SOTF Archive/SOTF Classic

"Is it bad that I'm really nervous?"

Belle glanced at him, cocking her head to one side. "Why?" she asked jokingly. "We're meeting your mother, aren't we?" Before he could say a word she stepped around the front of the car, giving her hair an imperious toss.

"It's fine, Kale," she said. "Nothin' to be nervous about, first off. I know I'm one smokin' hottie," and here she grinned broadly. "But we're in no rush." She sidled up to him and threaded one of her arms through his. "Now come on, escort me to the door," she ordered. "You've been a perfect gentleman so far, don't screw it up now."

She felt a tiny thrill of elation, however. She made him nervous. She made him nervous!

Well, good. Felt damn fine to know she wasn't the only one.

Kale felt like he was going to shatter into little pieces. His head sort tilted to one side as he tried to think of how he'd word exactly what he was thinking.

My stomach just demi tour-ed into a roulande...the Tracuer lead her up to the door. He could have sworn he was having a brain aneurism. Attempting a smile, he looked down at his date.

"Now I have to warn you..." he started but was cut off abruptly as the door swung open. Coleen stood, beaming in the doorway.

"Oh! Bella, bella, bella! Such a beauty! My fox, I knew you had it in you!" She exclaimed, rushing forward and hugging Mirabelle.

"She's...overbearing..." Kale finished weakly.

"My fox, huh," she whispered, as the woman came on. She flinched a little at being called Bella, but decided she could tolerate it for the moment; it was endearing, if nothing else.

She wasn't entirely sure what to do when the woman hugged her, but then with a small shrug wrapped her arms around Colleen's back. "It's an--oof--pleasure to meet you, ma'am," she managed to squeak, as the breath left her. "I--" She stopped talking, conserving her air to keep herself alive.

((Uh...Sorry...she was just using the Italian word for beautiful...))

Coleen relinquished her hold on Mirabelle.

"You must be Mirabelle!" The short woman stepped back to take a good look at her. "Fox, talks so fondly of you, but he never mentioned just how lovely you are!" Kale was suddenly torn between blanching or blushing. "I'm sure you'll have beautiful children!"

The Tracuer decided on the former.

"Ah-hah, ma...Ah, we just stopped by so you could meet Mirabelle..." Coleen winked at her son, before turning back to Mirabelle with a grin.

"Of course. I'm Coleen, sweetie. Just call me 'ma' or 'mama', you're one of the family, you hear?"

What...what is this sound? Is that...my brain exploding...? Kale looked ready to give up the ghost.

[No worries. Belle only knows French and English, no way she'd know that.]


"You must be Mirabelle!" Colleen exclaimed, pulling back and examining her. Belle gasped, glad to have an opportunity to put air back into her lungs. She nodded absently along with whatever his mother was saying, trying to not show how much the crushing hug had hurt, right up until the point where Colleen said, "I'm sure you'll have beautiful children!"

What.

A little bit of spit slipped down the wrong pipe and she began to choke, leaning against a wall as she coughed.

Beautiful children. Oh dear, I think Kale feels a teensy bit stronger about things than I do.

Could just be his mom.

...It could, yes.

She heard the pain in Kale's voice and decided to assume the latter, for the moment. "I'm, uh," she began, breaking off to cough. With a little bit of a rasp she managed, "I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with that, Mrs. Richardson. I hope you'll forgive me."

When Mirabelle began to cough, Kale moved to pat her on the back.

"I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with that, Mrs. Richardson. I hope you'll forgive me."

The Tracuer laughed weakly.

"Sorry, Mirabelle. I was getting to that part. This is pretty much what I get day in day out," he said, looking caught between humour and exasperation. Coleen simply smiled.

"Oh, don't look so serious! I was just having a little fun."

"I knew my ill-humour senses were flaring up for a reason..." A slight Scottish accent rolled off with each word Kale's father spoke as he stepped through the door. His son looked slightly shocked. "I got off work early to see you off, turns out I just missed you," Eric Richardson explained, the slightest of smiles up turning his lips. "Lucky you stopped in..."

It was safe to assume that Kale had inherited most of his looks from his father. From his auburn hair down his height and build. But Eric gave off a very calm aura, much unlike his son's as he approached Mirabelle.

"My wife's been grandkid crazy every since the neighbours brought home their little son." At that Coleen beamed. "Mirabelle, is it?" He offered his hand. "Kale tells me you're the strong type, a fighter...Don't let my Coleen's bad humour ruffle you..." Kale watched his father, he almost seemed apprehensive. But when Eric smiled, he visibly relaxed.