Friday, November 10
Nervous.
My palms are actually sweating when Sander and I get off the airplane. In just a few minutes, I’ll be getting into a vehicle and heading to see my family for the first time since summer. Not only that, but I will be introducing them to Sander, which makes me a little bit nervous.
Should I introduce him as my boyfriend?
Should I just introduce him as my bodyguard?
“You okay?” Sander asks.
“Just nervous.”
“Nervous?”
“I’m introducing you to my family today,” I say.
And I really want my family to like him, because I plan on keeping Sander around for a while.
I already know that Charlie likes him, which helps. Charlie’s opinion is probably the one I concern myself with the most. But I worry about my dad. Dad seems like he isn’t going to like any guy I bring home.
“You worried they won’t like me?” he asks.
I shrug.
Maybe, kinda.
“It’s not you specifically,” I say. “It’s more in general. I don’t think my dad will like any guy I bring home.”
He laughs. “Don’t worry. I will do my best to impress him.”
“Just impress Nora,” I say. “If she likes you, my dad will eventually like you.”
Like, after we’re married, probably with a couple of kids.
But I don’t tell him that.
“Just make sure he knows you’re not a democrat,” I say.
“But what if I am?” he asks.
“Then never tell my dad.”
Sander laughs. “Honestly, I don’t keep up with politics at all.”
“Definitely don’t say that,” I say. “You’re eighteen and you’re an American citizen. Make sure he knows you’re going to vote in the next election. Not voting is probably worse than being a democrat to him.”
“Oh, gosh. Now I’m nervous,” Sander says. “To be fair, I’m not in America that much. I’m not sure when I’d get to vote.”
“I guess you do have a good excuse,” I say.
There is a car waiting for us at the airport.
I swear, Spy School must have thousands of cars strategically placed around the US. Or maybe they just hire somebody to put cars in certain locations. That would definitely make more sense.
I get in the passenger side of the black SUV, ready to head towards my dad’s house.
“I bet Nora is super pregnant,” I say, as Sander backs out of the parking spot.
“How far along is she?”
“I’m not sure. She’s due January first, though,” I say.
I’m suddenly excited, because I wasn’t sure I would be able to be there when she gave birth. Now I can.
“Oh, my gosh,” I say. “I just remembered Nora asked me to be in the room when she gives birth.”
“You’ll be fine,” Sander says.
I hope he’s right.
On the way to the house, I am a little nervous about Dad meeting Sander, but I’m confident everything will be okay. Sander is a very likable guy and he looks completely calm. If he’s calm, I should be calm.
Charlie already loves Sander.
Nora will love Sander.
Dad will eventually like Sander. Maybe.
And Mom... I’m not even worried about her. She will just be thrilled I have a boyfriend. I think she was worried I’d be single until I was thirty.
But once we arrive at the house, I’m no longer nervous. I’m just excited about seeing my family. When we pull into the driveway, Charlie comes outside. I run from the car and meet him halfway, being enveloped in a hug. He squeezes me tight, not letting go.
It hasn’t been all that long since I’ve seen Charlie, but it’s been long enough. I missed my brother so much.
“I missed you,” Charlie says, once he lets go.
“I missed you, too,” I say.
He looks behind me, probably at Sander, then back at me. “Are you going to introduce him as your bodyguard or your boyfriend?”
I grin. “Boyfriend.”
“Good luck,” he says.
I roll my eyes.
He knows how my dad is.
I know everything is going to work out exactly as it should, so I’m actually not that worried.
Everybody is so thrilled to see me. I give everybody at least five hugs apiece. And Nora... her stomach is so cute. Last time I saw her, I couldn’t even tell she was pregnant, but now she has a pretty big bump and it makes me so happy to see.
I introduce Sander as my boyfriend. My mom and Nora were both thrilled, Rick is happy simply because my mom is, and Dad, as expected, asked Sander a ton of questions. One of them being who he voted for, like that’s any of his business. But he seemed to accept his answer that he wasn’t able to vote because of his job. He’s often in other countries and doesn’t get the opportunity. After about an hour of Sander being interrogated, I think my dad likes him. Maybe.
Sander is really good at the whole meeting-the-parents thing. He’s completely calm and charming. Before the end of the day, my mom is inviting him to Thanksgiving dinner, which he accepts, much to my surprise. I honestly figured he’d be on to his next case before then, probably in another country.
Tonight, though, I am worried. I’ve been so stressed about everything that has been happening that I didn’t take the time to think about what would happen once it was all over.
Sander has no reason to be here anymore. And yeah, he’s my boyfriend, but what happens if he leaves and then forgets about me? That is what he said happened in his last relationship.
“Are you okay?” Sander asks.
We’re sitting in the living room by the fireplace. Mom, Rick and Charlie are staying at a hotel nearby. Sander and I are staying here, in separate rooms. Nora and Dad have already gone to bed.
“Just thinking,” I say. I pull my knees up to my chest, hugging them.
The more I think about things, the more panicked I feel.
“Talk to me,” he says.
I sigh. “I guess I’m just worried about what happens now.”
“What do you mean? Everything is taken care of,” he says.
“Yeah, but what about you?” I ask. “Won’t you be on your way now? Like, on to your next case?”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he says.
My heart starts racing. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I can do work from the East Raven campus. I’m not leaving you,” he says.
“Seriously?”
He nods.
“But you love your job,” I say. “Don’t you have to help people?”
“I do love my job,” he says. “I told you once that I wouldn’t date a girl unless I liked her more than my job. And I meant that. I honestly never thought it would happen, but then you came into my life. And I love you more than my job. I can still work. I don’t have to be with my team to help them. I can be with you and train you, if you’re serious about joining the team. And after you graduate, we can travel together then.”
I look at him, my mouth hanging open. “I have no idea what I’m supposed to say.”
“Tell me you want it, too,” he says. “Tell me that you want to be with me, too.”
“Of course, I do,” I say. “That’s all I want. I’m just shocked you do. I guess part of me thought you’d be gone once this case was solved.”
“I told you I’m not leaving you,” he says. “Do you believe me now?”
“I’m starting to,” I say.
Even though my brain can’t fully comprehend it.
“I love you,” I tell him.
“I love you, too.”
Everything is going to work out.
I know it will.
As long as Sander is with me, it has to.