Chapter 13
As time went on, Katy learned the true meaning of being the “black sheep.” She had always heard the term being used; and, of course, she knew what it meant. However, as the days went on after her and Brennon’s trip up into the Smokey Mountains, Katy realized just how powerful love was. Sure, she’d been “in love,” of sorts, before; however, that love was nothing nearly as powerful as what she felt for Brennon. In fact, she learned that the feelings she had for a guy back in college really weren’t love.
The rest of their Smokey Mountain trip wound up being a blast. They wound up going back to the overpass in the morning before having a fun-filled day down in Gatlinburg. Again, Katy took selfies and sent them to Eve. And again, she didn’t respond when Eve texted or called.
The last day before Winter Break came quicker than she thought. She closed out the semester with her students, giving them each a hug, then walking the class to their buses at the side of the school. Thanks to Brennon, her heart felt so much warmer. Again, she hugged the kids then told them she hoped Santa brought them everything they wished for. Once the last child had gotten on his bus, Katy got her things from the classroom, checked in at the office to take care of a few things, then headed out to her car. It snowed lightly, but the drive back to Brennon’s apartment wasn’t too bad. Katy used to only like to see snow in pictures; now, though, with her living in the city and so close to downtown, even her feelings toward that had changed. There was something about looking out at the city dipped in snow that made her smile.
“Whew!” slipped out of Katy’s mouth when she walked through the door. She set her bag down on the kitchen table, used the bathroom, then changed into her sweatpants and a shirt. “Off for the next two weeks,” she said to herself then grinned. As much as she loved teaching, there was something so alluring about not having to get up at the crack of dawn for two whole weeks. She still didn’t have any plans, per se, but doing nothing was something she certainly looked forward to.
Katy made herself a cup of tea then sat in the living room, texting back and forth with Eve. She hadn’t said anything to Eve about their trip until a day after she got back. Earlier in the week, the two met for lunch and Eve practically held a knife to her throat for the details. Now, Eve was talking about taking her own trip to see her family up by Chicago.
Katy had been staring out the window, down at a small group of children making their way down the snowy sidewalk, when her phone rang. She assumed it would probably be Eve calling, but instead it was her mother Linda. After getting passed the initial shock, as well as thinking about how long it’d been since she spoke with either one of her parents, Katy looked at MOM on the screen then answered on the third ring. At this point she felt brave enough to stand her ground on her love for Brennon. If her family still didn’t like it, such would be their problem and not hers.
“Hello?” Katy answered.
“Katy? Hey, how are you?”
Katy admitted to herself she missed hearing her mother’s voice. “Hey, Mom. I’m okay, how are you?”
“I’m doing okay, I’m doing okay.” Linda paused, clearly in thought. “It’s been a while since we talked. I understand today was the last day of the semester, right?”
“Yeah,” Katy said, glancing at the small group of kids now further up the block. “I said goodbye to my little kids today then put them on their buses. Two weeks off, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Linda chuckled. “Yeah, I bet. Well, that’s good to hear. How have you been otherwise, Katy? I’ve been worried about you. You haven’t been talking to us for quite some time now.”
“Yeah,” Katy said, choosing her words carefully. “I’ve just been busy… Needing a little space and whatnot. I hope you can understand.”
“Yeah, I suppose,” Linda said. “And you’ve been doing okay, living down in the city? I lived in the city for a short while in my late teens, but I didn’t live as close to downtown as you do, or so I heard. You’re still staying with Brennon? That’s my understanding.”
Katy giggled. “Yeah, Mom, I’m still staying with Brennon. And I actually like it a lot more than I thought. Yeah, it took some getting used to, for sure, but there’s something kind of charming I guess you could say about living in the city. I can look out the back window and see downtown. I must say the city certainly is pretty in the snow.”
“Yeah, I can imagine,” Linda said. “I used to not mind the snow, especially when it fell at night and they had the streets cleaned up by morning, which was actually one of the things that was kind of nice about being near the actual center of the city.”
Katy talked about her experiences so far living in the city. She was surprised at how talkative her mother was; she could pick up on how much she missed her. However, at the back of Katy’s mind, she wondering what the catch was. She could tell by the tone in her mother’s voice that she was working her way up to something else.
