Chapter 9

We had made it out of the city and were on the highway on our way to West Newbury. Everyone was quiet, except for each of the couples having their own little conversations. Matt and Kourtney were in the front talking about the songs playing on the radio, the cars we passed on the road, and a bunch of other stuff.

Dan and Ally were mostly quiet. They were each listening to their own music device. Dan ended up falling asleep, which was why it was quiet. Ally was also reading.

I was listening to my i-Pod and looking out the window. That was normally what I did when I was in the car on a road trip with family or a boyfriend's family. When I took road trips with friends, we would all be listening to the radio and talking.

I was actually still sitting in the middle next to John. I was cuddled up against him. His arm was wrapped around me still and he was reading whatever book he had recently downloaded to his Kindle Fire. I ended up falling asleep myself.

"We're here," Kourtney shouted.

I opened my eyes and groaned. The car had come to a stop. I looked out the window. We were in the driveway of a house. I sat up and stretched out my arms.

"Nice nap?" John asked.

"Yes, very nice," I said.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and grabbed all my stuff. I then got out of the car. I took a look at the house. It was a nice two story house with a large front yard.

"Come on, girlie," Kourtney said.

I looked at Kourtney. She grabbed my arm and then we both walked up to the front door. Ally was behind us. John and his brothers were running their mouths about something.

Kourtney reached over and rang the doorbell. There was the sound of a dog barking. John and his brothers were behind us girls as we waited for the front door to open. I heard it unlock and then the door open.

"Hello, hello," A middle age woman said.

"Hi," Kourtney said. She stepped forward and gave the woman a hug.

"Hello Kourtney, sweetheart. Come on in, everyone." Carol walked away from the door and Kourtney walked inside. I followed her with Ally and the guys behind me. We walked right into the living room of the house.

The dog I heard barking was at Kourtney's feet. The dog was a Golden Retriever.

"Hello Lady," Kourtney said, petting the dog.

"Hello Ally, sweetheart," Carol said, hugging her.

"Hi," Ally said.

"You must be Trish," Carol said to me.

"Yes, I'm Trish," I said.

"It is so nice to meet you," She said shaking my hand. "Welcome to my home."

"Thank you."

Carol went behind me to greet her sons. It was Dan first and then Matt second. She saved John for last.

"Everyone, please seat," Carol said.

I turned to John. He smiled at me. "It's okay. I'm still here," He said.

Yes, I was a little overwhelmed being his mom's house and in her presents. He took my hand and then we walked over to the sofa. Kourtney and Ally were both on the floor with the dog, Lady. Dan and Matt were sitting on the love seat. Carol sat down in a lounge chair.

"I am so glad to have you all here," Carol said.

"We're happy to be here too, Mom," Matt said.

"Yeah," Dan said.

"Yes, I'm sure Kourtney and Ally are both happy you two have the weekend off," Carol said.

"You've got that right," Ally said. Kourtney agreed.

"I'm glad John has the weekend off too," I said.

"Oh, yes," Carol said. "I heard Randy and Torrie went away from the weekend, so you two have his place all to yourselves."

"Yes, we do," John said. "It was very nice with just the two of us last night and not annoying roommates and friends."

"So Trish, John has told me everything about you."

"Oh, no," I said.

"Nothing bad, honey," Carol said. "He's told me where you are from, about your family and your job. I'm just happy to put a face to your name. John hasn't put any pictures of you two on Facebook yet."

"Yeah, I haven't put any pictures of us on Facebook either. We just have our relationship status as in a relationship, but we didn't select who we are in a relationship with. I think that will need to change, though."

"Yes, because John is in love!" Dan said.

"Damn right, I am," John said. "And Trish loves me back!"

"That is great!" Carol said.

"Yes, everyone made a big deal about it in the car," I said.

"Oh, just ignore them, sweetheart. Siblings nag each other all the time."

"Yes, well, my sisters don't do it like these three do."

"Be glad Steve and Boog weren't around," Ally said.

"Yeah," Kourtney said.

"Yes, very true," I said.

"Anyway," Carol said. "I was very surprised to hear that John was already in love. But I am not going to judge. If my son is in love, he's in love. All that I have heard from John about you and then what my other sons have told me about you is good. John also told me what happened to you and your sisters. I am very sorry that happened. I don't take those things lightly either."

I smiled.

"What are you talking about, Mom?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, what happened to Trish and her sisters?" Dan asked.

Everyone was looking at me and John. John looked at me. "Do you want to tell them?"

I nodded my head and gave a sigh. "When I was nine years old, I was molested by a co-worker of my dad's," I said.

"Oh, my God," Ally said. Kourtney was shocked.

"I'm sorry I asked," Dan said.

"Why?" I asked. "You didn't do anything to me. You were just curious."

