Kathy stood in her parents kitchen. She watched the clock, she would pick Jonathan up in a hour. Her family was thrilled to meet him, they planned a cookout to welcome him. Her family always supported her. When she told her parents she was pregnant even though there was disappointment they stood by her. Her father had served as local police offer. When rumor and whispers started he faced them head on. Never shamed his daughter. They even worked with Piper's father. Putting their feeling aside for their granddaughter.
"Hope he likes hamburgers," Kathy's father said, loading the last beef patty on the tray.
"I am sure he does," Piper smiled.
"You sure you ok getting to the airport," her dad asked, "just filled the car up." Kathy laughed no matter how old her or her sister got her father always checked their gas tank.
"I got it dad. What time is Mary and her crew getting here?"
"I guess six," her father answered. "Where is Jonathan staying?" Kathy home was strict Catholic one. It didn't matter she was forty and had a twenty two year old daughter. There was no sharing rooms unless you were married.
"He has a hotel, they have a show. He got Carl tickets," Kathy had to laugh at her father.
"Oh he will love that," her father beamed.
"Thanks for doing all this dad," Kathy walked over hugging him.
"Oh just an excuse, for me to wear my crazy apron," her dad hugged her back. "Just want my girls happy."
….
Jonathan pushed his hair back, he looked around as he stepped out of the car. Kathy's childhood neighborhood was picture perfect. All the lawn were perfectly manicured. Trees lining the sidewalk, almost every house had an American flag hanging. Jonathan thought of how different it was from where he grew up. "Ready," Kathy took his hand. She could see he was nervous, she thought it was cute. It made her laugh it had been many years since she brought a boy home to meet her parents.
They walked in the house, Kathy calling out. "Out back," echoed through the house.
"Dad," Kathy called, her father turned from the grill. The smell of hamburgers filling the air around them. "This is Jonathan," Jonathan stuck his hand out.
"Mr Poole," Kathy's father shook his hand.
"Please my father was Mr. Poole call me Jim. How was your flight?"
"Good," Jonathan nodded.
"Here I got chair out," Jim pulled the chairs out from the table. "You want a beer?"
"Sure," Jonathan smiled, he hoped that was the right answer. Kathy set next to him, making sure her father was out of sight she placed a quick on Jonathan's neck. Her father came back with beers in hand.
"Kathy told me you retired," Jonathan opened a beer handing it to Kathy, than opening his.
"Yeah," Jim walked back to the grill. "I had thirty years, time to enjoy what I worked for."
"Thirty years I would say," Jonathan took a drink from his beer. Kathy looked like her dad. "So I hear you wrestle."
"Yes," Jonathan nodded.
"Well warning my grandson is a huge fan," Jim tipped his beer toward Jonathan. Jonathan took Kathy's hand, he normally didn't get nervous. But he had been all week. He wanted this to go well.
"What time is Piper girl coming," Jim asked.
"She left ten minutes ago," Kathy caught her phone. The nervous hit Jonathan again. He had met parent and family of his girlfriends, but never a child.
…..
Kathy laughed watching Jonathan scan the pictures on the wall. She brought him in the house. She felt it would be a bit more quiet when Piper came. No matter how many times Kathy told Jonathan it would be fine, she could tell he was nervous. "Mom," Jonathan turned, Kathy walked toward the door.
"Hey kid," Kathy hugged her. She was just a bit shorter than Kathy. She wore her hair long, Jonathan noticed they had the same smile. But Piper favored her father. "Piper this Jonathan, Jonathan my daughter Piper," Kathy gave introductions.
"Nice to meet you," Jonathan shook her hand wondering if that was the right thing to do.
"Nice to meet you, my mom has said a lot about you," Piper smiled at her mother. "Who is here?"
"Grams and Pop," Kathy answered.
"Aunt Mary," Piper asked. Kathy shook her head.
"Get ready to be stocked by a ten year old," Piper laughed.
"Oh I am use to that," Jonathan laughed.
"My nephew is a little obsessed. Are you guys staying here?"
"Well Jonathan has a hotel, we are going to the show tomorrow." Kathy answered.
"Mom, please tell he when I am forty my boyfriend can stay the night," Piper teased.
