Meet The Warners

NOTE:  This draft is a scene for a larger work in progress entitled "Fix You."  This particular scene is in Averlyn's perspective.

Classes ended for my junior year of college.  The summer went quickly, much to my distaste.  I no longer had to fit Eli around my class schedule and it was heaven to be able to spend more time with him - though it was hell, making all the excuses.  I couldn't say I was working because Clarissa would expect me to have more money than I actually did.  I did tell her that I was working forty hours, when in actuality I was only working thirty-seven.  Those three hours, which didn't make too much difference monetarily, made all the difference when it came to Eli.

It tended to be an inconvenience, but as long as I had Todd, Clarissa never cared where I was.  As long as I did the dishes, cooked, and cleaned and had the baby with me, she didn't say much.  Eli was generously patient with that.  He knew that the only way he'd get to see me was if I had Todd.  Eli was so good to my baby brother.  If he got annoyed, he didn't show it.

Once classes began, sneaking out to be with Eli was a bit easier, though my schedule was jam-packed once more.  Unfortunately, I no longer shared class with him, but we met every day for lunch and as often as I could, I spent dinner with him as well.

"It doesn't have to be this way, you know."  Eli leaned his shoulder against the wall as he watched my fingers glide across the keyboard with great haste.

Eli had invited me to Sacramento for a weekend with his family.  I wanted so much to meet them and apparently, they shared the sentiment.  I wanted to avoid this conversation with Clarissa at all costs.  First, she'd be pissed and make my life hell to find out I had a boyfriend she had no clue about.  I never told her in the first place because I didn't want her to ruin my happiness.  Second, she'd somehow force me to stay here and take care of Todd.  The only way I could think to get her off my back would be to fabricate a class trip.

Eli had already purchased the plane tickets – I was going one way or another.  I would find a way.  I figured if Clarissa thought I was taking a trip anyway, but for my geology class, she couldn't say much.  Especially if it was for a grade.  She didn't have to know that instead of going to Mammoth Caves in Kentucky, I was flying to meet my boyfriend's family. 

I sighed.  "Eli, if you can think of a better way, I'll do it."

He frowned at the stress that had produced on my face.  Anything that had to do with my family stressed me out.  Not everyone was as lucky as Eli, great family and all.  He sauntered over and placed his hands on my shoulders, trying to knead the distress from my body.  I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against his stomach.

"Let me just talk to Clarissa and get this all over with.  Aren't you tired of keeping secrets?"

I popped my eyes open.  Eli stared down at me with those earthy green eyes.  "I asked for a better way, not insane."  My voice would have been cold, but his gaze made me lose my sharp edge.  With a frustrated sigh, I sat up again and went back to typing.  "Eli, I understand if you're upset that I keep you a secret, but—"

"Averlyn…"  His voice was stern.  He stopped kneading my shoulders with his strong hands and wrapped his arms around my neck, pressing his rough cheek to mine.  "Don't you know me at all?"  His voice was soft this time.  "I'm not complaining that you're keeping our relationship a secret from your mother for my sake.  What I'm concerned with is the fact that every time there's a conflict and you have to hide our relationship, you freak out.  I'm worried for your mental health."

I grimaced.  Leave it to me to take his good intentions and twist them into selfish ones.  Eli was the most selfless person I knew.  I closed my eyes, disappointed in myself.  "I'm sorry."

He pressed his lips against my ear, then whispered, "What did I tell you about apologizing?"  He kissed me again, then loosened his grip on me, his hands rubbing up and down my arms.  "We'll do this as long as it works for you.  I'm just letting you know that I'm up for alternatives if you are, okay?"

I nodded.  "Thank you."

Eli rested his chin against my shoulder, scanning the laptop screen.  "I have to admit, I'm pretty impressed.  Mammoth Caves?  If I commit murder, I'm asking you for an alibi."

I couldn't help but laugh.  My smile disappeared when Eli had to let go of me.  His phone was buzzing against the coffee table across the room.  "It's Mom," he said, grabbing the small, silver electronic.  I went back to typing.