“Well, that’s good to hear,” Linda said after Katy talked about how nice it was to live within walking distance of two grocery stores. “I’m glad to hear that you’re out on your own and you like it and whatnot. Don’t forget you still have your bedroom here with me and your father.”
“No, I won’t,” Katy said. “Glad to hear the house is still standing, though.”
Linda giggled. “Yeah, for now.” There was a long pause. “Well, Katy, I was calling because your father and I wanted to know if you and Brennon would like to come out to the house for dinner tonight. Or it can be tomorrow night too, I guess, if that would work for you two.”
Katy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She almost wanted to ask her mother to repeat herself, but she knew exactly what she’d said. Had her mother come off of her high horse? Had her father finally looked passed the age difference and come around to the idea? Had the family looked beyond Brennon’s long-standing relationship and connection with them and seen love is the only thing that matters?
“Dinner? Tonight? Me and Brennon? And you and Dad?” Katy’s mind was whirling with confusion. “Mom, are you serious?”
Linda chuckled. “Yes, Katy. I’m serious. And so is your father. So, what do you say? Do you think Brennon would be up for something like that? And look, I know what we said. And I won’t lie to you...there are still some feelings, let’s say, lingering, but this isn’t one of those kinds of dinners or anything like that. Take it from me, dear…. Your father would love to have you two over for dinner.”
Katy stared off into space for a moment then smiled. She loved the idea of her parents accepting her relationship with Brennon, even though she was still a bit weary. “Okay, Mom. Well, Brennon should be here any minute now, I guess. Let me run it by him about tonight and see what he says.”
Linda explained again how much she missed having Katy at the house before they finished up the conversation and hung up. Katy sipped her tea then set the mug down on the coffee table and stood up. She was still in disbelief, but this was certainly a good sign. She texted Eve, filling her in on this invitation to dinner. Just as she’d been reading Eve’s response, she heard the apartment’s back door open. A cold wind rushed inside, making its way around to the living room, then the door slammed and a loud groan came from the kitchen.
“It’s getting colder out there!” Brennon shouted then chuckled. “Or maybe it’s just getting windier.”
“Hey!” Katy said from the couch.
Brennon sounded as if he were setting some bags down by the kitchen door then he came around to the living room. Like a mischievous little boy, he peeked around the corner and smiled. “Hey there.”
Katy laughed then motioned for him to come over to her. “You won’t believe who just called.”
“Who?” Brennon asked.
“My mother,” Katy said, sipping her tea and raising her eyebrows. “And she and my father, supposedly, want to know if you and I would live to come over this evening for dinner. She said about seven o’clock. So, I told her I would check with you and see what you say.”
Brennon looked a bit confused. “Really?” He shrugged. “Well, I guess so. That’s fine with me. And your father too? He’s….He’s… He’s really okay with something like that?”
Katy shrugged, standing up. “That’s what she said. Well, if you’re okay with going, I’ll go ahead and text my mom letting her know that we’ll be there at like seven.”
Katy breezed past Brennon and into the bedroom. She pulled drawers open and yanked open closet doors trying to figure out what she would wear. She noticed Brennon standing in the doorway. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just waiting on you to get ready,” Brennon said. He then stared off into space.
Katy noticed then approached him, putting her hands up around his shoulders and smiling. “What’s wrong? Really, Brennon, what’s wrong? Are you sure you’re okay with this? If you’re not, then we just don’t have to go.”
“You don’t think this is going to be some dinner where they let us know how much they don’t approve of this?” Brennon asked. “I guess that’s what I’m thinking about. I told you what my dad said when he found out about this. I just can’t imagine your father being okay with this so soon.”
Katy shrugged. “I don’t care if he’s okay with it or not, really.” She smiled, finally feeling free to be grown woman and live her life how she wanted. “Truly, I don’t. And I doubt this is some kind of ambush. They would just tell us what they think over the phone and stuff like that. I think it’ll be okay. My mother even sounded more upbeat about it.”
“Yeah, that’s how she sounded,” Brennon said. Katy then pulled away, going back to getting dressed. “But, okay, maybe you’re right.”