"Go see Pop," Kathy pushed her to the back yard.
….
The night was full of food and talk. Her parent light torches and had music playing. It was comfortable and happy, this is how family should be. They acted like they knew Jonathan for years.
"Will you ever be friends with Seth again," Kathy's nephew asked. "I know you and Roman are friends."
"Well we will have to see when Seth comes back," Jonathan raised his eyebrow.
"I can't believe that happened, it sucks."
"Ok, Carl," his mother rubbed his head, "Let's give Mr. Jonathan a break."
"He is fine," Jonathan laughed.
"He is here tomorrow you can start your interrogation again," Kathy's sister carried her son away.
"You have been good with him," Kathy smiled at Jonathan," you having fun."
"I am, beats your company dinner," Jonathan answered.
"We found ways to make it interesting," Kathy played with the label in her bottle.
"I am keeping my hands to myself," Jonathan held his hands up, "your dads can shoot."
"Hey Jonathan," Piper called, "can you help with some wood?"
"Wood," Kathy questioned.
"Yeah, Pop wants to get the fire pit going," Piper shoved her hands in her pockets. Jonathan stood from his seat.
"Sure."
Jonathan followed Piper to the side of the house. Piper open a tall plastic container, reached in handing Jonathan pieces of wood. "So," she said head still down gathering wood. "You travel a lot."
"Yes," Jonathan answered, he was sure she was looking for more than wood. "Hardest part of the job."
"A lot girls are really into you guys," Piper stood brushing her hands off.
"I guess," Jonathan adjusted the wood.
"Your friend there," Piper snapped, "Seth he seems to get in a lot of trouble."
"I am not Seth," Jonathan stopped her.
"What are you doing with my mother? Yes she is a beautiful woman. She has nine years on you, a kid. An adult kid."
"I like your mom, I love her," Jonathan titled his head. "I get it."
"No," Piper shook her head, "my dad is an asshole." The statement took Jonathan back. "I am old enough to see that now. I love him, he is my father but he is selfish. And my mother let him be. She puts everyone most of all me before her."
"I would never try," Jonathan didn't want Piper to think he was in any he was trying to be her dad or take her mother. They had a strong bond, maybe because it had been just the two of them.
"I know you won't, she would never let you. And you mean something cause she brought you here. She let us meet. Just don't always let her be her. She isn't comfortable being put first or fussed over. Make her uncomfortable." Piper took some of the wood from his arms. Jonathan only smiled. Kathy had every right to be proud of Piper. She was wise beyond her years. As much as her mother loved her, Piper gave it back.
…
"He is hot," Mary handed her sister another beer.
"Yeah he is," Kathy laughed.
"Piper seems to like him," Mary watched Piper and Jonathan help her father start a fire. "Her dad know?"
"I barely talk to him now that Piper is all adult like." Kathy giggled, she was enjoying the fact that she didn't have to talk to him. Piper was an adult short of the few issues with school. Kathy didn't have a relationship with her father. She never did, it took years for her to see that.
"You should get an award for putting up with him." Mary huffed. It was hard to sit and watch what Kathy put up with for years. "Where is he anyway."
"I think in Atlanta," Kathy answered watching Jonathan helping her dad.
"Christ he is fifty he ever going to grow up?"
"He thinks he is," Kathy smiled.
"He still calls himself Rachel," Mary laughed.
"You know it is funny, I never called him anything else. It is like that is his name."
"What is that about anyway," Mary asked.
"Alice Cooper," Kathy answered, "he was big on Alice Copper."
"Yeah he is no Alice Cooper."
"Mary," Kathy gave her a side glance. Rachel's and his band had been a huge deal for two albums. Their second album ever become the first hard rock album to come in at number one. But change in music and style they became something of the past. Tensions, difference of opinion cause them to break up reform. Kathy understood how important Rachel's music was to him. And she had to admit he had talent, but he was lumped in with a group and time and saw as a joke. Over the years they became more of a novelty act. It made him defensive and bitter. As with most things Kathy put her feeling aside for her daughter. "It is not like I question who he dates." Kathy shrugged. She never had. She really hoped he wouldn't either.