"Hey!"  Eli returned to me, phone pressed to his ear.  With his free hand, he started to play with my hair, tugging and twirling strands around his fingers.  "Yeah, it's not a problem.  I called the airlines today and the tickets are confirmed… No, Averlyn's not having any issues… She's excited to meet you too." 

I tilted my head to smile up at him, confirming that I was very excited to meet Mariann.  Eli gave me a warm smile.  His hand moved from my hair to my neck, his thumb placing pressure on the knot I'd complained about for days.  His touch nearly had me falling out of my chair. 

"Yeah… I'll call when we're about an hour out… I love you, too.  Bye, Mom."  Eli slipped his phone in his pocket.  "How's the form coming?" 

I opened my eyes, his voice dragging me from my daze.  "Did you say something?"

Eli just chuckled.

So my fabricated forms did the trick.  That night, when I got home, I pretended to do some homework at the kitchen table, leaving the forms out on the table in plain sight.  Clarissa walked past me to the refrigerator, producing a beer. 

"Did I tell you about my class trip this weekend?"  I said, eyeing her carefully.

"No."  She took a swig of her beer and glared at me.  "Where to?"

"Mammoth Caves."

"Where's that?"

"Kentucky."

"Kentucky?!  How long will you be gone?"

"I leave after classes on Friday and I'll be back by Sunday night.  It's kind of required for a grade.  The fees were included when I signed up for the class, I just have to pay for my own food.  Do you think you can handle me being gone for the weekend?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?"  she snapped.  I didn't register any suspicion in her face.  That's what the forms would be for.  Clarissa didn't say anything else on this topic, but when she did brush by the table, the forms caught her attention.  She grabbed at the first one, eyeing it.  If Clarissa did suspect anything, without being evident on her face, the form dispelled any concern.  She walked away, disappearing into her bedroom. 

As soon as I heard the door slam, I gasped for air.  I'd been holding my breath the entire time, afraid she wouldn't buy it.  Thank God, she did.  I fished my phone from my pocket and texted Eli:  All systems are go.  He replied: I love you, Av.  Sleep well.

All week I had been so excited about this trip, it hadn't crossed my mind that I had never been on an airplane before.  As soon as I stepped into the crowded terminal, my nerves started to get to me.  Once we found our gate and took a seat, Eli registered my anxiety.  His green eyes carefully assessed me.  "You're not nervous about meeting my family are you?  You've been so good about it all week."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and shook my head.  "I've never flown before." 

Realization flashed in his eyes.  "Oh."  Eli leaned over to kiss my cheek.  "There's nothing to worry about, Av.  It's not a big deal.  You'll be with me the entire time.  It's mostly just a little uncomfortable at first… nothing to be scared about."

His words did help the uneasiness and I was calm until we hit turbulence.  I felt like my stomach was going to take residence in my throat and I couldn't relax my fingers from their grip on the arms of my seat.  Eli tried his best to comfort me, but even he couldn't do everything. 

I just stared at Eli in disbelief as he comfortably read his novel.  The turbulence didn't phase him at all.  Then again,  he'd done this many times before. 

We made it to Sacramento International by one in the morning.  I could barely keep my eyes open and I was glad that Cate, one of Eli's sisters, came to pick us up rather than the parents.  I didn't want to meet them this way, groggy and incoherent.  I was surprised I even managed a formal, somewhat enthusiastic greeting for Cate, I was so exhausted – jetlagged as Eli described.

I must have fallen asleep on the ride to Eli's parents' house because when I awoke, I was in an unfamiliar room that somehow felt very familiar.  Even though it was quite empty, everything in the room exuded Eli's personality.  This was the room he grew up in.  I somehow felt even closer to him, if that was even possible, like I was given a part of his past to hold close to my heart.  I dragged myself out of bed and wandered around.  The room was the size of the living room at my house.  I trailed my fingers along the  furniture, over the crevices of Eli's track and field trophies, and against the many photographs of Eli – younger Elis I wasn't familiar with.  He had that same beautiful smile and those same amazing green eyes in every picture.

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the knock on the bedroom door.  I hesitated, not knowing what to say.  "Hey, Av… It's just me." 

I relaxed.  "Come in."  I sounded groggy.  I felt silly giving him permission to walk into his own childhood bedroom, but Eli was only being polite.

