"Hi mom," Alex greeted the woman who answered the link.
"Alex, sweetie, it is so good to hear from you," said Hanna Blake. "You don't normally call in the middle of the week though. Is everything OK?"
It was the Wednesday after Thanksgiving and Alex felt it was time to tell her parents about her engagement to Perry. She had been getting congratulations from the teachers at Saar's school who had noticed the ring on her finger and some of the students also had congratulated her.
"Everything's great mom," Alex assured her mother a grin spreading across her face. "I just have some news that I wanted to tell you and dad about."
"What's the news?" Hanna asked. "I don't think I've ever seen you this excited."
"I've gotten engaged," Alex informed her mother bringing her right hand into view, so Hanna could see the ring on it.
"This is wonderful news!" Hanna exclaimed excited causing Perry who was out of the the camera to snort behind her.
"Was that someone snorting," Hanna asked puzzled.
Perry came into view. "Sorry Miss Blake for interrupting. You just reminded me of my mother when you said that."
"Mom, this is Perry Hotchner and we've been dating for quite some time, as you know."
"It's very nice to meet you Perry," Hanna told him.
"It's nice to meet you too ma'am," Perry told her politely. "I can see where Alex gets her beauty."
Hanna blushed at the compliment mostly because it was sincere, as she could usually tell.
"I just want to give you some warning though you've certainly heard me talking about him often enough. You've just never met him, so we'll be coming down on the weekend for a couple of days," Alex told her mother.
"Your father and I will be so happy to see you Alex," Hanna said.
"We're coming down late Friday after my classes are over and should be there in time for dinner," Alex said. "We're only going to stay for a couple of days, as I need to be back to work on Monday."
"It'll be really good to see you Alex and you too, Perry," Hanna said. "Even if that's only for a couple of days. Your father's home if you want to have a quick word with him."
"That sounds good," Alex agreed.
Both Perry and Alex heard Hanna calling Damon into the kitchen from wherever he was in the house.
Damon appeared on the screen. "It's good to see you Alex," Damon greeted his daughter.
"It's good to see you too dad," Alex said. "This is Perry and he just asked me to marry him a few days ago."
"It's nice to meet you young man," Damon told Perry. "So long as you treat my daughter right we won't have any problems."
"Dad!" Alex protested, though she had expected it.
"It's OK Alex," Perry said. "Didn't you tell me how protective your father was? Anyway, it's nice to meet you sir and we'll be coming out for a couple of days so you can meet me in person."
Damon immediately liked Perry, as he was easy-going and wasn't intimidated by him being a former captain on the police force. He knew he could be gruff and abrasive and yet Perry hadn't taken offense. In fact, he had gently reminded Alex that he was protective when she had protested at what he had told Perry. It was clear that Perry adored Alex, as he could see that over the link. He was looking forward to meeting Alex's young man in person when they came in a few days.
"Hanna and I will be looking forward to your visit," Damon said.
"As I told mom we should be there in time for dinner on Friday. We are taking a late flight," Alex said.
"I'll see you when you get here," Damon said before signing off.
"Well, that went better than I expected," Alex said finally once the link screen had gone blank
"It did and you shouldn't get upset at your father Alex. He's only looking out for you," Perry told her.
"I can look after myself. I'm not a little girl anymore," Alex told Perry.
"Not everyone is so lucky to have parents that care about their welfare or what sort of man or woman they get involved with," Perry said. "I've seen a lot in my two centuries that would make you sick. You should cherish them while you have them around. Your dad might be a little bit gruff, but it's clear he loves you very much. He just wanted to make sure you don't get into a bad situation."
"You're absolutely right," Alex said. "I'll try not to react like a little girl when they say something I don't want to hear when I'm around my parents."
"A lot of children never go out of the habit of doing exactly what you did, but it's part of growing up," Perry said. "You should listen to what they have to say and just tell them that you'll think about it or whatever the proper response is."
"Do you have a react to your parents the way I did my father?" Alex asked Perry.
"No, but then both of them are really good about staying out of my business unless I ask for advice or help. They might not hear much from me, but then, I know I can go to them if I need to. After that incident with Connie I went to them and told them all about it and they helped me through my feelings of betrayal, anger and disgust over what she had done. I talked to them about what I should do about Connie, as I felt she needed to face justice but they talked me out of going to the police, because that might have a revealed what I was and by extension that would've put them and all my siblings in danger."
