CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Hank
“ARE YOU NERVOUS?” Nora’s hand slides into mine as we walk up the walkway to her parents’ house. I’ve dealt with hardened criminals, and I didn’t so much as flinch in those moments, but this has me truly terrified.
“I’m scared shitless right now,” I admit. “I’ve never done the whole meet the parent’s thing before.”
Nora turns and steps in front of me. Her hand gently caresses my cheek. “I’ll be right by your side. We will get through this together. Besides, I know they are going to love you.”
I turn my head and kiss the palm of her hand. The confidence in her words and her touch gives me the strength I need.
“Come on, Mommy and Daddy,” Colby calls out from the front steps.
“We’re coming, Princess.” I take Nora’s hand and lead us to the door. Colby is already halfway inside when we reach the doorway. At least one of us is comfortable here.
Nora gives me a mini tour as we pass by each room. The house is smaller than I expected for a family of twelve. This whole place could fit inside the house I grew up in and still have room to spare. There is music playing when we reach the sliding back door.
“I will warn you, my family can be a little intense. My sisters are huggers, and they will ask you a million questions. And my brothers will play the overly protective game. It’s something they do with every guy me and my sisters have brought home to meet the family.”
“I would expect nothing less,” I reply.
We step out onto the deck and are greeted by a hoard of smiling faces. They descend on us in a whirl of hugs and handshakes and introductions. Now I get why Nora said her family was intense.
“Okay everyone, let’s give the poor man some room to breathe.” The crowd of sibling’s parts, making way for Nora’s mother. She looks like an older version of Nora with the same warm brown eyes and dark brown hair, but with a streak of gray down the right side. “Hello Hank, it’s such a pleasure to finally meet you.” She gives me a big welcoming hug. I’ve never seen a family hug so much before.
“It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Cunningham.”
“Please, call me Laura.” She warmly smiles. “I hope you are hungry, Hank, we have prepared quite the feast.” Laura loops her arm around mine and walks with me down the steps to the grass. In front of us is the longest table I have ever seen set up in the middle of the backyard.
I find Colby in the arms of Nora’s father when we reach the table. She looks at ease with this giant of a man. I’m six foot four but Jack towers over me. “Hi Daddy.” She grins. “Daddy, this is Papa Jack.”
“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Cunningham.” I reach my hand out to him.
He grips my hand firmly. It feels a bit like a warning that he could snap me like twig at any moment. “Mr. Ross,” he says with a gruff tone. “Everyone take a seat, and let’s enjoy this meal your mother has been working on all day.” He sets Colby back down on her feet and turns his attention back to me. I’ve been a cop for eight years, I can tell what people are thinking before they do, but looking at Jack’s unemotional face has me both stumped and terrified. “Let’s talk after dinner,” he says, sending a chill down my spine.
* * *
The table has cleared. Nora and her sisters are in the kitchen helping their mother clean up, leaving me sitting alone with Nora’s four older brothers and her father. They are all staring me down. This must be what it’s like on the other side of the interrogation table. Jack sits at the head of the table looking the part of a mob boss straight out of the Godfather.
“My daughter tells me you two are getting married.” His brow narrows in my direction.
I swallow back the lump in my throat. “Yes sir.”
“I understand the urgency to get married, I was the same with Nora’s mother. My only concern about this is your past. I don’t know how much Nora has told you about her ex, but he came here like you, even sat in the very chair you are sitting in, and promised me he would treat my daughter like a queen. All the while, he was boning anything with tits behind her back. Back in my day, a man treated women with respect. I’ve raised my boys with that same principle, and I taught my girls to demand it in their relationships. All my girls mean the world to me, but Nora is special, she believes there is good in everyone and sometimes that gets her in trouble. She thought she could change Charlie and that ended up burning her. My question to you is: what are you going to do to ease my mind about letting my daughter marry a man with a past like yours?” He sits back in his chair with his arms folded in front of his chest. I understand his concerns. I know if a man with my past came to ask to marry my daughter I would be skeptical too.
“In my opinion, there is nothing he could say that would change my mind. I don’t think Nora should marry him.” Nora’s brother Drew glares at me from across the table.
“No one asked for your opinion Drew,” Jack says sharply. “We are going to listen to what Hank has to say, he deserves as much as that. So keep your damn mouth shut,” he orders.
Drew lets out a sigh and drops his head like a scolded child. The rest of the brothers sit quietly. I think if Jack were my father, I sure as hell wouldn’t have gone down the road that I had. This man is stern when he needs to be but gentle when need be. He gets respect because he shows others respect.
I straighten up in my seat and clear my throat. “Mr. Cunningham, I’m not proud of my past. I am the first to admit that I was a selfish, entitled prick. There is no excuse for how I treated people. I was headed down a very destructive road. It wasn’t until Colby was born that I opened my eyes to the way I was living. That little girl saved me.” The expression on Jack’s face softens when I bring up Colby. “Colby made me a better man. She showed me that there is more to life than money, drugs, and trying to score pussy. I got a second chance to turn my life around, be the father Colby deserves, and the husband Nora can proudly stand next to. I swear on my life, I will never do anything to hurt Nora. Like you said, she is special, and I love her with every ounce of my being.”
Jack stays quiet for a moment, letting everything I just said sink in. My heart beats wildly in my chest waiting for his response. “You have my blessing to marry Nora. I haven’t seen my daughter this happy in a long time, and she better stay that way. I’m not afraid to kill a cop.” He ends his statement with a threat.
“I have no doubt about that. You have nothing to worry about. I will take excellent care of your daughter,” I reassure him.
He reaches his hand out to me and we shake. “Enough of this business talk, let’s get us a drink boys.” The tension in the air dissipates, and my heart rate returns to normal. I’ve never felt more relieved in my life.