A Serendipitous Reunion Ch. 04

*A note to my readers. I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. This is another chapter from Megan's point of view. There are ups and downs in every budding relationship. It's a wonder we ever get past the anxieties and finally relax enough to get to know one another completely. Enjoy this second round of Megan's side of the story.*

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"Damn you clean up good. I don't think men are remotely aware of just how sexy they look in a good suit." I said as he walked back into the living room. He refused me entry to the bedroom while he got ready, afraid we'd end up back in bed again. Which was a definite concern. I looked at my watch. "But you're slower than a girl."

"Hey, I remade the bed due to some steamy, sweaty shenanigans that happened a little while ago."

"It's a good thing you banished me from watching this," I gestured at his outfit, "or it would have happened again."

"Grab your things. We'll take my car."

"Leave mine here?"

"Were you planning on going home after?" He sounded suddenly despondent.

I grinned at him. "Not now." I shook my head as I stood up and grabbed his coat by the lapels and pulled him into a kiss.

We switched cars and I parked mine in his space while we took his and hit the road. He'd hung his jacket and tie in the back and was just driving in just the dress shirt and slacks. I reached over and slid the cassette out of the player and looked at it.

"Hmm, not something I would have figured you for."

"I have eclectic tastes." He grinned.

I put it back and pushed it all the way in and the sweet strains of Sade started playing. He reached and turned the volume down a bit and faded to the back speakers.

"So how do we spin this for your folks?" I asked.

"We know each other from our school days. We met again while we were both in New York and have been burning up the sheets since."

"Will your mother let you kiss her if she knows where that mouth has been?" I asked sweetly.

"Point taken. Everything up to New York where we went to a diner and had lunch, then went sight seeing. You see what I'm going with here. We're safer with the truth as far as it needs to be told."

"So we met in Mr. Phillips English class. You crushed on me hard, I never knew, and you've finally exposed your feelings in a chance meeting. It sounds like a cheesy romance novel plot." I grinned and rubbed my hand across his thigh.

Paul laughed. "It does sound a lot more mundane than the tales of Maewyn and Pol, but it's a lot more plausible."

"Plausible deniability is what we're going for here?"

"We could tell them the truth, but I'd make sure you're wearing flats, they're easier to run in."

"Hey! I was an innocent in this entire story. You had the mad crush on me." I couldn't keep from giggling as the story got crazier with the telling.

"Some would say those photocopies in your purse are evidence to the contrary." His response held a sense of wonderment in it.

I stopped laughing and had the sense to blush. "Are you sure you didn't study law?" I drew my hand away and he reached down and put it back on his thigh and began stroking the back with his thumb. He glanced over at me with a grin of his own.

"We'll be fine. I'd like to think my mother won't play twenty questions after just meeting you. She'll do that with me over the phone later." He laughed.

I gripped his thigh and relaxed a little. It wasn't as if I was going to meet his parents four days after meeting him again for the first time in thirteen years. I suddenly felt sick.

As we got closer to New Haven I gave him directions until we were in front of an old New Englander style home.

"It was converted to apartments a few years ago. I'm upstairs." I pointed before I led him up the stairs.

"Nice view." I heard from behind me and it took a moment for me to realize he meant my ass.

"Does it look good from back there?"

"Very."

"Don't be surprised." I said as I put my key in the lock. "It's not much, but it's home." We walked into the kitchen and I immediately felt self-conscious. I hadn't left a mess but I hadn't rinsed the coffee pot and my breakfast bowl was till in the sink. There was some junk mail I hadn't thrown out yet on the breakfast table. "Sorry, it's a little messy."

"No it isn't." He laughed and I led him into the living room.

"Grab a seat. What time are you supposed to meet your folks?" I looked at my watch noting we probably had an hour or two before we needed to get going.

"I didn't have a set time. I had just planned to ride over to their place and we'd go to dinner from there. They made reservations at the Hartford Grille."

"Very nice, that changes a few things. You're sure they won't mind me coming along?"

Paul laughed. "I'm positive they won't mind. In fact they might just be elated."

I looked at him confused, hoping for an explanation.

"Not long ago my mother asked me if I was gay."

"Oh my God! You're kidding!" I covered my gaping mouth.