"So what happened to Connie?" Alex asked tentatively knowing that the subject of Perry's previous girlfriend was a very sensitive for him.
"Dad told me that she'd likely do it to someone else and they wouldn't be under the same constraints I was. While he was sorry if that person got hurt or killed our secret of immortality was too important to reveal to someone in authority," Perry explained.
"He was right and it wasn't long after that that she did the same thing to some other poor fool. I was there when it happened, as I had kept track of her and I appeared at the place it happened. She stabbed this guy, just like she'd done me about a year later. All he'd done was try to break up with her. I, was the one, that called the paramedics and because I did the guy lived."
"So how did you know that someone was in trouble?" Alex asked trying to make sense of the story.
"Oh, this happened in public," Perry explained. "They were arguing on the sidewalk. It was late enough there weren't many people out and about. Connie looked absolutely crazed, had tears streaming down her face and her eyes were red and puffy. Her makeup had run all down her face make her look like a deranged clown. The guy turned away so he wasn't looking at her kind of kicking his feet despondently his head down, hands in his pockets. Connie then did the same thing that she had done to me, but he, unlike me, never saw it coming. She stabbed him in the back. He went down like a bowling pin and landed on his face. Connie kicked him a few times and I heard bones cracking from where I was hiding."
"So I'm assuming that this guy gave Connie's name to the police," Alex asked and Perry nodded.
"After he woke up in the hospital yeah," Perry agreed.
"That was a good thing you did if Connie had spotted you and realized that you were still alive she probably would've come after you again," Alex said.
"I knew that so I didn't let her see my face," Perry said. "I was very careful, as I knew she likely would if she was aware I had lived after she had supposedly killed me."
"Sounds like it took you a long time to get something on her so that the police would arrest her," Alex said.
"It did, but it was worth it," Perry said. "Connie needed to go away and since I couldn't report the incident to the police myself, because I'm immortal, this was the only other way that she got what she deserved."
"It made you feel better," Alex guessed Perry nodded.
"It did, as she couldn't do it to some other poor slob since she went to prison for a long time. It was discovered that she was behind several deaths and the guy that I called the paramedics for was the only one that lived and that was only because of my interference."
"I don't blame you for not dating until we met after what happened. I know at first you were busy following Connie so you could catch her for something, but that only took you a year or so." Alex said. "I know I said the same thing when your father mentioned the incident and you revealed more details of what happened, but my opinion still stands. You shouldn't have been embarrassed at what your former girlfriend did to you, as it happens to a lot of people. I suspect that this Connie was probably mentally ill, even if she could act normal. It seems to me that rejection, no matter how gently done, is her trigger that causes her to kill whoever does so."
"I know," Perry agreed. "That incident is behind me and you are my present and future and I couldn't be happier about that. Now, I'd better get home and pack for a couple of days so that I'm ready to go late Friday after you finish teaching. What's the weather like in Kansas?"
"This time of year cold, just like here in New York," Alex said. "I would pack for the same type of weather we have here. I would expect snow on the ground and also patches of ice so I would pack some sturdy boots and a good heavy jacket."
"I'll be getting us hotel rooms just so you know," Perry said.
"One room will be fine," Alex told Perry with a smile. "One with at least a queen size bed.
"Yes, ma'am!" Perry said grinning happily.

~~~Perry and Alex~~~

Kansas
The Blake resident

"Welcome," Hanna greeted her daughter and her intended. "Dinner is nearly ready, so you're just in time. A word of warning, both your brothers are here Alex."
"I haven't seen Scott or Danny in a long time," Alex said. "Expect to be grilled," Alex added to Perry.
"I can take it," Perry answered, as they entered the dining room.
"Take what," asked a man who looked a great deal like Alex with dark hair and eyes.
"You grilling him of course," Alex told her brother. "Perry meet my brothers Scott, Danny and my father Damon."
"It's nice to meet everyone," Perry said shaking the three men's hands.
"It's nice to finally meet you," Danny offered. "All Alex can talk about is you."