Ten minutes passed then they walked out into the snow, pushing against the harsh wind to get to Brennon’s car. They climbed in then headed for the interstate. For most of the car ride, they talked about how Katy’s father might react; how her mother Linda would try to be as happy as possible. Katy picked up on Brennon’s reservation about going to her parent’s house for dinner, but she appreciated him going anyway. After calming his anxiety down a bit, Katy glanced at the time then stared at the road ahead. Now she had to get her own fears subdued. She would be looking into her parents’ eyes for the first time in nearly a month – while her father’s cousin’s older half-brother was sitting at her side.
***
At just a few minutes before 7 o’clock that evening, Brennon pulled into the driveway. He pulled forward slowly then into the roundabout and parked. Katy looked over at him as she undid her seat belt. “You ready?” she asked.
Brennon shrugged his shoulders, looking up toward a house he’d known so well for so long. However, this time certainly felt different. “Yeah,” he said, climbing out of the car. “I guess so.”
Arm-in-arm, Brennon and Katy walked up onto the porch. They looked at one another one last time before Katy pulled her key out and they stepped inside. In the foyer, they took their coats and scarfs off then Katy yelled out, “Mom! Dad! We’re here.”
The sound of dishes and pots clanking together came from the kitchen. Katy told Brennon to hold on for just a second and she made her way around to the kitchen. There, she found her mother Linda putting dishes away; steam billowed up to the ceiling from a couple of pots on the stove. Linda paused and looked at her daughter. The two then met in the middle of the kitchen and hugged.
“I missed you, Katy,” Linda said.
Katy looked into her mother’s eyes. “Yeah, I missed you too.”
“Is Brennon here?” Linda asked, looking passed Katy.
Katy nodded. “Yeah, he’s waiting up by the front door. Where is Dad?”
Linda swallowed. “He’s up in his office. He just went up there to send an email, but he should be coming back down any second now. I’ll go ahead and get things set up if you and Brennon want to go ahead and sit at the dining room table.”
“Okay, Mom,” Katy said, still with her guard up. She then walked around to the foyer. Just as she’d been about to cross over the threshold from the living room into the foyer, she heard her father talking...talking to Brennon.
Katy stopped before she would’ve stepped in front of the doorway. She listened as her father greeted Brennon.
“Hey, Mister Richard,” Brennon said, shaking his hand. “How are you?”
“Hello Brennon,” Richard said. “I’m doing well, I’m doing well. Um, thank you for coming.”
“Oh, no, thank you for inviting me,” Brennon said. There was then a long, awkward pause. “How have you been doing with work and everything?”
After Richard explained some challenges he’d been dealing with regards to a major product, Katy stepped out into the foyer. Her father stopped mid-sentence and turned to his daughter. He smiled. Katy approached him, hugging her father. “Hey, Dad. How are you?”
Richard chuckled, clearly happy to have his little girl in her arms once again. “I’m doing well, Katy. How have you been?”
Katy quickly caught up with her father, mentioning how the semester had come to an end. Her mother Linda set the table then brought the food into the dining room and placed them in the middle of the grand table. Soon enough, everyone hustled into the dining room and took their seats. Brennon and Katy sat side-by-side on one side of the table; Richard and Linda sat next to each other on the other side. After a short prayer, the four of them helped themselves. Compliments about Linda’s food flew across the table.
Conversation flowed better than Katy imagined while heading down the interstate. She wasn’t going to forget her mother’s harsh words upon first finding out about her relationship with Brennon, but it was oh so nice to see her parents’ at least acting as if they were accepting. Brennon talked about some changed the university was making to the curriculum, to which Katy’s father Richard chimed in, which was to be expected. Linda talked about how she was becoming a bit discontent working at the firm, but since she was getting closer to retirement, she would just grin and bear it until the end. Katy smiled, noticing how her parents seemed to have truly put their feelings to the side.
By 8 o’clock, dinner was wrapping up. Linda, being the domestic woman that she was, got up to start putting the food away. “Mom, I’ll help you with that,” Katy said. What she really wanted was to talk to her mother in private for a moment. Katy left Brennon at the table with her father then headed to the kitchen with her mother.
“Thank you for helping me, Katy,” Linda said.
