Is this destiny?

~ Seattle ~

Charlie and Emma stopped in front of the apartment door in the outskirts of Seattle.

This is the apartment in which Emma grew up. They came here so that Charlie can meet Emma's mother and her brothers.

Charlie still didn't take Emma to meet the rest of the Smith family. They decided to meet Emma's family first.

Charlie believes that meeting Ronins will be easier than taking Emma to meet Smiths, but now that he is in front of the door, he is nervous.

He glanced at Emma. "How do I look?"

Emma got on her toes, kissed Charlie on the lips and said with a smile: "Very handsome."

As much as she tried to encourage Charlie, Emma is nervous as well.

Her brothers are great, and they get along well. As long as Charlie does not make a major blunder, Emma is confident that her brothers will accept Charlie. But her mother is a stubborn woman and Emma is at odds with her often (because Emma is stubborn as well). When Emma left for Los Angeles, her mother didn't approve. The two of them had a fight and since then they didn't speak. That was seven months ago.

Emma took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell.

"Hey, Emma!", Emma's younger brother, Mike greeted her and pulled her into a hug. He is two years younger than Emma, but also taller and stronger than Emma. She was lost in his embrace.

Mike glanced at Charlie. "Is this my brother-in-law?"

"He will be.", Emma responded.

Mike and Charlie shook hands and they all got inside. Mike told them that the other two brothers are not at home, but their mom is. "Mom is in the kitchen, and Ryan and Sean should be back soon."

Charlie observed the apartment. From the entrance, you step into the living room which connects to the dining area and kitchen on the left. On the right there are two doors and a hallway which leads to additional bedrooms. This is a three bedroom apartment, and Ryan and Sean are sharing a room. Mike was with them in the room as well, but when Emma moved out, he got her room (as the oldest of the three brothers).

Interior of the apartment has older furniture, but everything is clean and in its place. Walls are filled with photos of Emma and her brothers. Décor is showing traces of aging, pointing out the fact that this family is in this apartment for a long time.

Mrs. Ronin was in the kitchen. She greeted Emma with a complex expression, but warmth in her eyes told Emma that her mom missed her.

Mrs. Ronin eyed Charlie who was giving her a big gift basket and a bouquet of flowers.

She accepted the presents with a reserved, "Thank you".

Mrs. Ronin could see fruits, wine, and several neatly wrapped boxes inside, but she didn't reach to open and see what is inside. She kept the basket on the side table and went to put the flowers in a vase.

Mike grinned when he unpacked gift which Charlie gave him.

"Thanks! I always wanted one.", Mike said while putting the Rolex watch on his wrist.

Mike went to put the other two boxes which are for his brothers in their room.

"So… this is your boyfriend?", Emma's mom asked.

"Fiancé…", Emma corrected her.

Mrs. Ronin inhaled a choppy breath while stabilizing her emotions. "How long do you know each other?"

"About seven months."

Emma's mother could not hide that she thinks how that is not long enough. "How did you meet?"

Emma told her mom how she was taking care of Charlie after his surgery and things took off from there. During the talk, her mom listened without much joy in her expression.

Emma understood that her mother is warry about Charlie.

Her mom was never supportive of romantic relationships, emphasizing how a woman needs to be independent. She encouraged Emma to finish her education and get a stable job and repeated endlessly how Emma should never allow herself to depend on a man to take care of her. That is one of the reasons why Emma believes that her father didn't die how her mother told her, but that he left them, and her mother is bitter.

Emma's mom asked Emma: "What is he doing for a living? Will he be able to support you?"

Charlie saw that Emma's mom is worried about Emma. As much as the woman looks overbearing and stubborn, she gives of a feeling of someone who is caring. Charlie is missing that since his mother died.

Charlie gestured to Emma that he will talk, and je responded patiently: "I manage a company and I believe that it will be enough for the two of us and maybe few more…" Charlie glanced at Emma's belly, making Emma blush. He chuckled and continued: "I'm sure that you are aware that Emma is a capable young woman and I have a feeling that she can support me if needed."

Emma's mom was not amused, she still spoke to Emma: "You can't know each other well after only seven months. How do you know that he will not leave when he is bored of you?"

"Mrs. Ronin…", Charlie answered instead of Emma: "I don't know what the future brings, but I know that my future is tied with Emma's. If I don't have an intention to spend my life with her, I would not ask her to marry me."

Emma squeezed Charlie's hand gratefully. He is amazing like that. But Emma can see from her mom's expression that she is not convinced.

"Mom, we love each other, and we are going to spend our lives together. I am not here to ask for a permission."

Mrs. Ronin straightened her back. "Why are you here?"

"I hope that you will drop your prejudice and just look at me. I am happy. Isn't that enough?"

"You are living in the moment. How much did you think about the future?"

Emma can see that her mom is not willing to accept Charlie. Not yet, at least. If Charlie is not here, Emma would turn around and stop this discussion because it will lead nowhere. But Charlie is here, and Emma needs to do her best to explain to her mother that her marriage with Charlie is not negotiable.

"Mom, let's pretend that I have the power to see the future and I see that five years from now he will leave me. Even with that knowledge, I would still be with Charlie. I don't want to stay away from him and be miserable now because he might hurt me in the future. I believe in him, and he believes in me."

Mrs. Ronin snorted. "It's easy to say that now when you are in love and everything is great. What will happen when you hit a rough patch?"

"We will work through it together… Mom, Charlie is not dad."

Mrs. Ronin frowned. "What do you know about your father?"

"Not much, thanks to you. But I know that he is not dead."

"Did he approach you?"

Emma paused when she saw that her mom is almost panicking. Why is she afraid if her father comes near her?

"Should I worry if he approaches me? … Mom, this is a good time to tell me whatever I need to know about him."

Emma saw that her mother has no intention to continue talking. "Still hiding things?"

"No. I don't know where he is or what he is up to."

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