A Family Dinner (Friday, afternoon)

[Cres]

[[cont. from Sweetheart's art]]

Sweetheart felt a little giddy when Teddy's car neared in on her home. She didn't see Dan's bike anywhere on the curb, and felt a little relieved. Somehow, Dan had the habit of making things awkward whenever he and Teddy were in the same room. She smiled to Teddy and put her hand on his arm gently.

"Just park your car on the curb," she instructed him. "And don't worry. My parents won't eat you, I promise." A smile played across her lips, then she grew more serious. "You know you don't have to come... if you don't want to." She was afraid she might have pushed him to come.

[Sharise]

Teddy smiled up at Sweetheart from his car. "I wanted to come."

With ease, he backed up and parked out by the curb. As he approached Sweetheart, his arms opened and brought her in for an embrace. "Just one question..." He smiled. "Is there anything I shouldn't say?"

[Cres]

Sweetheart smiled when she went into his embrace.

"Well, I think it's best not to mention that we've slept together," she whispered, "but other than that, I can't think of anything."

She smiled, hugged him and then went back to the car to get her painting.

"Would you carry the rest?" she asked while taking the painting from the car. Her heart was all aflutter. No one was at the door yet. That probably meant they hadn't noticed they'd arrived. She thought that was a good thing. She wanted to introduce Teddy properly at the door.

[Sharise]

"But," Teddy donned a child like expression. "That was going to be my opening statement!"

With a chuckle, he went to the car and picked up the bag and easel. Once his back was turned, the smile faded as he took a deep breath. This was going to be rough, but he'd make it though.

A smile slapped itself across Teddy's face as he turned to look at Sweetheart. "Ok. Let's do this."

[Cres]

Sweetheart giggled at Teddy's joke. Then she took the box containing the painting under her left arm and walked to the front door. Unconsciously she brushed back a few curly locks from her face, then stopped at the door. She fumbled for her keys for the while it took for Teddy to join her at the door, and then she fit the key to the lock and opened the door.

A smell of wonderful home-cooked, spicy food filled their noses, and the familiar meow of a cat was heard from the floor as Sweetheart stepped in. She looked down and saw her cat, the white Persian called Smitten, waiting for her there, sitting at the hallway, her tail twisting this way and that, her eyes intently on Sweetheart. She smiled and reached down, opening up her other arm for the cat to jump up. She did so, purring loud as she cuddled her head against her chest.

The green eyes of the cat turned to Teddy nearly instantly, and she tried to catch his scent.

"Sweetheart!" a deep male voice resounded from the living room. "Is that you?"

And soon enough, an older man with noticeable yet distinguished touches of grey in his hair, walked into the hallway. It was Mr Rosacci. He was smiling, but when his eyes caught Teddy the smile faded and was replaced by a scowl.

"Hi, daddy!" Sweetheart said with a cheerful voice, disregarding his scowl. He always scowled. He even had scowled at Chip at first, and now he liked Chip.

[Sharise]

Teddy smiled at Smitten and waved a finger at the cat. "Hey there, kitty."

As soon as the voice of an older man echoed through the halls, Teddy stiffened. Taking a deep breath, he straightened himself out before the man entered the hall. He had expected the scowl, but it still sucked.

Knowing better than to let his true emotions show, Teddy smiled faintly and stepped forward, his arm extended in greeting. "Good evening, Mr. Rosacci."

[Cres]

Smitten smelled the scent of dogs from Teddy, and that made her bristle a little. But she also sensed the trust between her and Sweetheart, her mistress, and of course Dan also had a dog, so she was used to having those around. She continued purring as Sweetheart made sure the door was locked and then looked at Teddy and her father interact.

Mr Rosacci raised one thick eyebrow, but appeared fairly taken by Teddy's polite manners and straight back. He didn't recognise him straight away - he had not heard Sweetheart talking about Teddy the way Dan had, and it was long since the boy had last been to their house. He felt he should have remembered his face, however, and this unintentionally deepened his scowl as he stepped forward to greet the boy.

"Evening," Tin said, nodding and taking Teddy's hand. The handshake was short but brisk. He turned his eyes to Sweetheart. "Darling...?"

"Oh, daddy, don't you remember Teddy?" Sweetheart asked sweetly, putting the painting down in order to better hold Smitten in her arms. Her smile was innocent and betrayed nothing, but within she felt nervous. "I invited him over for dinner."

"Teddy." Mr Rosacci seemed to taste the name in his mouth. Then his face brightened a little at the recollection. "That boy who always ran around with you when you were little?" He looked at Teddy again, a little more appreciatively. "You've grown."

[Sharise]

Teddy unintentionally held his breath as Sweetheart re-introduced him. But as soon as Tin's face brightened, he couldn't help but to smile and nod his head once.

"Thank you." He wanted to go on and make small talk, but he wasn't sure how everyone would react to that. It was odd for Teddy to be so quiet and reserved, but then again, it was rare for him to be in such polite company.

[Cres]

Sweetheart sensed the awkward silence coming, and was just about to say something to loosen the situation a little, when her mother intervened.