"Hey! There's nothing wrong with that!" Alex protested laughingly. "I put up with you talking about your now ex-wife for years, so you have to extend me the same courtesy."
"True," Danny admitted.
"It's nice to finally meet you Perry," Damon said. "Let's eat. I'm starving and we can talk afterwards."
Alex sat down in one of the three chairs available and Perry sat beside her.
"So what's for dinner," Alex asked her mother.
"Chicken Linguine, as I know it's one of your favorites," Hanna told her daughter.
"It is," Alex said, as she served herself a big helping.
Hanna served her husband and then herself, but her sons were left to fend for themselves and so was Perry.
Scott and Danny each took a big helping of the linguine dish from the middle of the table. Perry watched this and then also got a serving.
"Hope you like chicken linguine Perry has I fixed it specifically for Alex since I know she loves it," Hanna told her guest.
"I'm not picky. I'll eat just about anything," Perry said. "I don't think I've ever had chicken linguine before, but I'm sure it's delicious."
"So Perry how did you and my sister meet," Scott asked.
"I was running in the park and I heard a woman scream. I raced towards the sound and found your sister being mugged," Perry explained.
"You were mugged Alex? Why did Scott and I not know about this?" Danny said upset.
"Because Perry rescued me and I wasn't hurt," Alex said. "He had the mugger by the back of his shirt before he could get my purse. I then called the police."
"They arrived within a few minutes and I turned the mugger over to them," Perry said. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
"I didn't even need to go to the hospital," Alex assured her brothers.
"I'm glad you were there to prevent Alex from being hurt," Hanna told Perry having heard all about the incident from Alex after it had happened. "I know I said the same when you told your father and I about the incident but that doesn't mean I'm not still happy that you weren't to hurt."
"Oh, she was doing a pretty good job of fighting him off. Still, I'm glad I could help," Perry said.
"We got to talking after the police took the mugger away and Perry asked me out on a date afterwards," Alex said. "It just went on from there."
"So do you have any family," Damon asked Perry. Since he had done a background check on Perry Hotchner he knew that he had parents who are still alive and also four siblings.
"Yes, sir, I do," Perry answered, as he ate his dinner. "My parents are both still alive and healthy. I also have two sisters and two brothers."
"We had Thanksgiving over at his parents place and it was quite the mob," Alex said.
"What Alex isn't saying is I have numerous cousins and a lot of them showed up," Perry explained calmly. "It was quite the madhouse. My mother is a great cook and so is my Aunt Jazz. My Uncle Dave often helps with the cooking and he's just as good as my Aunt Jazz. Everybody chips in with food dishes for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, because there is so many people."
"Perry proposed to me after we had eaten since we had been dating for nearly a year I said yes," Alex said
"Sounds like you have a really big family," Scott said.
"I do and I love every single one of them, even if I don't see some of them very much," Perry said. "A lot of them came from other states just to participate in Thanksgiving. They'll be back for Christmas and if you think that Thanksgiving is an event Christmas is worse for the number of people that show up."
"Christmas especially, is a time for family," Hanna said.
"Yes ma'am it is," Perry agreed. "I don't always see my parents for it, as I might be visiting other family, but I'm there most years at least for the Christmas feast on New Years Eve.
"So what do you do for a living Perry?" Danny asked.
"I'm kind of an artist actually. All my art is made out of wood. I'm a very good at making about anything. I take commissions and I sell my finished pieces at various places."
"I've seen a lot of his finished pieces and they really are works of art," Alex said.
"I do furniture as well as smaller things like statues, children's blocks, even jewelry. I make enough to live on more than comfortably," Perry said.
"He lives in a very nice section of the city and does all his work in his garage," Alex said.
"Well, if you can make a living out of what you love doing, then good for you," Hanna told him.
"It was just a talent I discovered when I was a kid," Perry said with a shrug. "Turned out I was quite good at turning a piece of wood into something functional and useful, as well as decorative."
"Something doesn't have to be ugly to be functional," Alex said.
"If you take commissions could you do me a new couch, as mine is worn out," Scott asked. "I could buy one I know, but I figured I'd ask you first, since Alex said you're good at what you do."
