Amber's View

Rhonda and Howie had just shown up with an arm full of clothes.
"Where is he?" Howie asked.
"He's upstairs trying to find something of his that is appropriate to wear to meet my parents."
"Is he having any luck?" Rhonda said with a knowing smile.
"No! That's why I told you to you to bring some of Howie's clothes with you when you came. His pants are fine but his shirts…well…Rhon you know my dad - he flipped when he saw my small tattoo. I'm not ready to show him my boyfriends."
We headed upstairs to find AJ with half his closet thrown around the bedroom floor. He came out of the closet with a flowered shirt in hand.
"How about this one?"
"No – I thought I threw that one away."
"You did – I saved it."
Howie stood there and looked at AJ in shock. "AJ – your hair –it's normal! There's not any color in it and it's somewhat styled."
"Yeah I know don't remind me."
"Babe the earrings," I said pointing to the hoops still in his ears.
"I took the top ones out - you mean to tell me I have to take the bottom ones out too?" he complained.
"I'm letting you keep the chin one in. That's enough to keep my dad talking about you for days."
"What do you want me to be…Howie?!" he said.
"Uh…actually yeah." I turned around to Rhonda a thought popping into my head. "Hey wanna switch boyfriends – just for tonight?"
"You just want to kiss him again don't ya?" Rhonda said as Howie just stood there and blushed.
I could see that I had offended AJ so I went over and smoothed things with a big kiss. "It's not you honey – you know I wouldn't change you for the world – it's just my dad…he's …well he's my dad. He's a judge, he puts guys that look like you away all the time. And well with us having to tell them that their daughter is pregnant without being married or even engaged, I just think things would go just a little bit better if you kinda cleaned up for tonight."

"I guess one night of acting like Howie can't hurt."
"Hey!" said Howie.
"It's just for tonight – just until you win them over and they love you like I do."
"Fine," AJ said, "Bring on the Howie clothes."

"Tell us again why we're staying for dinner," Howie whispered to me.
"Because my father can't kill AJ if there are witnesses present."

DING-DONG!

AJ came down the stairs and surprised us all by how proper he looked. "They're here!"
"Oh my god, Rhon are you sure you can't see my stomach in this outfit," I said worried that I was showing.
"No, you can't tell. Calm down everything's going to be fine," she said giving me one last hug before heading into the kitchen with Howie.
AJ took a deep breath as I opened the door to see my family standing there.
"AJ this is my mom and dad and my little sister Rachel."
AJ cleared his throat, "Its very nice to meet you sir," he said as he extended his hand. I could tell that my dad squeezed his hand harder than he usually does. "Welcome to my humble abode – come on in!"
I was extremely grateful that he didn't refer to it as "our house" seeing as I had only told my mother about us living together and not my father. We wandered into the kitchen where Rhonda and Howie were finishing dinner.
"You remember Rhonda don't you?" I asked my parents.
"Of course! It's so good to see you again," my dad said as he hugged her.
"And this is Rhonda's fiancée, Howie," I said as I shoved Howie towards them.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Howie," my mom said.
"He's cute," Rachel said. Howie blushed and went back to getting the dinner ready.

Rachel leaned over to me and asked, "Is Nicky going to be here too?"
"No – you've already met two of the guys. Isn't that enough?"
"Where? I only see Howie. Who else did I meet?"
I pointed over to where AJ was standing looking extremely uncomfortable in Howie's clothes. AJ waived in our direction.
"Who is that suppose to be?" Rachel asked.
"That's AJ."
"What did you do to him?" she asked.
"I fixed him so dad could see him." Rachel just shook her head that she understood.
"Does mommy know what the BSB's look like?" I asked.
"Of course she does – they're on my walls," Rachel said.
I looked over to see my mom give me a wink. My mom and Rachel went over to help Howie and Rhonda set the table leaving only me, AJ, and my father in the room. The silence was deafening.

All through dinner the conversation was polite. AJ used his please and thank you's. Rhonda and Howie were helpful in keeping conversations going about something other than me and AJ. Every time AJ would act like himself, Howie, who was sitting next to him, would give him a not-so-nice stomp on the foot. I think after awhile, AJ didn't feel it anymore.

I suggested that everyone move into the living room for dessert and coffee. Rhonda and I took the plates into the kitchen and made the coffee.
"How do you think this is going?" I asked.
"Well – I can tell that AJ is getting antsy. I can also tell that more and more AJ qualities are starting to come out and he doesn't seem to care anymore. You better say something soon."
"I know – I was starting to notice that too."
We walked into the living room to see AJ sitting on the floor playing with Rachel and her baby doll.
"Awww! Isn't that too cute?" I said looking at AJ trying to change the doll's clothes like it was a real baby.
He looked up and said, "Well I gotta get the practice in sometime. I only have about five months to learn how to do this."
Rhonda turned around, "I think I'll go get the dessert. Howie you want to help?" Howie got up from sitting next to my father and headed towards safe grounds.
My father got up from his chair.
AJ ducked and covered his head, "OH SHIT!"
He walked right past AJ and headed outside.
"Well," I said, "that went better than I thought."
My mom came over to me. "I'll go talk to him."

After about half an hour, my parents came back into the house. Rhonda and Howie decided to take Rachel for a walk. "Come on Rachel – let's take the dogs for a walk," Howie said as he took Rachel's hand and headed out the door without the dogs.
My father walked up to AJ, "So you got our little girl pregnant. What do you plan to do about that?"
"What do I plan on doing? Um...I really haven't planned much so far." I shook my head knowing that was not the answer my father wanted to hear.
"You got her pregnant and you're not planning on marrying her?" My father straightened up to make his 6'4'' frame seem even more intimidating.
"Well it was an accident and I never said that I wasn't planning on marrying her...just not right now. We haven't even been together for a year yet. I'm not ready for that kind of life long commitment."
My father reached over for his glass of pop and AJ jumped out of the chair.
My mom tried to break the tension, "Have you thought of any names yet?"
"Not yet," I answered.
"Yeah, everyone has just been calling it Baby Boner," AJ added.
I could see my father's blood pressure rise just by looking at him. I was starting to wonder if Rhonda and Howie needed help walking those dogs.
"And when were you planning on telling us young lady?" my father asked.
"Tonight – I was planning on telling you in a better way," I said smacking AJ.
"I'm sorry! You know that I have a big mouth!"
"Obviously that's not all you have," my dad mumbled.

AJ went and stood in front of my father. "Sir, look, I never planned on this happening. I never planned on falling in love with your daughter. I never planned on getting her pregnant. I never really thought about getting married before I met her. But I've actually thought about it and it doesn't scare me anymore. She's made me happy these past ten months we've been together. I wouldn't go back and change any of the things that have happened. I'm sorry if you can't accept me for who I am but your daughter does, and that's what I care most about." AJ left the room.

My mother and father sat there in silence. I chased AJ into the kitchen were he was putting the dishes in the dishwasher.
"You're mad at me aren't you?" he asked.
"Nope – not at all. In fact, I don't think I've ever loved you more."