Meet The Parents

After my last disastrous encounter with those closest to Jackson, I am incredibly nervous about meeting his parents. Our trip down from London is filled with tense silences as I mentally prepare myself for what today might be like but once we leave the motorway I get lost in the scenery as we enter the New Forest. The small herds of free-roaming ponies are a welcome distraction from my increasingly self-destructive thoughts and finally feel some of the tension leaving my body.

When we finally pull into the drive, wheels crunching on the gravel, I find my mouth dropping open in wonder. Instead of the cutesy, chocolate box-esque cottage I was expecting when Jackson invited me to lunch with his parents, this house is the opposite. Sleek lines and angles are at complete odds with the lush woods surrounding the property but it works, and I bet the views are spectacular through the floor-to-ceiling windows that make up most of the walls.

Jackson sees the look on my face and chuckles. “Not what you were expecting, then?”

“Nope. You said New Forest, and stream in the garden, and tree houses and I just had this vision of something you’d find on a biscuit tin. Now I’m totally reassessing this mental image I have of your parents.”

“Well, you know what they say about assuming things…” Jackson teases.

“It makes an ass out of you and me,” I mumble remembering the first time I made that joke with Jackson. I wonder what other surprises he has in store for me. “It would help if your parents had some kind of digital footprint that I could have stalked, you know. Then I could have gotten an idea of what they were like. Oh. My. God. They are going to hate me.” I push a trembling hand through my hair as nerves flood my body.

Jackson leans over to kiss me on the cheek while trying his best to offer reassuring words. “Relax, Kat. They are going to love you.” When Jackson had first suggested meeting his parents after I got my test results back, I had initially demurred, feeling like that was really pushing my luck. For every one of my objections, he had a counter-argument that was bulletproof. After much prodding and pushing from Finn and Soph, I ended up capitulating, which is how I found myself heading down the M3 bright and early on this Sunday morning.

No sooner have we stepped out of Jackson’s truck onto the gravel drive, than two dogs come bounding out the front door and head straight for him. “Hercules, Cami, get down you crazy mutts,” Jackson laughs as they jump on him, licking and barking their greetings with obvious excitement. A second later the dogs notice me, and I am subjected to the same treatment as they welcome me to their home.

“Hercules, Cami, down, NOW!” Immediately both dogs sit down, their wagging tails the only indication of their continued excitement. “Sorry about that. They do love visitors.”

I look up with a start, realising that the owner of the voice is now standing directly in front of us.

“Hiya, Mum,” Jackson greets the diminutive lady in front of us before wrapping her up in a massive hug. The first thing I am struck by is her eyes which are the exact same colour as Jackson’s but instead of having his dark locks, her hair is a beautiful white-blonde with silver streaks that tumbles loosely down her back. Her features are much finer than Jackson’s but I can definitely see where he got his cheekbones from.

“Jackson, it’s been far too long, my boy,” his mother chides with a light slap to his chest.

“I was here on Wednesday,” he responds with a chuckle.

“I know, but I need to make up for all those months you were away on tour.”

“Mum, I’d like you to meet Kat, my girlfriend.” Jackson pulls me forward before slipping his hand into mine and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Kat, this is my mother.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Smith,” I say, holding out my hand in greeting.

“It’s Adele,” she replies with a genuine smile. “Mrs. Smith makes me look for my mother-in-law.” Phew, so far so good, I think to myself as she ushers us into the house. “Your father is in his study, Jackson. Why don’t you pop your head in and say hi while I give Kat the grand tour?”

Oh. Shit. I shoot Jackson a panicked look, but he just smiles at me. Bloody git.

A moment later, Adele loops her arm through mine and drags me away. I’m in awe as she leads me through the spacious living room and into the ginormous kitchen and dining area. I had wondered if the house was as stark on the inside as on the outside, but the large panes of glass are softened by plush furnishings and what seems like a million family photos that adorn the walls. This is so very clearly a family home, and I can’t help feeling a twinge of sadness that I don’t have my own parents around.

“Let’s take these out onto the patio,” Adele suggests, as she hands me the steaming mug of mint tea I requested, indicating the bifold doors that have been drawn back to allow the warm air to flow through the house. As we step out onto the deck it’s clear summer is in full swing and I’m grateful that I put on one of my light maxi dresses for the occasion. It may still be early, but I suspect it’s going to be a scorcher of a day.

“So, Jackson tells me you own a bar in London,” Adele says as we settle into the comfy wicker sofas overlooking the garden. Ah, I knew it wouldn’t be long before the interrogation began.

“Um, that’s right. Well, I actually own it with my best friend, Finn.” As I go on to explain how we met at university and then decided to go into business together, I find myself relaxing when I realise that Adele is genuinely interested in my responses and is not just looking to trip me up somehow.

I’m suddenly reminded of the first time I was introduced to Garry’s parents. It was about three months into our relationship, and I had been so desperate to impress them. Garry had insisted on going to the Ivy and spent the whole night talking about how much everything cost and what car he wanted to get with his bonus. The disdain I felt from his parents when I told them I part-owned a bar made me realise that I was definitely not what they wanted for their son. When it became clear that I didn’t see bar work as a stepping stone to something far more impressive like becoming a doctor or a lawyer, the conversation ended abruptly, and I was pretty much ignored for the rest of the evening. I should have heeded the warning signs then that the apple probably didn’t fall far from the tree, but I was so infatuated with Garry that I was determined to win his parents over.

I feel a sense of peace fall over me as I take a moment to let my eyes wander across the garden before taking another sip of my tea. Jackson mentioned that it was his mum’s pride and joy, so I draw the conversation round to it, enjoying the way her eyes light up as she tells me about her plans for a new summer house.