If I hadn't turned to face the door, I wouldn't have known it had even opened.  All the doors in my home creaked such anguished noises, it was almost like the house was in pain.  Then again, that's all the walls contained – pain. 

Eli looked fresh for the day.  He had showered and changed.  I could smell his luxurious scent from across the room.  I loved that smell. 

"Good morning," he said with a big smile.  His voice was so smooth, he must have been up for a while.  I smiled back, and caught the time on a clock beside the door.  It was a quarter past nine.  Eli approached me, wrapping his arms around my body and pressing his lips against my throat.  "I've never seen you this early in the morning before." 

I don't know why that surprised me – he was right.  The earliest I had ever been with Eli was the afternoon – the way I toggled my schedule around Clarissa.  I grimaced.  I probably looked horrible, puffy eyes, disheveled hair and all.

"You're so beautiful, even in the morning," he whispered, squeezing me against his body. 

The corners of my lips turned up a little.  The way he said it sounded like he hadn't expected anything else.  He was always telling me how beautiful I was.  I rarely believed it, but he certainly made me feel beautiful.  "How long have you been up?" I asked. 

He shrugged, tucking my hair behind my ears.  "About an hour.  Mom's making breakfast right now.  She wanted to wait for you, but she also wanted to make sure you had a good night's sleep."

"She didn't have to do that." 

"There's no arguing with Mom," Eli said with a smile.

I pulled away from his arms, almost frantic, looking for my bags.  "I have to look presentable," I said hurriedly. 

Eli chuckled.  "There's no hurry, love.  There's a lot of food to be made for eight people."

I found my bags in the corner and lowered myself to the floor, searching for everything I would need to make myself look worthy of being Eli's girlfriend.  "Where did you sleep?"  I asked, looking up at him.

"I slept in Greg's room, next door.  He'll be here in the next half hour or so."

"What are you going to do when Greg's here?"  I asked.  I was hinting that I'd rather I sleep in his arms, but I understood that this was his parents house… that might not be acceptable. 

"I'll probably sleep on the couch."  Eli grinned and his eyes teased me.  "But I'm not above a midnight visit or two." 

My replying smile was involuntary.  We didn't need to push our boundaries.  After all, I was a guest.  I hadn't even met the parents yet.  I could only imagine what they thought of me, hearing of my background before having met me.  Not that they were judgmental people, but if I were them, I would even make assumptions.

Eli was also the oldest and my being in the same position, I understood that we held the responsibility of setting standards.  I would hate to be the reason that youngest daughter Abigail argues with her parents over sleeping in the same room as her boyfriend.  I was understanding.

But it wouldn't make my arms ache any less for Eli…  though I could endure one more night for the sake of keeping peace between Eli and his parents.

I pushed myself up from the carpet, my clothes and toiletries in my arms.  "Where's the bathroom?"  I asked.  Eli pointed to a door in the far right corner of the room.  "Bathroom, not closet."  Eli chuckled and walked over, opening the door.  Lo and behold: bathroom.  My jaw dropped.  "You had your own bathroom growing up?"  I carefully stepped onto the cold tile, as if I were entering the magical land of Narnia.  "I'm so jealous."  It wasn't tiny, either.  It was about the size of my full bath at home – substantial. 

"We all have our own bathrooms,"  Eli explained.

My jaw dropped again.  "How many bedrooms are in this house?"

"Five… and then there's the master suite."

I dropped my things onto the bathroom counter.  I couldn't hide my shock.  I felt like such… trash.  I was making a big deal about bathrooms like I'd never heard of such a thing in my life.  The feeling made me grimace… and it gave me a headache.

Eli rested his hand on my back, his eyes showing concern.  "What's wrong, Averlyn?"  His voice hugged my name like silk… it made my heart ache.  I just shook my head.  I didn't want to reveal such embarrassment.  He pressed a gentle kiss to my shoulder.  "Let me in," he whispered. 