“No problem, Mom,” Katy said. Katy glanced into the dining room. Her father and Brennon were still carrying on with their conversation, almost the way they did for years before her love affair with Brennon blossomed. She then pulled her mother’s arm and pulled her to the side, out of sight of the dining room. “Mom, let me ask you something.” She looked at her mother’s curious face. “Is Dad really okay with this?”
Linda forced a smile then glanced away, raising her eyebrows. “Katy, you’re going to have to understand some things. I can see the love in your eyes...I could hear it in your voice. I’m a woman and that’s what made me change, somewhat, my feelings toward you seeing Brennon. Even though I’m not totally sure about it, I can accept it. But you asked about your father?” She glanced away again. “I talked to him and, um, well, he’s coming around to it, you could say. But to answer your question if your father is really okay with it, I think he’s trying to be. I told him that even though you’re his little girl in his eyes, you’re a grown woman now. And then I also had to talk to him about how even though we’ve always seen Brennon as a part of our family...heck, I remember when I was pregnant with you and he was in middle school about to go to high school...that you two still aren’t related. And you do have a lot in common, which just so you know your father did admit he always noticed as well. So, that helps, if that means anything to you.”
Katy nodded as she took it all in, appreciating her mother’s honestly. She leaned back to glance into the dining room. Things still looked alright; her father Richard was keeping his cool. Regardless of what her mother said, Katy was still a bit hesitant about believing her father had changed his hard so soon. Regardless, Katy knew just how strong her love for Brennon. The age difference was only on paper; their history as being loosely related seemed to have only set a stronger foundation than probably some of the greatest romances in history.
Katy finished up her quiet, chit-chatty conversation with her mother then returned to the dining room. Her mother quickly finished up in the kitchen then joined everyone at the table. For the rest of the evening, until about 9 o’clock or so, the four of them sat at the table. With time, Brennon loosed up; Katy started smiling a little more, and a little easier. Her father even laughed at something Brennon said. When Katy opened up and admitted they’d gone on a trip to the Smokey Mountains, her mother acted excited to see any photos.
“Come on and show them to your mother, Katy,” Linda said, motioning for her daughter to come over to her side of the table. “I know you took some… Probably of yourself, I’m sure. Brennon, do you find her taking pictures of herself a lot? I’m sure you do.”
Katy squinted at her mother then looked to Brennon. She was curious to see what his answer would be. Brennon was clearly hesitant.
“Um,” Brennon said, feeling the heat. “I can’t really say.”
“I know that feeling,” Richard chimed in.
Linda looked up from a picture of Gatlinburg and looked at her husband with cold eyes.
As the later hours approached, the conversation started dwindling down. Richard then stood up, suggesting his daughter and Brennon get going because he thought the news said it might snow again tonight.
“Yes, of course,” Brennon said. He then grabbed Katy’s coat and helped her into it.
Once Brennon had gotten Katy into her court, he noticed how her parents stood in the dining room doorway. He figured they might want to talk to her in private, so he went out to start the car so it would be warm for Katy. When Katy shut the door, she turned toward the dining room doorway. Here she was, alone with her parents in the silence of the only home she’d ever known before Brennon. Her heart thumped in her chest then she calmed down.
“Well, thank you for inviting us,” Katy said, figuring she needed to say something. “I enjoyed the meal, Mom.”
“Of course, Katy,” Linda said, wrapping her arm around her daughter and hugging her. “It’d been so long since we last saw you. And, well, just thought it might be nice to catch up.”
“Yeah,” Katy said. She pushed the memories of her mother’s cold remarks in the kitchen the day she initially found out she was seeing Brennon; however, she still interacted cautiously with both of her parents. “It was nice.”
Katy then looked to her father. She was nervous about what he would say.
Richard, stern and clearly in thought, wrapped his arm around Katy’s shoulder. He kissed the side of her head like he did when she was just a little girl, coming home from school and stomping into this very foyer where they stood. “Love you, Katy. It was nice to see you again.”
Linda saw Richard might want a moment with Katy, so she excused herself and darted off to the kitchen.
“Daddy, are you okay with this?” Katy asked once her mother was out of ear-shot.
