet Kepner.
Jackson walked into the cafeteria, laughing to himself after his phone call with April. He could understand her worry about him meeting her family – what with their sexual relationship and all – but he found himself surprisingly unfazed. Perhaps it would change as the dinner neared, but he found himself with none of the trepidation that she seemed to have.
Cristina and Izzie were seated at one of the tables and he grabbed a quick sandwich before joining them. Izzie smiled wide while Cristina offered a luke-warm greeting.
"I heard that April was discharged," Izzie said perkily. "I bet you're happy to not have her being a patient anymore."
He nodded. "Yeah, it wasn't exactly a high point for my time here."
"How's she doing?"
"Better," Jackson said, unwrapping his sandwich. "Her throat is healing nicely."
"So, have you made the big reveal to her parents yet?" Cristina asked, taking a bite of her apple. It was fairly easy to discern what she was talking about and Jackson shook his head.
"No, we don't really have plans to."
"Probably better off that way," Cristina said. "Her dad seems like the type to have a shotgun in his trunk."
Jackson smirked. "Let's hope that shotgun doesn't come out during dinner tonight."
Izzie turned toward him excitedly as she said, "You're having dinner with them? Oh, that's so exciting!"
"Down Sparky," Cristina deadpanned.
"Meeting parents is huge," Izzie continued, ignoring Cristina. "Huge! So, what are you going to wear?"
"Uh, probably just a button-up and jeans."
"I wouldn't wear jeans," Izzie said immediately, mouth screwed to the side in concentration. "I think khakis would be best."
"Khakis?"
She nodded decisively. "They're more suitable for a special occasion without looking like you're trying too hard. Khakis are definitely the way to go. What color shirt are you wearing? I'd go for blue. It's neutral and won't draw too much attention."
Jackson nodded, mentally going through his wardrobe to remember if he even had khakis.
"I'm sure it's going to be a great time, though," Izzie enthused. She speared a grape tomato with her fork and gestured toward him with it as she said, "You, my friend, are a phenomenal catch."
He laughed. "Thanks, Izzie."
Meredith joined them at the table and while she placed her tray on the table she said, "You guys will not believe the patient that I have."
"Please, no bragging," Cristina said. "I've had the slowest morning known to man-kind. I haven't cut in hours."
Meredith paused for dramatic effect. "I've got one with Dextrocardia situs inversus."
"No way!" Cristina said, frowning. "I'm the one with cardio! I should be getting stuff like that!"
"I've never seen someone with that before," Izzie said, eyes wide. "So, is his heart really on the right side?"
Meredith nodded. "It's on the right side of his body and all his other visceral organs are their mirror image, too." Meredith grinned. "I feel like I hit the jackpot."
"So, is it causing any issues?" Jackson asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.
"No, he's in for migraines. The dextrocardia is sort of just an added bonus."
"An added bonus," Cristina grumbled. "This is so not fair."
"Stop complaining," Meredith said, smiling slightly. "You know I'll show you the EKG."
"Can we come, too?" Izzie asked immediately.
Jackson found a pair of khakis in the back of his closet and settled on a blue and white checkered shirt his mom bought him a few years back. He thought he looked nice and parent-meeting-worthy. When he got to Outriggers he saw that April was wearing a blue dress, and he laughed at their matching without trying. She grinned when he walked to the table, standing to give him a quick hug. She kissed his cheek and whispered, "They're one drink in, so you should be good."
He gave her a little smile before sitting down and greeting her father first. Bob Kepner seemed affable enough, giving Jackson's hand a hearty shake. It was Janet Kepner who seemed to be the one to convince with their relationship. She appraised him coolly, not offering her hand.
"It's wonderful to see you again, Dr. Avery," she said.
"Please, call me Jackson," he said.
The waiter came and asked for his drink order. He settled for a Blue Moon, Janet Kepner critically watching him the entire time. He now understood April's hesitance to have the dinner.
"So, Jackson, how long have you been in Seattle?" Bob asked, drawing his attention.
"Only for about seven years," Jackson said. "I came here after medical school to do my residency. I started out at Mercy West and then ended up at Seattle Grace when the two hospitals merged."
"Isn't that interesting."
