To Caress My Day

Simone's and Amira's jaws dropped at the same time at Twig's admission. She wanted to introduce her boyfriend, Seth, to her mother and step-father for Christmas? This went against everything they were led to presume! “You want Seth to meet your parents!?” Simone recited in astonishment, her eyes locked on Twigs who was quivering with nerves before them. “Are you being serious right now? You want him to meet your parents?”

Sensing their shock, Twigs nodded in affirmation, wrapping her arms around herself to help steady her nerves. “Yeah, I know it sounds completely insane considering how I asserted our relationship remain a secret from the public eyes a million times, but...I'm actually serious about this. I want him to meet my parents for Christmas.”

“But what about the whole 'I want our relationship to be private' and shit?” Amira grilled, not accepting the words that were coming out of Twig's mouth. “I mean, what you're claiming to want goes against that, so as you can imagine, we're totally at a lost right now.”

“What changed your mind, Twigs?” Simone challenged her, a puzzled look on her face. “Could it be you feel the urge to introduce him to your family because he did the same? Are you trying to make everything fair between the two of you?”

“Come to think of it...I never really thought about what happened to motivate me to come to this ludicrous decision.” Twigs reflected before shrugging it off when no solution came. “All I know is that my heart is 100% determined to go through this. The only thing holding me back is my mind, it's not sure if I just lost my rationality all of a sudden or not.”

“Understandably so. I mean this decision sounds totally random to the ear, and not thought all the way through.” Simone concurred with her second guessing as she moved the plate of cookies across the kitchen table in silent offering to Amira who sat eyeing it in mute hunger. “Plus, it's the complete opposite of what you've always pressed you wanted.”

Nodding to that, Twigs looked to Amira who was the only one besides her that had a close relationship with her parents considering they grew up together. “What do you think, Amira? You know my parents, do you think they'd like him?”

“I think your mother will find it shocking that you nabbed yourself a billionaire when you hadn't even made it to the big stage yet with your music career.” Amira shared, nibbling on the cookie in deep thought.

“Oh man, I wish I could be there to see the look on her face!” Simone giggled, covering her mouth with glee at the vision she conjured up in her head.

Rolling her eyes at their teasing, Twigs sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Can you two be serious for a second, please!”

“Alright alright!” Amira waved her hand, dissolving the look of displeasure from Twig's face. “If you want me to tell you what I honestly believe it's this. Your mother isn't gonna give a shit about anything else, but whether or not this man makes you, her daughter, happy.”

Breathing out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, Twigs felt the strain and anxiety depart from her body. If there was anyone she could count on to answer a question like that it was Amira, again because she knew her mother the best unlike the rest of her close friends, and right now, Twigs needed an outside point of view other than hers to help. If Amira said everything would be fine, then everything should be fine. “So, do you guys think inviting him to meet my parents sounds like an exceptional idea, or is it too soon?”

“Sure, if you feel like you love him enough to go against your gut and introduce him to your parents, then why not?” Simone inquired, shrugging her shoulders with a smile on her face.

“God, I'm so nervous and overjoyed at the same time right now!” Twigs spewed, covering her face with her hands to hide the goofy smile on her face. “I'm so overwhelmed with emotions.”

A knock on the door interrupted their discussion, signaling to them that the other members of Neon Jungle had finally shown up, and with food. Raising a finger, Simone cut Twigs off. “Hold that thought, honey. It's time to eat.” Getting up from the table, Simone went to the door to let the four young ladies in with hugs and kisses. “”Ayy, you guys finally made it! Come on in!”

“And we brought food!” Jesse serenaded as she toted her plastic bags to the kitchen. Placing the bags on the dining table, she accosted both Twigs and Amira the same way she accosted Simone. “We didn't know what you guys want so we got some cheap pizza, Chinese food, and Italian pastas with those yummy garlic bread.”

“That sounds like a feast fit for a fucking king, man!” Amira applauded, throwing her hands up. “Let's dig in!”

Everyone hustled around the small kitchen table and rationed out the morsels for everyone to enjoy before gorging into the savory goodies. Nearly finished with their meals, Shereen cleared her throat to direct her fork towards Simone and Twigs. “So, how have you two ladies been doing since we last met up?”

Sharing a brief mischievous gander at each other, Amira and Simone leaned nearly cheek to cheek together to babble out Twig's announcement before she could. “TWIGS GONNA INTRODUCE SETH TO HER PARENTS THIS CHRISTMAS!”

“WHAT?!” Jesse nearly choked on her crunchy egg roll, her eyes magnified in size as they all stared in awe at Twigs.

Asami was coughing on her coke behind her hand before clearing her throat. “H-Hold on...you want to d-do what again?”

“She wants to introduce Seth to her parents!” Amira impatiently restated, patting Asami on the back to help relieve her coughs.

“Since when though!?” Shereen requested to know, still astounded herself at such a dire decision. “I mean, what's changed since we last saw each other?”

“Are you pregnant, or something?” Jesse investigated, curiously reaching out to pat a hand over Twig's flat stomach.

Spanking her hand off of her, Twigs shot her whimsical glare. “No, I'm not pregnant, silly!”

“Then why do you want to introduce Seth to your parents all of a sudden?” Asami grilled, shaking her head in incredulity. “The last time we saw you were firmly against it and now you're totally for it?”

“I don't really know what to tell you guys.” Twigs strove to explain, taking a bite of her chicken fettuccine alfredo. “It doesn't make all that sense to me either. I just know that I want to do this for sure.”

“No doubts?” Jesse began to list, tipping her head as she bit into her pizza and chatted with her mouth full. “Nah Fur?”

“No, no doubts, or fears.” Twigs issued before shaking her head. “Well, other than the concern of whether my parents will like him or not. I don't want him to have a tough time.”

“Neither do we.” Simone seconded, placing a hand on Twig's arm in support.

“Yeah, we actually like this guy.” Amira declared in between sips of her soda. “He's funny as hell.”

“But despite all that, we are in full support of your decision...no matter how far to the left it is.” Shereen supported, pulling on her straw to find the last portion of soda left beneath the ice.

“Aw, thank you guys! That means the world to me.” Twigs expressed, feeling inspired by their unconditional loyalty which was nothing short of what she's been obtaining since the start of her undercover relationship with Seth.

“As you are when it comes to Seth.” Asami points out with a teasing grin. “But what I came here to know was how everything went with meeting his dad?”

“It all went perfectly well. I think he liked me, in fact.” Twigs joyfully gloated before the thought of her own family meeting Seth came to mind. “I just hope Seth will be able to say the same when he meets my family.”