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 Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:56 am
It was a relatively simple setup - a little pre-christmas dinner, just to get in the mood for the holidays. Something nice and small.
The perfect setting for one's father to meet's one girlfriend, Xavier had noticed all too late. And sure enough, his father had went there.
And then the whole sister bombshell had been dropped, but he had been assured that things would be quite fine.
And so there they were, Xavier having gone to pick up Bell at her house with his father's cat (his was, predictably, down for the count) and now they were on the way back to the place that had been Xavier's home for most of his life. It was unsurprising that they passed in front of Tallulah's house on the way there, but the blonde said nothing of it and left Bell to notice the fact on her own.
He was a little nervous, there was no denying it. Did I really have a reason to be nervous ? Not especially - but it didn't change a thing. Finally, he turned into a driveway and parked, looking over at the lovely lady at his side.
"So... Ready ?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:08 am
Bell had indeed noticed, but it wasn't too surprising, all things considered. She was more busy repeating some mental mantra of some sort. Hands fidgeted with the edge of her light blue knit cardigan, and she bit her lip on occasion as well. She wasn't exactly well versed in talking to parents that were..well, in parent mode. Teachers, store clerks, etc., yes. Otherwise, not so much. The only thing right now that rivaled this was the thought of her little sister arriving soon.
Soon they were up the driveway and parked. Oh, surely there had to be a line somewhere to help her along here. ...None came to mind.
"Ready as I can be, I guess," Bell replied.
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:18 am
Xavier did manage a small smile for her, getting out of the car so that he could go help her out. "Careful, I don't think the salt took in yet." Sure thing, the whole driveway was still a little slippery, in spite of the generous application of salt that had been dumped all over it.
The house was a bit on the small side, all things considered, but well-kept - the lights of the living room and kitchen where both lit.
Xavier then led Bell though the garage, and then slipped his way inside the house proper. It was warm, and utterly packed with christmas decorations - the massive christmas tree that stood proud in the living room as visible from the small hallway that they were in. "Dad ?" Xavier called out.
There was a bit of rummaging from the kitchen, and a brown-haired man peeked into the hallway - the man that had been at the hospital, if Bell would remember that. "Oh, there you two are ! Come in !"
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:25 am
If there was one good thing about her fuzzy boots, it was that they had good traction. This winter they were definitely being put to good use. Any other shoes and she probably would have found herself on the ground thanks to the ice.
Bell followed close behind, and taking in what she could see with curious eyes. The rummaging that came from the direction of the kitchen turned her sights that way. Ah, indeed, she had seen him at the hospital, but a quick passing in the hall hardly counted as meeting.
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:34 am
Once both coats and boots were off, Xavier did lead her further inside - the house smelled of roasted chicken, and sure enough, there was such a bird happily roasting in the oven.
"So, um." Akkkkward. Really. It wasn't like he had any practice doing this ! "Bell, this is my dad, Damian. Dad, this is Bell." That did the job, right ?
He had so known that it had been one of the ladies that had been at the hospital, only not which one. The only way Xavier could have truly shocked him was if he had brought Tallulah back home, honestly. Not that he did not like Tallulah, of course, but to imagine them as boyfriend and girlfriend was simply wrong. "Pleased to meet you, young lady." He grinned, in a way errily similar than his son did. Xavier did take a lot from his father, beside his hair color. They had a similar build, and a similar face, though Damian was taller and a little stockier than his only son.
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:46 am
"Hello," Bell greeted with a bit of a smile. She indeed noted the resemblance as well. Oh, the shyness probably wouldn't last too awfully long once Bell got comfortable. Until then quiet and reserved worked, right? She had obviously failed the class on 'proper greetings', too. Oh well. Xavier already knew she was no proper Crystal lady. Not that she would have remembered anything she had learned anyway.
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:30 pm
Xavier wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to say now, really. Was he supposed to just encourage the two to talk ? Oh just... s**t, he had no idea. This was the first time he brought a girlfriend home, really. The only other girt he had in his life before had been the barest blip on Damian Avery's radar. He had known on her existence, but that was it.
Good thing the father had his own thoughts about the matter. "Dinner should be done before two long, you two can make yourselves comfortable, hm ? Or maybe have a look around the house, if you want. I just finished putting up the tree this afternoon." He had been informed a few things - that bringing up the young lady's family was a bad idea, and that she had went to boarding schools most of her life. If she had never seen an actual honest-to-goodness natural christmas tree from up close, than there was her occasion.
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:39 pm
Well, looking around certainly saved conversation for later, which gave her time to think up conversation fodder. She nodded and smiled, then looked over to Xavier, "Shall we then?"
Bell's own house lacked any sort of Christmas-y decoration. She really hadn't seen much need to bother. The thought came to her, though, that perhaps Ainsley would want some sort of festive decor. Did nine year olds still believe in Santa?
Well, at any rate, if her little sister did, then this would give her some idea of what to do. because like hell was she letting a nine year old go wild with decorations in her house. Not that there was anything she could really mess up. Bell's house was a great deal more..barren, than this one.
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:48 pm
In stark contrast, this house was basically overloading with decorations - Damian didn't skimp on the stuff, even is most christmases were spend alone with his son - there were garlands everywhere, and the tree was massive, covered from trunk to tip with ornaments, candy canes, fake snow, and all that.
"I swear..." Xavier grinned to himself. "It must have taken him two days just to do the tree." With the both of them, it took one afternoon, but he hadn't been called for duty this year.
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:54 pm
"I guess it it is something you like doing, then the time spent is worth it," she replied with a small smile.
She knew putting up sets had been one of her least favorite parts of theatre, so it was no wonder she didn't do much in the way of holiday decorating. When Bell put something up, most of the time it was there to stay. Lazy? Maybe she was. Most of the time though she just thought it frivolous to put something up just to have to take it down. Then again, that could have been simply her dour opinion on holidays in general.
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 1:10 pm
"He's like a big child in a way." Xavier laughed. "He gets more excited about Christmas than I do... I just kind of put up a string of light at my apartment." What was the point of doing more, when he was just going to come to this very house for Christmas ? Not very, or so the blonde boy thought. "It always makes him happy, through."
The massive amount of christmas decorations was not the only note-worthy thing to the living room - the bookshelf full of books and what looked to be architectural plans was the other most notable thing.
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Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 1:16 pm
"Well then, that's enough reason to do it then," she nodded.
Between the copious amount of decorations and the bookshelf, things seemed pretty normal. Said books didn't seem to be anything Bell would understand though. Architecture meant math, and she did good enough with algebra...
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Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 8:48 am
Xavier also agreed with the whole maths thing - proof that knowledge was not hereditary in the least. Anything math and science, really, was beyond poor Xavier, as such tended to be with the artsy types.
What Xavier was really looking for was the photo albums... And sure enough, one of them was missing from the shelf. Drat. This was to be expected. Now how could he possibly dodge the bullet of embarrassing kiddy pictures ?
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Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:18 pm
Bell was absolutely oblivious about the photo album thing. If there was one thing about her past that could be described as good, it was the lack of embarrassing pictures. The RENT thing didn't count, cause she had total control of her pictures. Muahahahaa!
Well,..at the very least she could be counted on not to tease him too much. If anything she'd be maybe a little embarrassed for him.
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Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:54 pm
"Food's ready, kids !"
"Well then..." Xavier grinned at Bell. "Let's go ?" At least he didn't have to worry about the food aspect of the equation, as his father had the cooking skills that he do desperately lacked. Dinner was going to be good, at the very least.
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