"Did this man molest your sisters as well?" Kourtney asked.

I shook my head. "No," I said. I sighed. "My sister, Christie was raped when she was in college and then our younger sister, Melissa was raped in high school. Both of those things happened around the same time too."

"Oh, my God!" Ally said. "That is so awful! I'm so sorry, Trish!"

"Yeah," Kourtney said.

"What happened to me was one of the reasons why I moved to Atlanta with my family," I said. "My parents wanted to get me and my sisters as far away from Toronto as possible. I think moving to Florida would have gotten us farther."

"Did your parents press charges against the person that hurt you?" Matt asked.

"Yes."

"What about your sisters?" Dan asked. "Did your sisters press charges against the guys that raped them?"

"No," I said.

Dan nodded his head. I'm glad he left it at that. I'm sure as a cop he did not really like women that do not press charges against their attackers. I asked myself the same question: why didn't my sisters press charges? Like so many other women that are attacked, they are too scared to press charges against their attacker or rapist. My sisters also knew their rapists, which was what things so much worse.

"Onto a better topic," Carol said.

"Yes," Kourtney said. "What will we be doing for lunch?"

"Oh, I ordered an Italian sandwich platter. It is very early for lunch still. However, would anyone like anything to drink? Trish?"

"I'll get her something, Mom," John said.

"Yeah, I'll get something for Kourtney," Matt said.

"Same for me with Ally," Dan said.

All three brothers stood up and walked out of the room. I knew Matt and Dan were going to be asking John for more details. Kourtney and Ally didn't ask me about it.

"How is work, Ally?" Carol asked.

"Fine," Ally said. She worked as a medical assistant. Kourtney was still in school. She was working on her master's in psychology.

"How is school for you, Kourt?" Carol asked.

"Just fine. I have a busy week next week," Kourtney said. "I am very glad to have the weekend to spend with Matt. I think we'll both be busy for awhile."

"That's good. How is work for you, Trish?"

"Great," I said. "I love working with my BFF. We got to go home early yesterday, because our boss had plans this weekend."

"Fantastic," Carol said. "John says your boss is the top torts attorney in Boston."

"Yes. I'm sure there will be new cases after this weekend, because of people being negligent."

"Enjoy the time with John."

"I think that is the plan for us all this weekend," I said. Ally and Kourtney agreed.

John, Dan, and Matt came back into the room carrying drinks. They resumed their seats.

"Thank you," I said as John gave me a glass.

"It's Diet Coke," John said.

"Thank you." I took a sip of it.

The rest of the time at Carol's was lots of fun. She showed me some pictures of John and his brothers as babies and kids. She had lots of pictures of John from when he played football as a kid, in high school, and in college. She had a picture of him in his police uniform too. I still had yet to see him in it.

"I still have yet to see him in his uniform in person," I said.

"Are you serious?" Kourtney asked.

"Yes. We have not had any lunch dates, just dates in the evening. I can get more work done if I have my lunch break at the office. I have even told John that I love a man in uniform!"

"I know, right?"

Dan and John both blushed. Matt laughed at his older brothers' embarrassment.

At three o'clock, we all decided it was time to leave.

"I am so glad I finally got to meet you, Trish," Carol said.

"Me too," I said.

"I think I might have to make my way to the city next time so it is more convenient for you and John."

"You do that you can see all your sons and their ladies," John said.

"Very true. Enjoy the rest of your weekend," Carol said. She gave John a hug and kiss. She gave me a hug too.

John and I then walked outside to the car. We were followed by his brothers and their girlfriends. Dan and Ally got into the back first. They had to climb over John's and my seat to get to theirs. John and I then climbed in after them. Kourtney and Matt took their time getting comfortable in the front.

Matt started up the car. "Safety belts," He said as he put his on.

"We're good all the way in the back," Ally said.

I looked over at John. He has his seat belt on. I had mine as well. "Good in the middle," I said.

"All right," Matt said. He put the car into reverse and then backed out of the driveway. He then put it into drive and we were off.

"So did you like Carol, Trish?" Kourtney asked.

"Yes, I loved her," I said. "I'm glad she liked me."

"Yeah, you passed the mother test," Matt said.

"She passed that before Mom even met her," John said.

"That's always good," I said.

"Yeah, considering you were nervous," Kourtney said.

"Very. It went very well in fact."

"We told you it would!" Ally said. "So what do you want to do for dinner tonight?" Her attention had turned to Dan.

"I don't know," Dan said.

Kourtney messed with the radio. I was sitting in the middle next to John again. I was cuddled up with him again as well.

"So what do you want to do when we get back?" John asked.

"How about the gym?" I suggested.

"Sounds good. What do you want to do for dinner?"

"I'll make us something," I said.

"That sounds good too."