"Hey, you were there when that shooting happened, right?" April's brother asked, smearing butter on his roll. Jackson nodded, swallowing hard. They never talked about that day. Even after the therapy and honestly moving forward with his recovery, the memory of that day still made his stomach twist.
"Yeah, I was there," he said.
"What was it like?" her brother asked. "Did you see the shooter?"
The boy was obviously intrigued by the salacious topic, eyes hungry for a good story. Jackson had one, but he was never any good at telling it. April sensed his discomfort and cut in.
"Why don't we talk about something else?" she suggested.
"But-"
"Can't you see you're making them uncomfortable?" April's dad cut in, sending her brother a reproving look.
"I'm only curious."
"It was obviously a traumatic event, Billy. Leave it alone."
They were silent for a long stretch until the waiter returned with Jackson's drink. He took it gratefully, kicking it back for a long swig.
After the shooting was brought up, conversation stayed fairly topical. Everyone avoided anything of real weight until dessert. In between bites of her slice of apple pie, Janet casually asked, "So, Jackson, where will you be heading after your residency?"
"I'm actually staying at Seattle Grace," Jackson said. "I have a very good relationship with the head of plastics, so I'm going to stay and work with him."
"So, both you and April will be at Seattle Grace?"
Jackson nodded. "Yeah. We'll both still be there."
April sensed something amiss in the conversation, and she went to casually steer the conversation away from her and Jackson when her mother said, "I don't mean to be blunt, but what exactly are your intentions with my daughter?"
"Mom!" April snapped, eyes wide. "What are-"
"My intentions?" Jackson interrupted, placing a placating hand on April's leg beneath the table.
"Yes. April is in her late twenties. You appear to be around the same age. Is this some passing ship to you, or are you really serious about our daughter?"
"Janet, honestly," Bob said, shaking his head. "Just let them be."
"I don't think it's a ridiculous question to ask," Janet said levelly.
"Really? Then you're delusional," April said. She looked at Jackson and said, "You don't need to answer that." Shooting a look at Janet she said, "My mother sometimes confuses getting to know someone with the Spanish Inquisition."
"No, it's fine," Jackson said. He looked toward Janet. "This isn't something casual that I have with your daughter. She's not just a 'passing ship' or phase to me. She is the most extraordinary woman that I've ever met and I love her. I can't tell you what our next step is or when we plan to take it. But I can tell you that I intend on keeping her beside me as long as I can."
April flushed at his words, laying her hand on his knee beneath the table.
"Anymore questions, Mom?" she asked, fighting the urge to grin like an idiot.
Janet shook her head and said, "No, that just about covers it."
The ending closed without any further investigation or uncomfortable conversation. They walked out, April's arm threaded through Jackson's and her family in front of them. She leaned in and said, "Thank you for what you said in there."
"It's the truth," he said, kissing the side of her head. "I wanted your parents to know exactly how I feel about you."
She grinned, pressing herself to his side.
"Minus one part, of course," he said in a low voice, glancing down at her.
"And what part would that be?" she asked with a knowing grin.
"The part where I really wish you had your apartment to yourself tonight."
She felt the familiar ache within her and sighed, resting her head against his shoulder. It had been days since they'd been alone together, and the absence became harder and harder to bear.
"Tomorrow night," she whispered. "They'll be gone. I'll have rested up."
"I can't wait," he murmured, kissing her chastely. "Alright, I think I have to send you off with your parents now. My car's on the other side of the parking lot."
She sighed, turning into his arms and kissing him softly. She wanted to do a lot more, but her parents and brother were standing by he car waiting for her. Jackson sensed her reluctance to pull away and chuckled, brushing her hair away from her face as he said, "Tomorrow night, April. You just need to hold out until then."
"You make it sound so easy," she teased.
"Have a safe trip back," he said.
"You too."
She gave him one more kiss and then let him go, watching him walk away for a moment before rejoining her family. They piled into the car, her parents in the front and her and Billy in the back, and Janet said, "You know, I like that boy."
April snorted. "Seriously?"
"I'll admit I was a bit forward," Janet said. "But he held up well. You have to admire someone who doesn't fold under pressure."
April laughed, shaking her head. "Whatever you say, Mom."
A/N: If you're still reading, leave the story some love :D