Meet The Parents - Nielsen
The door creaked open, interrupting the quiet hum of the television in the living room. Steven, setting aside his newspaper, clicked off the game with the remote, then jumped up and turned towards the hall.
"Hey! You guys made it," he greeted warmly. "You must be Jason." He extended his hand to the young man who was led through the door holding Kelsi's hand
"Yes, sir, that's me," Jason replied, receiving the hearty handshake.
"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Kelsi's dad, Steven. Come on in." Steven stepped aside, ushering them into the hallway. Kelsi kicked her petite flats off beside Jason's sneakers, holding his hand tightly as her nerves reached a peak.
"Thanks, Mr. Nielsen. It's a nice house you have here." Jason's eyes scanned the hallway, taking in the framed family photos and the subtle scent of lemon that lingered in the air.
"Appreciate that, Jason. Although I understand you've already been here before."
Jason flushed and rubbed his neck, "Yeah, about that, sir, I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
"We'll get to that, but first, come on in the kitchen and meet the doctor," he said with a smile. Jason shared a nervous glance with Kelsi as she led him on to the kitchen.
Dr. Lina Nielsen, who was finishing up dinner, greeted Jason with a warm smile. "Welcome, Jason. Please, come in, I'm Lina."
Jason's eyes scanned the kitchen, taking in the delicious smell of roasted potatoes and herbs that filled the air. "Thanks for inviting me, Dr. Nielsen."
"We're glad you could finally make it over for a proper introduction," she added with a glance towards Steven.
Steven cleared his throat, "Yes, we'd like to, well, clear the air a bit about the other night... when you left rather early in the morning." He glanced at Kelsi, who blushed slightly.
Jason nodded, understanding and embarrassment all over his face. "Of course, Mr. Nielsen. I apologize. I didn't mean to overstep any boundaries."
"We appreciate that, Jason," Steven said. "We're just glad Kelsi was upfront with us about the situation. We understand you're both adults, but as long as she's living under our roof, we'd like to be kept in the loop, especially when it comes to late-night visits."
Lina stepped in, softening the tone. "We're not trying to pry, Jason, and we want it to be clear that we aren't trying to dictate anyone's life. We'd just like to know who's in our house and when is all. If Kelsi cares for you in that way, we want you both to be comfortable in our home." She smiled warmly at the young couple.
"I understand, Mr. and Mrs, Nielsen, again, I apologize," Jason said.
Kelsi squeezed Jason's hand again, grateful to put this to rest. "Thanks, Mom. We'll behave ourselves."
"Well now that we've got that cleared up, was that a Mach 1 I saw parked out front?" Steven's tone perked up, a glint of recognition in his eyes.
"Yeah," Jason's face lit up, pride evident in his voice. "It was my grandfather's."
"Beautiful car. Say, if you like that, you should see my '68 GTO. Now that's a real beauty."
"Haven't had much experience with Pontiac's myself but I'd love to," Jason replied, his admiration palpable. The two men shared a knowing smile, a connection sparking over their shared passion for automobiles.
"Well dinner is ready to go on the table so you'll have to show him after dinner, Steven," Lina said with a smile. "We're keeping it casual, so everyone grab a plate and load up, we'll eat in here tonight.
Everyone made their way around the island, laden with a feast of roast chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and glistening green beans.
Jason, despite his initial nerves, settled into his seat beside Kelsi, her warm smile a reassuring anchor.
"So, Jason," Steven began, "Kelsi tells us you're almost a fully-fledged mechanic."
"Just a few more weeks, sir," Jason replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "Then I can finally shed the 'apprentice' title."
"That's quite an accomplishment," Lina chimed in, "Kelsi said you're completing it fast, that it usually takes closer to four years."
"It does," Jason agreed. "But I've always loved working with my hands, once I got into this I couldn't get enough of it."
Steven chuckled. "I know the feeling. Been turning wrenches myself for thirty years. Where'd you park your toolbox?"
"West End Classics," Jason explained. "I started out doing oil changes at Joe's Auto Shop and he gave me a shot with the apprenticeship, but the shop really slowed down. I'd heard West End had just lost two guys so I moved over there. Started right into a lot of long hours and did some night courses for some extra certs."
"Long hours, huh?" Steven said, raising an eyebrow. "And extra courses on top of that? Not many apprentices go the extra mile like that."
"I figure the more I know, the better mechanic I'll be," Jason replied with a shrug.