He said this from time to time, when he knew that I was holding out on him because of pain, embarrassment or fear.  It reminded me of our first movie together, when I had to bring Todd and spilled my guts.  I had said that I didn't know what to do with him and he replied, "Just let me in."  Just let him in to my life, my emotion, my head, my heart…

"I feel so… insignificant.  I feel like trailer trash, Eli.  I just… all I've seen of this house is your bathroom and I'm already babbling like an idiot, like I've never seen a damn toilet before.  I feel so… primitive."

Eli frowned.  "You're not insignificant, you're not trash or primitive.  And you're certainly not an idiot."  He brushed his lips against my cheekbone, and over the bridge of my nose to the other side.  "This is just different for you.  Please don't feel intimidated."

"It's so easy for you, Eli.  This is your life.  You're used to it."

"You're a part of my life… an incredibly important part of my life.  Don't forget that."

I sighed.  This was my freak-out moment.  I had to move past it.  I reached up, placing my hands on either side of his lovely face, and locked my lips to his.  "I love you so much."

Eli returned his love.  "Take a shower, clear your head.  Don't worry about anything.  I just want you to enjoy this weekend.  It's not often you get to leave Elmswood."

He was right.  I couldn't waste another minute freaking out.

I was just starting to feel a little better about this whole thing, but then I left Eli's room and was completely overwhelmed at the size of the rest of the house.  I swallowed my anxieties and took a deep breath, descending the massive and gorgeously intricate staircase to the main floor.  At the base of the stairs, Eli sat on a bench that belonged to the grand piano behind him.  His green eyes stared up at me, watching my every movement as if I was a princess descending into a ballroom.  I had to admit, I loved the way he looked at me this way.  His eyes were careful, cradling me as if just his stare could shatter my image.  Everywhere I looked, the house took my breath away.  I could only imagine the cost of this home, much less what it contained.

When I finally reached Eli, I entered his open arms.  His lips caressed my cheek.  "Are you ready to meet my family?" he whispered.

No.  I was terrified.  Don't waste another second, I told myself.  "Yes," I answered.

Eli released our embrace, his hand reaching for mine, and he led me to the right of the piano.  Sunlight made the whole house glow – I noticed all the windows and how the light reflected off the beige walls, making everything look even grander.  I had to admit, there was almost a calming effect.

"Everyone, this is Averlyn.  Averlyn, this is my mother, Mariann…"  I followed Eli's gestures, smiling at each of them as they were introduced.

Mariann reached for my free hand and leaned in to kiss my cheek.  "Welcome to our home, Averlyn."  Her voice was so smooth, so calming, so bright.  I recognized that Eli had inherited his mother's beautiful green eyes.

"This is my father, Randy."  Randy was tall and gray-haired, his smile duplicating Eli's. 

"Nice to finally meet you, Averlyn."  Randy reached for my free hand and kissed it.  Like royalty.  I felt my cheeks flush.

"That's Greg." 

"Hey there!"  Greg was certainly the manliest of the Warner brothers.  He was tall, like Eli, but beefy.  He looked a lot like Randy, if Randy had been a football player in his younger days.  Apparently, Greg was the rowdy one, but I could tell he had a good heart.  His playfulness just got him in trouble from time to time.

"You've already met Cate."

She smiled and waved anyway.  "Good morning, Averlyn."  Cate, oddly enough, was Greg's twin.  I would have never guessed it if I hadn't known they were the same age.  Cate was slender, like her mother, and had a very soft, feminine quality about her.  She didn't seem nineteen – Cate seemed older.  According to Eli, she was the responsible sister, always the voice of reason. 

"This is Abigail." 

"Hi."  She forced her most polite smile, though I could see her shyness.  Eli said I shouldn't be fooled - Abby was a firecracker, a lot like Greg in many ways.  She was sixteen and every bit of an angsty teenage girl. 

"Last, but not least… my man, Levi."

Levi was the most shy; he didn't say anything, just grinned.  He was fourteen and in his awkward stage, braces and acne included.  But he looked a lot like Eli and that made me smile.  I was reminded of the pictures in Eli's room, from when he was younger.  Just without the braces and less acne. 

I was overwhelmed.  All I felt from these people was love and hospitality.  "It's so nice to finally meet you all," I managed.

Eli squeezed my hand.  The worst was over, and it hadn't been that bad.