"Who is it, dear?" a female voice called out from the kitchen, and the familiar shape of Sweetheart's mother appeared into the hallway. She was wearing an apron and comfortable homey clothes - though still nice enough not to be considered too homely. Her face brightened at once when her eyes caught Teddy. She, of course, remembered him. She never forgot a face. Perhaps that came with being a lawyer. "Teddy!" she said and opened her arms, smiling wide. In the all-so-true Italian way she came right to him and hugged him and kissed him on the cheeks. "You rascal! What are you doing not visiting? I'll bet Tinny had forgotten you, hadn't you, Tin," she turned to look at her husband, "yes, I guessed as much." She looked at Teddy again. "Where have you been? What are you doing these days? Santa Maria, take away those shoes and make yourself home! Tin, show him to the living room, the dinner will be ready soon!"

[Sharise]

[lmao Omg, I love her mom!! <33 ]

Teddy smiled brightly as Sweetheart's mom greeted him in a true Italian fashion. He had always liked her. "You look as lovely as ever, Mrs. Rosacci." He didn't dare go into detail about why he hadn't visited. That would just be bad.

"Oh, just the usual. School and work." He smiled as he slipped off his shoes, never letting go of the bag and easel in his left arm. "I recently moved into an apartment with one of my best friends, so of course things have been a little rough." The presence of Sweetheart's mother made him relax almost completely. In fact, he hadn't even realized that he was rambling on.

[Cres]

[[hehehe so do I! :)]]

Sweetheart was happy that her mother had appeared to lighten up the situation. She, too, slipped off her shoes, and exchanged the few welcoming kisses with her mother that she always insisted on. Sometimes she thought her mother was more an Italian than her father, even though her father had been born and raised in Italy.

"Oh, that's nice, living with your best friend," Mrs Rosacci replied to Teddy, all smiles. "What is his name? This best friend? Oh, it's Ace, of course, isn't it? You were always so close, I remember. Now, off into the living room with you, I need to go back to fixing the rest of dinner. Sweetheart, call your sisters down. They have to meet Teddy. Did you babysit them once with Ace? No I think that was Lancer. How is he these days? Oh, we should leave it to dinner. Goodness, I think that's the roast!"

And she vanished into the kitchen as the slight smell of something burning lingered in the hallway. Sweetheart giggled.

"That's my mother," she said with a smile to Teddy. "Don't even try to answer everything. She'll ask the important ones again - and again." She patted him on the shoulder and then went upstairs, calling her sisters' names.

Meanwhile, Tin, who seemed a little uncomfortable at so blatantly forgetting someone who he apparently should have known, motioned towad the living room.

"Why don't we sit down to wait for the girls," he suggested, a little unsure of how he should treat Teddy. Well, he wasn't Italian, but he was an old family friend. He was trying to figure out if he was good or bad boyfriend candidate for Sweetheart. Was he a boyfriend? Tin wasn't sure now. Sweetheart sometimes invited friends just to be friendly.

[Sharise]

Teddy gave a dumb, but cute, smile as Mrs. Rosacci ran rampant with questions. He didn't even have time to reply before she ran back off into the kitchen. He chuckled as Sweetheart spoke. "I know how it is." His mother was the exact same way.

Once Sweetheart ran off, Teddy turned to Tin. He felt just as awkward as the man did. "Yes, sir." He smiled and headed toward the front room. He had no idea what to do with the objects in his arms, so he continued to hold them.

[Cres]

Tin was slightly amused to notice that the boy was still holding onto the things he recognised to be his daughter's art equipment. After they had got into the living room, he nodded toward one corner.

"Just leave them wherever," he said. "I'm sure Sweetheart will get to them in her good time." He decided to treat the boy as a potential boyfriend. That made things easier. He sat down on the sofa. He chose to ask a question that would give a straight answer to what he most wanted to know. "So, how long have you and Sweetheart been dating?"

[Sharise]

Teddy smiled and gently placed Sweetheart's art supplies in the corner before taking a seat across from Tin. The man's question caught him off guard.

"We aren't..." His voice didn't sound as strained as he had expected. It actually had a hint of sadness. "Not yet." His expression softened suddenly. "I want to ask her." He smiled a little. It was obvious how much he cared for the girl. "I guess I'm just afraid that if we rush into a relationship, it won't work." He shook his head. "I could never forgive myself if that happened."

[Cres]

Now, that was an answer Tin liked. In a way. He nodded.

"I see." His voice didn't give anything away. He eyed Teddy with his scowling kind of way, but didn't have the time to say anything more when a piercing screaming invaded them. Three little girls stampeded down the stairs into the hallway and to the living room, their red hair flowing behind them. They were like mini-Sweethearts, with the real thing following close behind, obviously in vain having tried to get the girls to calm down.

The little girls surrounded Teddy at once, screaming and jumping up and down around him.

"Teddy! Teddy! Did you bring us gifts?" It was obvious that these girls either recalled him or had heard about him since they had last met.