"That's the spirit," Steven said, a hint of approval in his voice. "The industry's always changing, so it's important to stay ahead of the curve."
The conversation shifted as Lina asked Kelsi about how her last show went.
"I was incredible, Mom!" Kelsi said, her voice laced with both pride and passion. "We worked so hard, practiced so many hours. My fingers felt like they were going to fall off, but we finally nailed it!"
"Oh, honey, I can only imagine," Lina said excitedly. "You'll have to get the video and send it to us!"
"I will," Kelsi said with a smile. "It'll probably be all edited early in the fall ."
Jason listened attentively, appreciating the contrasting worlds of his and Kelsi's passions. He knew next to nothing about musicals, save what she had taught him in high school. Throughout the meal, Jason felt a growing sense of connection with Kelsi's parents. Their questions were genuine, their laughter sincere. He shared stories about his most challenging repairs, the satisfaction of bringing a rusty engine back to life.
"Reminds me of a cherry red Mustang I worked on a few weeks back," Steven interjected, a twinkle in his eye. "Been sitting in a barn for years, engine seized solid. But with a little TLC, we got it purring like a kitten."
As dinner was cleared, Steven brought the coffee pot and dropped four empty mugs on the table.
"I'm sure you guys have lots of plans this summer," he said as he poured out three cups of coffee, "we'll have to squeeze in a little day trip while you're home though, K, maybe see if that Mach 1 can keep up with my GTO."
"Absolutely!" Kelsi said, "wait till you see it, Jason, it's a sweet ride!"
"Why don't you take Jason out now, Steven? Kelsi and I will get the desert out."
"Sure, come on, Jason," he said grabbing his coffee, "to the man cave!" Jason laughed as he took a coffee and stood, placing a kiss on Kelsi's cheek as he did.
Steven opened the door to the garage and led Jason into the double bay shop space, all decked out for anything from cars to woodworking.
"Wow, this is some shop, Mr. Nielsen," he said as he stepped around the two post hoist to follow Steven to the other bay where the outline of what must be the GTO sat under a cover.
"Steven is fine," he chuckled as he gripped the edge of the cover, "not that I don't appreciate the respect, it's refreshing from a couple of the young dopes I deal with at my shop. Although I get it, that's how you were raised. Your dad is in our armed forces, right?"
"Yeah, he's semi-retired now, but that would be why the 'yes sir, no ma'am' is pretty beaten into me," Jason replied. He watched the car come into view as Steven pulled the cover back to reveal an impeccable silver flake paint job down the sleek body of a 1968 Pontiac GTO. "Wow, that's a beauty," he said with wonder.
"It is, isn't it? I've had a lot of cars in my life, but this one's special," he said as he patted the roof affectionately. "The day I bought it Lina and I drove it out to the bluffs where I asked her to marry me. We were out for another drive when she went into labour with Kelsi, drove like hell on wheels to her to the hospital. Taught Kelsi how to drive stick in it. Even if it ends up rotting in the back garden when it dies, I'll never give it up." Jason smiled, surprised to find Steven to be such an openly sentimental man.
"I feel the same way about my Mach 1," Jason said with a deep sigh, "it was my nonno's, can't part with it even if it does cost me an arm and a leg to keep."
"I must say, Lina and I are quite impressed with you, Jason," Steven said as he reached in to pull the lever for the hood release. "We were a bit concerned given your reputation from high school, but you seem like a hard working young man," They strolled to the front of the car, Jason's eyes widening at the gorgeous V8 block that was in pristine condition like the rest of the car.
"Wow, you've taken amazing care of this, sir," he murmured as he looked over the engine.
"Well at least this one is in good shape, the truck needs some work, but what mechanic's daily driver isn't falling apart?" Steven chuckled.
"I'm a loser when it comes to my Jeep, I've got it tuned in just right and I'll admit I baby the thing,"Jason replied. They shared a laugh and a few sips of their coffee as Jason stepped back to take in the full view of the car again. A beat of silence hung in the air until Steven leaned back against the front grill and spoke in a low voice.
"Look, Jason, Kelsi's a special girl, she's my special girl. As much as I love my cars, she will always be the most precious thing to me."
"She is, sir, and I understand. I care about her a lot too," he said, his gaze fixing with confidence on Steven's.
"Well if you ever want it to be more than just a summer love, Cross, there's a lot of work that goes into it. It's the respect and commitment that makes it last," he said with another swig of his coffee. "Treating her right with no games, no drama, that's what I expect of you. It's not enough just to say you care."
