"Hey, ma." Eli laughed.

'THAT'S HIS MOTHER?!'

The woman didn't look a day over 35. That explains why Eli is so attractive. His parents are beautiful.

"Oh my goodness, I haven't seen you in ages!" she walked up to Eli with her arms out and he did the same to her as they met in a hug.

"You saw me last Christmas..."

"My god, Elijah, you feel like a brick. We should soften you up. Would you like some cake?" she asked as she held him by his arms.

"No, ma. I'm good." he laughed.

"Yea, well you feel like steel, sweetheart. Your waist is so small, my god what if people think I don't feed you?" she said in a panicking tone.

What idiotic human being would think Eli of all people doesn't eat? He could pull a tank if he wanted to.

"I'm a grown man. I don't think they'll blame it on you."

"Hm...I'll go prepare you a slice of cake," she said as she let him go.

"Nooo," he commanded.

"Oh my goodness-..."

She made eye contact with me.

'Oh God.

I've insulted her with my presence.

Abort.

Abort mission.

I'm going to cry.'

"Elijah, who is this beautiful young lady you've brought with you?" she asked.

My body froze.

"She is Leyla." Eli introduced.

Can't move.

"Hold this, dear." she stated as she took off her floppy hat and handed it to Eli. He looked at it and mumbled 'What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?'.

"It is so nice to meet you, Leyla. You can call me Deana."

"I'm assuming this was Derek's idea, again? What do your parents do, honey?" she asked me.

'Oh god, not this question again.'

"Um, My mother is a pediatrician and my father is a contractor." I answered and prepared myself for obliteration.

"Oh, god! Finally, a normal one! Ugh!" she said with a smile and pulled me into a tight hug.

I looked at Eli over her shoulder, completely shocked, and he smiled with his arms crossed.

"I love women in the medical field. Such heroes. You know, my grandmother was a nurse. Beautiful woman. Loved her to death." she said after letting me go. "And now that you remind me, we need a contractor. I hear some squeaking in the stairs every now and then that I don't find all too pleasing in the ear. God, what would we do without contractors. Could you imagine living with that noise?" she laughed. "Anywho, you look beautiful, sweetheart, and that dress is absolutely lovely on you. Very pretty against such beautiful skin," she complimented and gave a slight squeeze to my arm.

"Are the two of you hungry?" she asked as she took her hat back then began walking back into the kitchen.

"I love her." I whispered to Eli.

"I thought you would," he chuckled.

____________________________________

We've been outside sitting at one of the many tables with an umbrella blocking the beaming sun for about fifteen minutes, talking about a combination of nonsense and whatever we could think of. Eli drank a beer and I had a sweet tea and was eating a cup of fruit.

All the adults sat or stood around the other tables, conversing and drinking tea, lemonade, beer, or margaritas. There were at least forty people here not including children.

"Your home is very beautiful by the way." I stated.

"Thank you, but it's not my home. I just lived here for a few years." he corrected.

"I understand."

"ELI!" called a little boy. He and some other kids were playing football in the grass.

"CHANDLER!" Eli called back in the same way the boy did.

Chandler gestured for him to join their game.

"I can't, buddy-..." Eli shrugged before I interrupted him.

"No, go ahead. Go have fun." I insisted.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"I'm positive." I said with a smile and ate a pineapple chunk.

"I won't be long." he said and got up and did a quick jog to the kids. When he got there I watched them pile around him giving high fives and one even jumped on his back.

"You two are beautiful." His mother said from behind me. I didn't know she was there but her voice was so soothing that I didn't jump. "I don't think that in the past three or four relationships his father had set up for him that he'd ever smiled at the other women like he smiles at you."

That was such a nice thing to say that I really hoped was true.

"I don't think I've seen him smile at any conversation in a very long time as a matter of fact," she stated and took the seat next to me as we watched Eli play the game with the boys.

"He smiles with them," I said and saw Eli let a few of the boys tackle him to the ground. It was cute watching him pretend to be helpless for their benefit.

Deana pulled out a handkerchief and coughed inside of it. "He's always gotten along well with kids. Adults find Elijah intimidating, especially the men. Women just want him to hold them in his arms and never let go," she said mockingly and we laughed. "Little do they know my son is just as gentle as a teddy bear." Deana claimed and she was right.

A baby that seemed to have only recently learned how to walk and run, ran to the game and before anything terrible could happen, Eli picked the baby up and held him. The little thing held Eli's face in his tiny hands and giggled as Eli made silly faces at him. I smiled at the view.

"The food is ready." I heard Eli's dad say.

His voice gives me ptsd.

"I'm assuming you've met his father already?" she asked.

"Yes." Unfortunately.

"And how was that experience?" she asked and took a sip of her margarita.

"My family was belittled, I was basically told I wasn't good enough for your son, and he tried to get another woman and Eli together right in front of me. It was an interesting night." To say the least.

"Aww, baby, I'm sorry." Deana said sweetly. She deserves better than her husband. "He's recently become such a cold man. I don't know what happened. But I'll tell you one thing and I want you to listen to me, sweetheart," she said and grabbed both of my hands as she maintained eye contact with me. She shook her hair out of her face then looked at me with the warmest and prettiest smile. Another thing Eli got from her. "Anyone who makes my son as happy as you do, is good enough for this family. Do you understand? You could have purple skin with three eyes and a flat ass but as long as you keep that beautiful smile on my baby's face you will forever be welcomed here. I want you to remember this. No matter what Derek tells you." she promised and gave my hands a gentle squeeze.

I couldn't help but smile at her words. I can't believe I was so nervous to meet such a welcoming person.

"What's going on over here?" Eli asked as he came back to our table. He took off his shirt which had a wifebeater underneath then went into his back pocket and pulled out a box of cigarettes.

I watched some of the women, who in fact had their husbands and children here, stare in a trance at Eli and he paid them no mind.

"Put your shirt on, son." I heard Mr. Matthews say passive aggressively.

"It's hot and I'm in a backyard. Worry less about my shirt and more about the two years you have left to live." Eli replied as he stuck his cigarette between his teeth.

'Why? We were doing so well.'

"Don't talk to your father like that." Deana demanded.

"I speak to him based on how he speaks to me." Eli explained.

"Anyway, I was just telling Leyla how great you are with kids." His mom held half of the truth as Eli lit his cigarette and sat down.

"My god, boy!" she yelled and stripped Eli's cigarette out of his mouth then put it out. Eli stared at her with an offended expression. "Didn't I tell you to quit?" she asked in a stern voice.

He groaned.

"I'll quit tomorrow." he said and took out another.

"Don't you light that cigarette, boy." she demanded and he rolled his eyes then put it back in the box and I giggled.