Paul just shook his head. "She hadn't seen a girlfriend or heard about me dating since high school. She was very empathetic, said it would be okay if I was." He continued, still smiling as he explained. "You will be welcomed like a queen."

I couldn't believe for a moment his mother thought he was gay. "Wait, you dated in high school? Do tell."

"It wasn't anything really, more like friends without benefits. I don't think she liked me, but I was better than getting grief about not having a date."

"Oh you poor thing." I reached up and ran my fingers through the hair at the back of his neck. I felt him lean into it a little.

"Keep that up and I'm going to get all sweaty again. We have plenty of time." He said smiling then leaned over and kissed me, the kind that lingers not only on your lips but in your chest, leaving your mind in pleasant fog.

"I still have a hard time believing I was your first when you can kiss like that."

"I said I was a virgin, not a monk." He grinned.

"Well whoever your teacher was I commend them."

He looked at me curiously for a minute then the grin returned.

"No! Another teacher?" I squeaked.

"No, no," he jumped in laughing, "Suzy Ewing. She was surprisingly patient and a very willing tutor."

"Tutor? I'm not sure that's better."

"Not a literal tutor." He rolled his eyes.

"Well given the evidence in my purse you do have a penchant for hitting above your weight class." I matched his grin. "Now I'm curious about this Suzy." I got up and went into the bedroom and came back with the yearbook.

"Oh my God. Should I be surprised or concerned that you found that so quickly?"

"It was a gift from Jack. He thought I'd like a keepsake of my first teaching gig. You should know I had it. You even signed it."

"I did?"

I hummed agreement and flopped down next to him and began thumbing through the class photos looking for his oral exercises tutor.

"Hmm."

"What?"

"She's pretty." He could tell I was holding back.

"But what?"

"Dark eyes, dark hair, I'm not sure what it is though, she doesn't seem like your type."

"She was, I wasn't her type. I heard a few years later she came out. She has a girlfriend now."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I should get ready." I stood up and felt myself flying back onto the sofa arms flailing. I was suddenly gathered up in Paul's arms.

"You are my type." There was hunger in his kiss which made me wish we didn't have plans.

"I'd ask you to help with getting me out of these clothes but we'd never make it to your folks." I said, catching my breath. He agreed and I got up again and turned on him to make sure he didn't pull me back down again.

"Make yourself comfortable, I'll be back in a minute or thirty." I ducked into the bedroom and hoped to heaven I didn't look like I woke up with a hangover any longer. I began stripping off my top and unhooked my bra tossing it onto the bed. I grabbed the button on my jeans and slid them down panties and all kicking them aside. I turned toward the dresser and looked at myself in the mirror. I wondered if I should go demure or sexy for tonight. I glanced towards the bedroom door and thought maybe a little of both. I opened the top drawer and started my ensemble.

"You take any longer and I'll have to call and change it to Sunday Brunch." Paul called out. I smiled as I fit my other earring in place. I took another look at myself and smiled, grabbed my wrap and opened the bedroom door.

"Then this would have been a waste of time and I should have just dragged you into the bedroom with me." I said. He stood and turned to look at me, his eyes gliding over me from head to toe. "How do I look?" I stood in comfortable heels and wore a black sundress with floral pattern that went just past my knees. I looked up again and saw Paul smiling.

"You look beautiful." His voice had that wistful quality, and his eyes were all sincerity and I felt a frisson of excitement.

"I was thinking something short and trashy might be bad for the first time meeting the folks."

"It looks like something you'd wear to a PTA meeting."

I looked down and back up. "I'll change." I felt like an idiot and turned pushing the door closed behind me. I let out a long breath and started flipping through hangers. Too trashy, too sexy, not sexy enough. There was a soft knock on the door. "What?!" I sounded short even to my own ears and felt bad. I reached for the door. "Sorry."

Paul was leaning against the door jamb smiling. "I didn't mean that to sound like it was criticism."

"You didn't. It's just... meeting your parents so quickly, meeting you again after so many years, and everything." I threw my hands in the air.

"Wear whatever makes you comfortable and don't worry, they're going to love you." He leaned in and kissed me so softly I nearly broke into tears. He took my hand and stepped backwards pulling me into the living room. "Come on."

I missed this. I didn't realize just how much I missed the intimacy of being close with someone. I missed being held, the camaraderie, and the trust. It was a bit of a personal revelation that I realized then that I trusted Paul so implicitly.