"I wouldn't dream of it, sir."
"Good, because it wouldn't just be me coming after you if you broke her heart." Jason raised an inquiring eyebrow at Steven. "She used to hang out with me at the shop all the time, she's got ten other mechanics on her side who'd run you out of town in a heartbeat."
Jason shrugged and took another sip of his coffee as Steven turned to close the hood.
"Well count that as eleven guys on her side" he replied with a smile, "I'd do anything for her too." Steven studied Jason for a moment, a satisfied smile creeping onto his face.
Lina hummed a soft tune as she wiped the counter, stealing glances at Kelsi who pulled the desert plates from the cupboard.
"So, you and Jason?" Lina started casually, watching Kelsi carefully.
"Yep, me and Jason," Kelsi replied, brushing a curl behind her ear, trying to sound nonchalant.
Lina sighed, the worry lines on her forehead deepening. "Look, honey, I don't know how serious you and Jason are after a few weeks together, but you have to be careful, alright?" she said gently, her voice laced with concern.
Sensing her mom's apprehension, Kelsi stopped and met her gaze. "We are careful, Mom. We always use protection, even though I take the pill, he still wants to every time," she reassured her,
Lina's shoulders slumped slightly in relief. "Good. I just worry about you, sweetie, and not just about you guys having sex," she admitted, reaching out to squeeze Kelsi's shoulder with a tenderness that spoke volumes. "I worry that you're not just jumping into things with your heart, that you're using your head as well." Kelsi leaned into her mom's embrace, a wave of warmth washing over her.
"I am, Mom, we've talked about not rushing into stuff," she replied as she pushed her hair behind her ear again. "I guess not rushing into too much anyways."
"Well so long as you're being safe and you're happy, thats all I can really ask for."
"We're happy, Mom. Really happy. Jason's amazing," she confessed, a devious smile gracing her lips, "he's got to be the best I've ever had."
Lina's heart swelled with a mix of relief and maternal love, but also a twinge of curiosity at the look of excitement in Kelsi's eyes. She raised an eyebrow. "I'll bet I've heard it all before, but what makes you say that?" She asked, turning back to take the warmed pie out of the oven.
"Doctor patient confidentiality?" Kelsi asked with a smile.
"Only always, K," Lina replied.
"Okay well talking with some of the other girls, they don't get from their guys what I get from Jason. He focuses on me, pretty sure I've been satisfied every time we've been together," she said with a giggle.
"That would be rare, but not unheard of," she said with a smile, "I know that all too well."
Kelsi looked back at her mom with a raise of her eyebrow. "Well that's all I need to know about that," Kelsi said, raising her hands in an expression to wave off the topic when she heard the side door opening as Jason returned with her dad.
"Smells delicious in here!" Steven called. Jason followed behind, a comfortable smile on his face.
"Just the apple pie, dear," Lina replied, ushering them towards the table. "We were waiting for you two." As they settled in, a comfortable silence descended, punctuated only by the clinking of forks against plates. The unspoken tension from their previous conversations lingered in the air, a shared secret between mother and daughter flitting between Lina and Kelsi's eyes.
Steven suggested a game of rummy to which Lina readily agreed, hoping the familiar game would ease any awkwardness that had arisen with the deep conversations that had occurred. As the game progressed, playful banter filled the air. Jason, loosened up by the warm atmosphere, proved to be a surprisingly strategic player, despite poker being his game.
"I think this guy is cheating," Steven said as Jason won another round.
Lina watched the interaction unfold, a silent smile gracing her lips. The way Kelsi laughed with Jason reminded her of exactly the same laughs she had shared over the years with Steven. That pure enjoyment of being in his company being all she needed. She breathed a contented sigh at the way this young man had slid into their family groove, relieved that her daughter was in good hands. Despite the tension that had simmered earlier, the evening culminated in a comfortable camaraderie. Laughter echoed around the table until the clock began to tick closer to the double digits.
"Well I think that's going to be it for me," Lina stood at the end of another round, "better clean this up before hitting the hay."
"I'll help you, Mom," Kelsi said as she stood and collected hers and Jason's dishes.
"Are you staying here tonight, K, or going to Jason's?" Lina asked as they collected the plates.
A slight blush rose to Kelsi's cheeks as she stole a glance at Jason.