We followed Mariann out the the back porch.  It was a lovely day – sunny and just peaking at seventy degrees or so.  Breakfast was laid out on the patio setup and we all took seats around the table.  The back porch was lovely with stone and a gazebo, lots of flowers.  It was one of those backyards you only saw in landscaping magazines, or Better Homes & Gardens.  I realized that the house was stucco – it had a very charming California personality.  And from the back, it was a very, very large home.  I guessed in the millions. 

The family launched into a very pleasant question and answer session.  My feelings of intimidation slowly receded and my nerves gave me a break, allowing me to taste and digest the amazing breakfast laid out for us.  They avoided any sensitive issues such as my family.  I was more than happy to answer questions about school, and that's what the majority of the conversation revolved around.  That, and a little bit of my relationship with Eli – how we met, who pursued who, etc.  It was a really easy story to tell.  Eli asked me out.  He pursued me.  I'm sure they'd already heard the story, with much more detail, but they wanted to hear my side.

The Warners seemed to be a very interactive family - they couldn't wait to get into the "game."  I didn't understand what this was at first, especially since all the women were just as excited as the men.

"Averlyn, it's so convenient that you're here, now we're even in numbers," Mariann said.  "Four men, four women."

"Oh, I really don't play sports," I replied, nervous.

She smiled.  "Oh, no, sweetheart.  The 'game' is the New York Times crossword." 

I couldn't explain how relieved I was.  This was something I could do.  Randy, Eli, Greg and Levi took their copy of the puzzle out to the back porch - we women stayed in the kitchen and hovered around the counter.  Abigail just smiled at me, obviously excited.  "We have a running tally.  Right now we're tied, forty to forty."  She nearly bounced at the thought of competition.

I shouldn't have been surprised that the girls would have such an extended vocabulary - Eli was a whiz at words.  Then again, having a bestselling author as a mother had its advantages and the house wasn't the only one.  It took us about an hour to complete, our four brains put together.  I'd never finished one of these crosswords on my own.  "Averlyn, would you like to inform the boys that we creamed them?"  I saw a flicker of satisfaction in Mariann's eyes.

"Sure."  I made my way through the kitchen to the back door - a sliding glass door with an intricate handle.  I quietly slid the door closed behind me and caught sight of the men in the far garden at a table, all huddled around it.  They clearly weren't finished.

As I approached, I could hear their voices.

"...She's really cute, man,"  Greg said.  "I didn't know what to expect at first."

"She's a very attractive young lady," Randy agreed.  "And very polite, very intelligent."

I realized they were speaking of me and I blushed.

Eli stood up, his back still to me.  He crossed his arms in front of his chest.  "I really love her, guys. Averlyn is..."  he paused.  "She's everything to me.  I've never felt like I needed anything so bad."

Randy chuckled and reached up to pat his son's back.  "If you feel like you can't breathe when she leaves the room, you might be in love."

I smiled.  I was close enough now.  I cleared my throat to capture their attention.  Four faces turned to stare at me.  Eli smiled.  Greg frowned.  "Damn!" he shouted. "I thought we had them this time."

"We did spend a lot of time on twenty-four down,"  Eli reminded Greg, attempting to assuage his inflamed sportsmanship.  Greg was quite competitive, I could tell.  "Good job,"  Eli whispered in my ear. 

I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed in response. 

I was surprised at myself, being so at ease with the Warners.  At first, I thought it was just because Eli was with me, but when Mariann stole me away to give me an official tour of the house, and my nerves didn't take over my body, I realized it was just them.  I couldn't remember ever having felt comfortable in my own home. 

Mariann linked her arm with mine, holding my hand as she led me through their beautiful home.  I could easily imagine Eli growing up here.  Though it was massive and reflective of an incredibly reposeful lifestyle, something that I could never imagine, it also reflected the Warner's down to earth nature.  I was no longer intimidated - I was drawn in. 

"Let me show you my garden,"  Mariann said, squeezing my hand.  "Though I love writing, like any occupation, it has its stresses.  Sometimes I just have to walk away from my typing, grab my gardening gloves and get dirty.  It works wonders for writer's block." 