"Should I be worried that you're really into this whole situation right now? Isn't a little soon to be meeting your parents?"

"I don't think so. Don't read into it. You'll be fine." He smiled and let go of my hands. I grabbed my purse and put my wallet into the smaller handbag I'd opted for and we were out the door.

"What should I know about them?" Once we were under way I felt a little less worried.

"My dad's name is Michael, Mike to pretty much everyone unless my grandmother or mother is mad at him. He plays golf, reads a lot, likes his garden, a mellow guy. Mom's name is Gail, runs a dental office and volunteers some." He shrugged.

I let out a long sigh.

"I'm telling you, you'll be fine." He reached over and took my hand, laid it on his lap and began stroking the back with his thumb.

"Don't you think..." I stammered, "this is all happening a little too fast?"

"It depends on how you look at it. Since we met thirteen years ago I'd say we're going really slow."

"Oh yes, that's how I should play this. 'Nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence. I'm the teacher your teenage son was writing love stories to in the eighth grade. I'm so glad we could finally meet!'"

"Technically, we were both teenagers." He added. "We're adults, we don't have to share everything, like you never shared with them that their thirteen year old son wrote you a love letter when you were nineteen. Imagine how much more awkward this could be if they had gone in for a parent teacher conference over that?"

"Oh God!" I leaned my head towards the window covering my eyes. Paul just chuckled. "I vaguely remember that nearly happened. I stopped Jack from reporting it."

"You'd better pull it together, we're almost there." He pulled into the off ramp lane. The restaurant was only one block away. Paul was right I had to pull it together. He pulled into the parking garage and found a spot.

"You want to hop in the back and have a little quickie to take the edge off?"

I just stared at him in disbelief. He broke out laughing and I gave him a little shove.

"You look like you're on death row. Relax." He leaned over and kissed me. He really leaned into it and made a guttural groan. "I suddenly wish I'd canceled."

"You too?" I laughed.

He slipped out and jogged around opening my door and giving me a hand out.

"I thought we were going to meet them at home."

"Well I called them while you were changing, since it was getting late we just decided to meet here."

We turned towards the restaurant and Paul reached for the door. There was a short line as diners were shown to tables.

"You're fidgeting."

I noticed I was drumming my fingers on my handbag and stopped. "Sorry."

Paul just laughed and gave his name to the host.

"Your party was just seated Mister Lawrence. Please follow me."

We walked through the restaurant to a flight of stairs where he led us up to a mezzanine level to the right. He stepped to the side.

"Mr. Lawrence, your guests."

"Paul!" His father spoke, his voice a little loud but very proud as he stood and gave Paul a handshake and quick hug.

His father, like himself, was tall and lean, probably in his early fifties. He wore a suit like it was a uniform. He had a broad smile, and a hint of salt and pepper in his hair. He was a handsome man and I immediately saw where Paul got his looks from.

"Mom, dad, this is a good friend of mine, Megan Duval."

"Hello, it's nice to meet you." I gathered my wits as quickly as I could as I nodded to his mother across the table, and his father shook my hand. The host held out the chair for me and I took a seat, Paul sat to my right.

Paul's father looked askance and gave a little wave before turning back to us.

"First of all, Happy Birthday Paul."

"Thank you. I didn't really do much besides survive another year."

"How do you two know one another?" Mrs. Lawrence chimed in, her question directed at me.

"Well, it's a funny story actually. We went to school together years ago. Mr. Phillip's English class in middle school to be exact. I was in New York last week and we bumped into one another. We both had that, "don't I know you" look in our eye until we got our bonafides worked out."

"Goodness what surprise that must have been." She gushed.

"There I was in a city with ten million people and I bump into someone from back home." I laughed.

His parents began inquiring about me. I stuck to the truth as much as possible.

"So you're both on vacation and bumped into one another after all these years, some might call that kismet."

Paul rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. "Mom, don't start."

The waiter saved us by setting a champagne bucket next to his father.

"I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of ordering a little bubbly to celebrate." He said across the table to me.

"No not at all." I smiled as the cork popped gently. The waiter made the round of filling the glasses before setting the bottle back and departing. Paul's father raised his glass and turned to him.