"Course I can, but it's gonna take awhile because I have several other projects that need to be finished," Perry said. "You'll have to give me an idea of what kind of couch you want the style and also the wood. Do you want light wood or dark wood. Do you want leather or fabric? Leather is easier to clean up just so you know, especially if it's high quality leather. Leather doesn't stain as badly as fabric does, though that doesn't mean you don't need to be careful with it."
"If you want it to match the rest of your furniture you need to send him some pictures so we has an idea of your taste and the style in your apartment," Alex added.
"There's also shipping, as I live in New York not here in Kansas, and that's where I do all my work," Perry added.
"I'll send Alex some pictures and she can send them to you," Scott said.
"OK with me," Alex said. "It's not going to be cheap."
"Something that is custom made more expensive than something that is mass-produced," Hanna said.
"Quality cost," Danny said.
"Yes, it does," Damon commented from his side of the table. It was clear that he had been listening to the conversation as he ate his dinner, but hadn't said much.
"He's not gonna give you a discount just because we're engaged, as he has to make a living too," Alex told Scott.
"So now that you brought up your engagement when is the wedding?" Hanna asked, changing the subject since Alex had given her an opening.
"That hasn't been decided yet," Alex said calmly. "He just proposed to me about a week ago, so we have a lot of things to decide. He has a large family and I'm sure they'll all want to be there, so we need to decide where it's going to take place, among other things. We'll likely need a large venue for the reception."
"Yes, my family is going to want to be there," Perry said. "My parents were very happy when I introduced them to Alex, as my siblings have yet to settle down."
He didn't bother to tell Alex's family why none of his siblings had settled down yet, as they knew nothing about immortality.
"They're probably anxious for grandchildren," Hanna suggested. "They're not getting any younger and probably want some grandchildren before that too old to enjoy them."
"Oh, there are plenty of children in the family from my cousins, but you're probably right about then wanting grandchildren," Perry said.
"And how often do your parents see the children of your cousins especially if they don't live in New York?" Hanna asked.
Perry didn't bother to tell Hanna that technically, those kids were his parents grandchildren or at least their nieces and nephews through the Rossis.
"A few do live in New York, but most of them live in other states so maybe once or twice a year, which isn't very often I know," Perry answered. "When Alex and I have children they will definitely be part of their grandchildren's lives but that's a least a year away."
"I'm going to ask you aunt to do my wedding cake," Alex told Perry changing the subject.
"She'll be honored trust me," Perry told Alex.
"Why not hire a professional?" Damon asked.
"Did I mention that my aunt is a professional," Perry told Damon with a wink. "She owns her own bakery and there is always a line outside the door everyday she opens, which ought to tell you that she's a really, really good baker."
"I've had a few of her desserts already and trust me, they were spectacular. She even did a banana pudding, which has always been one of my favorites, because Perry told her I loved it. We went over to his parents place for dinner about a week before Thanksgiving, so Perry could introduce me to them and his aunt and uncle without all the chaos that Thanksgiving always brings. Where everybody had time for conversations and not just a swift introduction. It was an opportunity for me to get to know his parents a little and for them to get to know me."
"She makes her own pudding and doesn't use mixes or any shortcuts, which is why it's so good," Perry explained. "The only thing she doesn't make are the vanilla wafers that are in it.
"I stand corrected," Damon said really liking Perry Hotchner a great deal.
Perry had rushed to defend Alex when she had said she was having his aunt do her wedding cake and that showed loyalty to both his aunt and his daughter. Perry had even explained what had made the banana pudding that Alex had had so good and he hadn't had to do that.
"A lot of love goes into a homemade product, which makes them better," Hanna commented.
"Oh absolutely," Perry agreed wholeheartedly. "I've been eating her desserts since I was a small child and I simply love almost anything she creates. I'm at her bakery practically every week, so it's a good thing I run in the park in good weather and on a treadmill when it's raining or too cold or I'd be extremely overweight. It's very useful to have an aunt who owns her own bakery. I also have a cousin that owns a jewelry store and he gave me a good price on the ring I gave Alex when I told him I was proposing to my girlfriend."
Technically, that cousin was his older brother Marcus but he couldn't tell the Blakes that.
"It's a good thing you were running in the park that day that Alex was mugged," Damon said.
"Definitely," Perry agreed.
"It was certainly my lucky day," Alex said.

~~~Perry and Alex~~~