Mariann was so kind and... jolly.  She was always smiling or laughing; it was a welcome change of atmosphere.  I was so used to Clarissa and her distasteful, nauseating personality.  "I can't tell you how thrilled I was when Eli told me you were coming.  I was afraid he wouldn't be able to get you away from Elmswood."

I grinned.  "I was afraid of that, too.  I don't get out of Elmswood often, much less to make a trip to Sacramento."  I turned to face her.  It was so easy to be relaxed when she had such familiar green eyes.  "I'm so glad I'm here." 

She smiled back at me.  "So am I,  Averlyn.  I've never seen Eli this happy before.  You really make him glow."  We were walking amongst big ferns and very tropical looking flowers now.  "I love all my kids; I love them to death, but parenting is difficult, never effortless.  I learned early on that each of my children have unique personalities and I couldn't treat them all the same.  It would be an injustice to them - they are individuals." 

Mariann sighed.  "Greg's been... a roller coaster ride.  He has a great big heart, but doesn't think sometimes.  His heart gets in the way of his mind often.  Cate was easier.  Greg made enough trouble for the two of them, really.  Cate's always been very calm about life.  I used to call her my little Zen Master.  She was always thoughtful and very sensitive to the feelings of others.  A very philosophical little child." 

A memory made Mariann grin.  "Cate, as you can tell, doesn't have a whole lot in common with Greg, so she used to follow Eli around all the time.  I could imagine he sometimes became aggravated that he had this quiet little shadow following him around, but he never showed it.  Eli's a wonderful big brother.  I have no complaints.

"Now, Abigail... she's always been overly dramatic.  If Cate was silence, Abigail was, and still is, the tree that rattles in the wind.  When she's not being shy, she's loud and stubborn.  She's a fighter.  Don't ever tell her she can't do something.  Abigail's certainly the most spirited of my children.  She's a fierce one.

"And Levi... he'll always be my baby, no matter how old he gets.  Of all my children, he has the most struggles.  He's so shy and he rivals Cate for being the most quiet.  Cate talks a lot now, she's grown out of her silence quite a bit, but Levi's different.  Sometimes I think he's in pain, emotionally.  He wouldn't admit it.  If he did, he would only tell Eli.  They have a wonderful relationship.  Levi thinks the world of Eli.  I find it funny, because in a lot of ways Levi reminds me of Eli."

I didn't say anything.  I just listened carefully.  She was giving me so much insight on her family.  I could see where Eli fit amongst his siblings and how they interacted.  I could see how though they all had such different personalities, they complemented one another.  It just worked.

"My Elijah...  I am so blessed that Eli was my first.  He wears his role as the older brother like it was a badge of pride.  He takes care of his siblings.  Eli has the wonderful ability of bringing out the best qualities of everyone.  He doesn't ignore everyone's shortcomings, but he considers them and somehow makes the best of what he's given to work with."

I could see that.  I felt like Eli worked with my shortcomings so often. 

"Eli wasn't the most quiet child, but he loved his alone time.  He liked to hide in his room and read for hours.  I'm sure I had a lot to do with that, constantly encouraging him to read certain books.  Then again, all my children appreciate literature, but Eli's always been the most appreciative.  I'm sure you already know that though.  In high school, he received a lot of attention for being a star athlete in cross country and he's such a handsome young man.  You probably know that too."  She winked. 

"I feel like most of the attention was unwanted.  He was overwhelmed with work and school and girl drama.  Eli just never found anyone he felt was good enough.  And it's not that he thought he was too good for people.  Eli just has values and he was looking for someone with a pure heart.  He has a second sense about these things - he knows when someone is lying or pulling his leg, or just being all around unauthentic.  He wanted someone he could really trust."

Eli had never really discussed much about his past girlfriends, but then I never really asked.  There weren't many, just a few.  But this was a side of Eli that I was unfamiliar with.  All this talk about trust.  It wasn't just about me trusting him.  He chose me, because he knew he could trust me.  Eli knew that I would do nothing to hurt him. 

"I've never seen him the way he is when he's with you.  He really loves you, Averlyn."

I grinned.  "I know.  I love him too." 

Mariann smiled back.  "You don't have to tell me.  I can see it in your eyes."