Richard sighed. “Don’t worry about what I am. If I were you, I would worry about what you are. And Katy, regardless of how I, or your mother for that matter, feel about this, I can tell you one thing… I see it all over your face.”
Katy smiled then her forehead wrinkled. “What is it that you see, Dad?”
Richard chuckled. “That same look I used to see in your mother’s face when we were young. Or did you forget that we were young once upon a time? A long time ago.” He chuckled again. “You really do look more and more like your mother every day.”
Katy rolled her eyes then shook her head. “No I don’t. Stop saying that.”
“Yeah, okay, if you say so,” Richard said. “But I will say you look pretty happy. Actually, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you this happy.”
A thoughtful giggle slipped through Katy’s lips. “Yeah, I suppose you could say that.” I really have never been this happy, she then thought.
Just as Katy stepped back from her father, she could hear Brennon’s footsteps coming up on the porch. He came back inside, announcing that the car was waiting. Linda came from behind the staircase to say goodbye to Brennon for the night. As to be expected, Brennon thanked them for having him over for dinner. Katy rubbed his back, hoping he didn’t start feeling anxious. She then watched as Brennon shook her father’s hand in a very respective manner. Brennon then walked her out onto the porch as they all said goodbye to one another, waving their arms.
The wind picked up, whisking across their property. Brennon held Katy close to his side then let her into the car. When he hopped into the driver’s seat, he pulled off, quickly doing a small circle and headed down the winding driveway. Katy noticed him staring ahead as they headed toward the interstate.
“So?” Katy asked after several quiet, and nearly awkward, minutes.
“So, what?” Brennon asked. He glanced over at Katy. “I was just about to ask you that?”
“Ask me what?” Katy asked. “I was asking you how you felt about how it went.”
Brennon shrugged. “I guess it went well. They didn’t start flipping out or anything. I can only imagine what they really think. What do you think?”
Katy bit her bottom lip, looking off at the snowy woods rolling away from the interstate. “Well, my parents have always been the type to act a certain way for the sake of saving face. Just think about the kinds of jobs they have. There’s no way they were going to show you how they really feel about this situation.”
Brennon chuckled. “I think your Mom is maybe more accepting, in some ways, even if she’d not in favor of this. But your dad?”
“What? What?” Katy asked. She was anxious to hear a man’s perspective on situation like that.
Brennon shrugged again. “I think deep down he’s probably not liking this at all. I know he must’ve said something to you when I went outside. That’s why I went out to start the car.”
“Yeah, I noticed that,” Katy said. “I was thinking for a second that you didn’t have to leave me in there. To be honest, I was a little scared that my Dad was about to get tight-lipped and give me a piece of his mind.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought he was probably talking to you about,” Brennon said, veering onto the interstate. “So…. What did he say?”
Katy closed her eyes for a moment then opened them, staring out at the snowy woods once again while she replayed the scene in her mind. Her father’s words had been so sentimental to her that she didn’t feel as if she would be doing them justice by sharing them. “You know… He’s actually handling it better than I thought. He said he was young once upon a time too.”
Brennon nodded, glancing over at Katy. “Okay. I see.”
The couple talked about interesting, for better or for worse, things that happened at Katy’s parents’ house during dinner. Brennon noticed the way her mother’s scolding eyes intimidated a man of even Richard’s status and stature; Katy laughed at how her mother wanted praise for her food. Reality was that the rest of the family had pacified her mother Linda because the open secret was that her cooking skills had always been the weakest of all her sisters and aunts.
That night, Katy lay in Brennon’s bed – in his arms. Light from the streetlight seeped into the bedroom, streaking rays of light across the bed as well as the hardwood floors. Snow showers moved over the area, falling heavily and blanking the city with another layer of snow. Katy smiled, closing her eyes for a couple of seconds straight here and there as she dozed. Brennon snored in her ear, deep in sleep with his arms around her waist. She smiled and relished in the feeling of love – a feeling she had somewhat put on the back burner for so long. A chuckle then slipped out of her mouth when she thought about Eve’s consistent attempts to push her off on practically any guy. When it’s meant to be, it’ll happen, Katy thought, remembering her wise grandmother’s advice about life. Katy then drifted off to sleep.