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Mare was beyond nervous as she paced around the kitchen wringing her hands together.
Colin was staring at himself in his bedroom mirror as he was preparing to go over to meet Mare’s family for the first time, he knew it was a sensitive subject for Mare as she had always worried he wouldn’t fit in with them.
She found herself mindlessly stirring the pasta noodles as her mind was racing with a million thoughts of how tonight could go wrong, she felt Drew tug on her apron a bit “Gran?’ The tiny boy asked softly. “Yes, what is it bud?” She asked looking down at her grandson with a little smile “when will Colin be here?” He asked with a sweet smile on his lips. “Soon bud.” She promises softly.
He smoothed out his hair before heading downstairs and grabbing his car keys after saying goodbye to his mother and that he would be back, he pulled his winter jacket on and headed out to his car starting it up and turning the heat up. Colin pulled out of his mother’s driveway and started in the direction of Mare’s home that she shared with her family, he beat his fingers on the steering wheel to the rhythm of the music on the radio.
Mare had gotten the spaghetti all ready and was currently trying to find something nice for dinner, she huffs a bit before finally finding a lovely navy dress to wear. As she pulls on the form-fitting dress she stares at herself in her floor-length mirror straightening her hair out, she sucked in a hitched breath. She eventually came out of her bedroom to find Drew all dressed up nicely causing a smile on her face.
Colin soon pulled up to Mare’s modest home and he stared up at the lights seeing shadows move around, he inhaled softly turning his car’s engine off and pulling his winter coat back on. He opened the driver-side door setting his feet on the frozen ground, he began up towards the door wiping the snow off his boots on the outside welcome mat bringing his hand up and knocking on the front door.
She practically ran to the door as she opened it and saw the man she was madly in love with standing there, “Hey.” She stammers for a second before letting him in wringing her hands against the hem of her dress. She heard Drew’s little feet come running towards them and she smiled a bit as he bounced excitedly to see Colin “Colin!” The tiny boy yells launching himself into the man’s arms.
“Hey, bud!” He laughs wrapping his arms around the boy’s body-hugging him close, “How have you been little man?” He asked setting the boy down and walking after him. “I’ve been great Colin!” He says with a huge smile on his face “My turtle is doing really good too! Gran said she might get me a puppy!” He smiles cheekily as Mare huffs a bit at her grandson. “I never said that!” She protested walking into the kitchen. “Aw come on Mare I think he’d do great with a dog!” Colin piped up.
She shoots Colin a glare “Yeah you’ll be saying that when he forgets to take the pup out and they have an accident on the floor!” She huffs at them both, she put her hands on her hips “Well come on dinner is just getting cold!” She yells so her mom and Siobhan could hear her. “I’m coming, Marianne!” She heard her mother Helen call and Mare just rolls her eyes slightly.
Helen made her way out to the kitchen to see Colin “So this is the detective hero Mare has been talking about!” She grins taking her seat “Ma don’t start!” Mare snaps not wanting to hear her mother’s rantings tonight. “Oh hush Marianne!” Helen snips at her daughter.
Colin chuckles a bit “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Fahey.” He says softly as he gives the older woman a smile, he quickly jumped to his feet to help Mare bring the dinner over to the table. Soon everything was on the table and Siobhan had joined them at that point and was sitting next to Drew helping him get his plate, it warmed his heart to see the little boy so excited about his presence in their home.
Mare took her seat next to Colin and gave him a tired smile as she made her plate listening to her mother rattle off to Colin, she twirls some spaghetti around her fork bringing it to her mouth as Colin chatted with Siobhan about school and college. Suddenly she heard Drew tell Colin about his turtle Kevin and all of the cool things he knew how to do, this caused her to chuckle softly to herself seeing how enamored Drew was with Colin.
The thirty-three-year-old male listened to the five-year-old boy ramble on about mostly nonsense and about his turtle, he chewed happily on a garlic breadstick as Mare sat rather close to him. He took her hand from under the table and squeezed it a few times trying to reassure her sensing that she was anxious, he could feel her relax slightly as he seemed to be hitting it off with Mare’s family fairly well.
Eventually, though everyone was done eating and it was time for Drew to go to bed, she kissed her grandson’s forehead gently and stroked his dark brown hair “Goodnight bud, I love you.” She whispers softly tucking the covers under his chin. Mare then walked Colin to the door smiling at him “Thank you for coming over tonight.” She smiled softly.
“It was no problem Mare I enjoyed tonight.” Colin grins taking Mare’s hands in his own and squeezing them, he swung her hands a bit not wanting to go home but knowing he had to. At some point, he let go of her hand and gave her a kiss on the cheek goodnight.
Mare sighs happily after he left realizing that their first family dinner was a success.