"Paul, you've been a source of inspiration to your mother and I, which is refreshing change from being the source of exasperation you were in childhood. We're proud of you and everything you've achieved and know you'll only continue to do great things. Happy Birthday!"

"Exasperating? I feel like there are stories to hear." I grinned setting down my glass, and licked the Champagne from my lip.

"Oh there are a few." His father laughed.

"I don't think it's necessary to go into any of that." Paul chimed in.

"I'm just saying, Megan might want to know what she's getting into here. Let's see now... the tomato incident. What were you? Eleven, twelve? That's about the time you probably met him. I get a call from a neighbor about a block from our house. Someone had gone into his garden and picked his tomato plants clean."

"Hey, I stand by the claim that Matt was behind that!" Paul defended.

"Really? Your best friend Matt? Matt whose house you were at that day?" He pointed out grinning. "Well Mr. Miller was a little upset to find out that his prize tomatoes had been used to paint the back of his garage in green and red splatter marks."

"Yeah well the punishment more than fit the crime." Paul said a little embarrassed.

"What did you have to do?" I asked.

"Matt and I had to hand wash every clapboard of that garage, then when it was all clean, we had to paint it. The whole garage."

"Sounds fair." I added laughing.

"Wait, there's more." Mike added.

Paul nodded. "The next spring we had to hand till and fertilize the garden and help plant it."

"This was no small garden either." Gail added. "Mr. Miller was a serious gardener, nearly a half acre of his property was put in with some fruit or vegetable. I think Mrs. Miller canned for weeks on end in the fall." Gail added.

"I had blisters for weeks."

"What happened then?" I asked.

Gail smiled. "He became great friends with Mr. Miller. He ended up helping him throughout the summer. That Fall he'd come home every week with a big bag of vegetables from the garden. I kept telling them they didn't need to do that, but he'd taken a shine to Paul here and since he worked well past his punishment he thought it fitting he should enjoy the bounty."

"Saved us a fortune on groceries the way you started eating in your teens." Mike laughed.

Dinner went on with more embarrassing stories as well as inquiries about Paul's work. They inquired about mine as well. It's long been noted that the truth is the easiest lie to maintain. I mentioned how I got my teaching degree, and ended up with a job in New Haven after graduating.

"Oh it's too bad you ended up so far from your family. Have you thought about coming back to Hartford?"

"I have, more so when my father got sick. He got upset. He didn't want me uprooting myself to come nursemaid him, he told me he had my mother for that." I shook my head. "At this point I'm thinking about going back for my Master's degree and looking for a college level teaching position."

"From Miss Duval to Professor Duval."

With dinner completed, a commotion stirred and we turned to look as the waiter came towards the table with a cake lit with candles. Thankfully nobody broke into song as he set it down in front of Paul.

"Make a wish first." Gail prompted.

Paul looked at me for a long moment then leaned forward and blew out the candles with a smile. The waiter slipped the cake off the table and onto a cart to cut and serve it before placing the remainder into a bakery box to take home.

I stood in front of the restaurant holding the cake as Paul gave his parents hugs. He took the box and his mother hugged me. I felt a great relief that whatever had me worried hadn't come to pass. They seemed genuinely happy to meet me and happy for Paul. They walked the other way down the sidewalk and I looped my arm in Paul's as we turned towards where we parked. We only made it a few steps before he spoke.

"Was that so bad?"

"It never is in hindsight. That's the beauty of nerves, they make you afraid of something that isn't real."

"I'm glad I skipped drinking after the champagne otherwise I wouldn't survive another hour on the highway."

"Shit. I'm sorry, I should have thought of that so I could drive."

"I'm alright, but all the coffee might keep me up later."

"Well that makes two of us. Since I didn't find out it was your birthday in time to get you a present, I'll just have to let you unwrap me." I smiled and glanced at him out of the corner of my eye to see him grinning ear to ear.

"You're more than enough of a gift for me."

He leaned over and kissed me on the temple which made me mirror his grin. There was depth to his words and it struck me that he wasn't just talking about my body. I choked up at the thought and leaned in laying my head on his shoulder as we walked the last few steps to the car. He saw me into the passenger seat and he set cake in the back before we started back. I'd convinced him to go back to my place rather than just haul me back to his place stating the drive was shorter and I could grab some things before we went back there. He assured me clothing was optional at his place.