"Up to you, Kels," he answered with a nonchalant shrug, hoping he could hide how much he wanted her to come over from her dad who looked on.
"Good answer, Jason," Steven said with a wink as he stood to collect the coffee mugs.
Jason rubbed the back of his neck nervously and stood with his own plate. When he passed Kelsi, her arms hooked around his waist and she pulled close to him.
"Can you give me a few minutes to pack some stuff?" she asked with a smile.
Jason sucked in a nervous breath as he caught the glances of her parents out of the corner of his eye and felt a wave of contentment wash over him. He'd navigated the first meeting successfully, proving that he was a capable young man with a bright future, someone worthy of their daughter's affection.The look in their eyes showed that they finally understood. Their daughter was making her own choices to be with him, and he was relieved to see the trust hidden in their smiles.
With Kelsi's hand in his, Jason led the way into his house and closed the door behind them.
"Well that went oddly well," he said as he kicked off his sneakers and followed Kelsi into the living room. "I've been sweating all day that your parents were going to chew us out for sleeping together."
Kelsi shrugged. "I told you my parents are super cool," she replied, a smile lingering on her lips from how well the night had gone.
"Well if they knew the stuff we get up to they might not be so cool about it," Jason countered, an uncertain look on his face.
Kelsi turned with an inquisitive look as she pulled a bottle of water from his fridge. "What about what we get up to would they not be okay with?"
Jason hesitated, crossing his arms nervously as his weight shifted from one foot to the other. "I worry that I might get a bit rough or demanding with you, Kels," he admitted.
She strolled towards him, prying open his crossed arms to encourage him to embrace her. "You've never hurt me, Jason, and I like it when you push for more. It usually works out really good for us."
Her sultry smile lifted some of the worry from Jason's shoulders, but he still hesitated even though her hands tightened on his biceps. "That's cool that you think so, but please promise me that you'll stop me if something is too much for you. I really don't want to hurt you or make you uncomfortable. You're too special to me, Kels."
Her breath caught, but she managed a short laugh and replied, "likewise," with a wink.
Jason smiled and leaned in for a kiss, deepening his assault on her mouth as they lingered in the dark of his living room. His hands crept over her behind, working down to grab her thighs until he hoisted her onto his hips to carry her up the stairs.
"Is this why you're worried about hurting me, babe?" Kelsi whispered in his ear as he kicked his bedroom door open. "Because you're so strong?"
"Yeah kinda," he said, lowering her to his bed gently, "I still work out you know."
She gripped his strong forearms as he hovered over her. "I can tell, but let's just focus on using that to our advantage hmm? Like how those wrench turning hands sure do work some magic on me." Her delicate hands tracked up his arms, making a gentle path to the top of his chest that was exposed by the v-neck collar of his tshirt. His eyes drifted closed at her touch, a deep sigh escaping his lips that further told her how powerful her caress could be over him.
She struggled to push herself up to sit and gave him a sultry look. "I hope you like blue, this is the nicest set I have." Loosening the buttons one by one down her shirt, she slowly revealed a navy blue lace covered bra.
Jason pursed his lips in anticipation as more of the lacy material that held her perfect breasts came into view. "Wait, you picked that out to wear for me?" She nodded and he could hardly believe it. The woman he had crushed on for years felt like getting dressed up for him? Someone needed to pinch him, or better yet, punch him square in the face, because this couldn't possibly be happening.
She slipped her shirt down over her shoulders and tossed it to the floor. "Can you help me with my pants?"
"You bet I can," he choked out and slid back towards her hips, "have you got something that matches under here too?"
"You'll just have to take them off and find out." She laid back on the covers and waited patiently for him to go looking for what she had to offer him. He let out an excited groan and gently pulled her waistband down. As the matching lace edged its way out from behind her cargo pants, Jason exhaled with a nervous chuckle.
"Kels, you didn't have to get dressed up, I'll always want you, whatever you're wearing." He sat back and took in her body stretched out across his bed. The navy blue of her undergarments perfectly coordinated with the comforter, making her look like she belonged there. "Did you change before we left your parents house?"
"So what if I did?" Her green eyes were full of mischief as she pulled his shirt over his head and Jason couldn't help but lean in close to hear her say softly , "I wanted to, Jason. I know looks aren't everything, but what's wrong with a little something more interesting or special?"
"Nothing at all," Jason answered, trailing his finger tenderly down her cheek, "As long as you're happy, I'm happy."
