I Smoked Pot And Nobody Died

Pulling into my parents' driveway, I felt very much like the way I did pulling up to the party when my big secret came out. Afraid, and quite sick.

I was pretty sure that my parents were going to disown me tonight, but no matter what, I wasn't changing my mind. I was with Tom now and that was how it was.

The only thing keeping me walking as we headed to the front door was Tom's hand holding mine. I probably would have turned around by now if he wasn't there.

Although Tom hadn't been nervous at first, when I told him that part of the reason he was there was so that my parents could meet the man behind my untimely exit, he was, more likely than not, shitting himself at this point.

The three of us were quite an unstable bunch, but we kept walking all the same.

When Michael knocked, all of us seemed to cringe a bit.

''Hi dad.'' I said when he opened the door.

''Julia, Michael…'' my dad trailed off as he looked to Tom, his eyes wandering down to our joined hands.

''Tom.'' I finished for him.

''The boy from the magazine.'' My dad said and I cringed at his tone. It was as if what he'd said had left a bad taste in his mouth.

''Can we come in?'' Michael asked.

''Of course.'' my dad replied, his eyes locked on Tom in a vicious death glare.

My dad continued into the living room as we stopped to take our shoes off.

''This is a death sentence! Let's leave while they're distracted!'' Michael said in a hurried whisper.

''We have to stay.'' I replied.

''I think your dad wants to kill me.'' Tom whispered.

''Probably.'' I said and the colour vanished from Tom's face.

''Let's go.'' Michael turned towards the door and I grabbed him.

''No! If we leave we'll only be in more trouble.'' I told him.

my father cleared his throat, suddenly standing in the archway between the front hall and the living room.

''Everyone is in here.'' he said. Everyone?

We went into the living room to find Michael's parents there as well.
We sat down on the couch across from both sets parents. No one spoke, but all four parents glared at Tom.
If looks could kill, he would be finished.

''I think you should start talking young lady,'' my father finally said. ''You ran out on your wedding!''

''And you told her to go!'' Michael's mom added.

''And for what?'' Michael's dad asked.

''Some rock star?'' my dad finished.

The conversation was rather one sided. I was quite surprised though at my mother's silence. She was yet to say something about how bad what we did was. She was just sitting there, no expression on her face, her hands folded in her lap.

''If you'll stop talking maybe I can start!'' I snapped and they all looked at me with wide eyes. I'd had enough of their bitching. ''First, I never wanted to marry Michael, we're not in love, we're just friends.''

''Michael?'' his father said.

''It's true.'' Michael told them.

''We were only going to go through with it because we knew it was what you wanted of us and we wanted to make you happy.'' Tom squeezed my hand encouragingly. ''I'm sure that by now you all know why we didn't go through with it.'' I looked at Tom.

''This boy?'' my father asked.

''When we first met, we knew we weren't allowed to be together, but then we fell in love.'' What seemed to be guilt flashed briefly across my father's face. ''I knew that the plan was to go through with the wedding though so we tried to end it. I tried so hard to be ok without him but I just couldn't. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. It hurt too much to be without him. I love him. I'm sorry, I just can't marry Michael.'' Tom squeezed my hand again as I finished my speech.

All the parents were speechless. My mother's eyes filled with tears and she leaned to my father's ear. She was whispering very fast and my dad furrowed his eyebrows before he nodded.

''If the two of you were going to force yourselves through that kind of heartache, to do something simply to please us, it would be heartless of us not to return that kind of selfless love.'' My dad said. Michael's parents nodded in agreement and my mother started to sob. She stood up and the rest of the room did the same.

''I'm so sorry we put you through all of this.'' She said as she hugged me.

''So all is forgiven?'' I asked and all the parents nodded, smiles now illuminating all of their faces.

When my mom let go of me, my dad took her place and I saw Michael's parents hug him.

''So Tom is your boyfriend?'' my mom asked and I nodded. ''He is beautiful!'' the colour returned to Tom's cheeks.

My mom hugged Tom and all was right with the world until-

''So how do you feel about children?''

So much for the colour in Tom's cheeks.