Hallmark Moments

The Meeting

The meeting with my future sister-in-law was eventful to say the least. I mean…it was my first time. Tyler wasn't exaggerating when he explained, in detail, how beautiful she was. Soft creamy complexion, almond shaped hazel eyes, blunt-tipped nose, full lips, mid-back luscious midnight black tresses softly curling at the end.

She had such a sweet aura around her that I couldn't help but fall for her myself.

'So…I know my brother's version of how you met…but what were you thinking when you saw my brother? I mean…he sucks.' I rolled my eyes at my brother who was scowling.

We were in the car riding back to the house with Nadia at the front seat. She turned in her seat to face me with a smile on her face. 'Actually…I was thinking the same thing when I first set eyes on him.' Her eyes danced with laughter.

'I love her! Can I keep her?'

'Yeah, gang up on me why don't you?'

'Thanks for the permission, bro.'

So the whole twenty minute ride home was spent with me and Nadia picking on Tyler.

When we arrived home, I rushed up to the Rosdale's porch instead of our own, ignoring Tyler's shouts. Mrs. Rosdale answered the door after a five second wait on the porch. She looked as gorgeous as ever in a soft blue cardigan buttoned straight up to her neck that sparked off her eyes really well and a white peasant skirt that reached to her knees. Knee-length dark brown leather boots completed her outfit.

'You look great, Mrs. Rosdale. Are you going out?' I asked, looking over her shoulders to see if Parker was at home. With a smile, she thanked me and told me that she and her husband were on their way to dinner with a few relatives who were here from France on vacation. 'Parker is up in his room if you were wondering.' Her smile softened when she mentioned her son's name. Obviously this woman loved her son more than anything.

'I didn't see his car in the garage.' I stopped looking over her shoulder and tilted my head up to look at her.

'Oh, he took it out for servicing just a while ago. Go up to his room.' See, she never asks me if I want to come in, she knows that if I come knocking on the door, I want to see her son.

I nodded and she opened the door wider so I bounded up the stairs two by two until I reached the landing of the second floor. I turned left and passed two beige doors and finally found the dark blue door I was looking for. Three hard knocks and two short raps on the door, and the door was open. Parker wasn't wearing a shirt and his hair was a mess. He greeted me with a smile and let me in. See what I mean when I say Parker Rosdale was an enigma? He's cold one moment and the next, warm as toast. He's driving off without a word one minute and the next he's all smiles.

I sat on the edge of his made up bed and looked at his room. His walls were covered with black and white photos of random things; dogs running at the beach, couples holding hands and looking up at the sun, kids running in the field, teenagers smoking pot, those kind of stuff. Parker was a budding photographer and I have to commend the fact that he was already so talented at his age.

His floor was clean of dirty laundry or magazine and his desk had an open dictionary and the computer on his desktop was switched on. The stereo in the left corner of the room was playing Paul Anka's 'Wonderwall'. That was also one thing he was into, old classics. He has Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nat King Cole, to name a few.

I turned to look for Parker and saw him in his tiny walk-in closet as he pulled a black T-shirt over his head before turning to me. Combing his hair with his fingers, he walked to me and sat beside me. 'What's up?' he asked.

I shrugged and pulled my leg up and drew my knees up to my chin. 'Just wondering why you just raced off after sending me home.' I turned to look at him. 'Didn't even say goodbye.'

Parker leaned back on his arms and turned to me and shrugged. At least I think it was a shrug.

'I didn't think it was necessary.' He stated in a soft voice. 'We were going to see each other soon anyway.'

Now see, I sometimes wonder why I even bother maintaining my 4.2 when I couldn't even think of that.

I nodded. 'Are you going with your parents to the dinner?' I decided a change of subject would be appropriate, if not to cover my embarrassment.

'No.' He simply said. Parker was a man of few words and our friendship has always been filled with my voice over his, so his monosyllabic answers didn't bother me so much.

'Want to come over then? Tyler's brought home a wife from Singapore. She's pretty too.'

With his parents' consent, we went over to my house where dinner had already started.

Dad sat at the head of the table with Jonathan on the opposite side. Nadia and Tyler sat beside each other while Parker and I sat on the other side facing them.

Dinner was smoked salmon and pasta with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. Nadia complimented dad on his wonderful cooking and conversation was stunted at the beginning. It didn't deter Tyler from wanting everyone to get to know Nadia so he told everyone about her. I helped a bit only because I liked Nadia and Tyler was desperately in love with her.

In the middle of dinner, Parker raised a topic that dad was interested in and the flow of the conversation was smooth. Dad got passionate about it and that started a heated argument in which Parker won hands down. Dad told him he was an intelligent young man. Tyler and Nadia didn't argue. Jonathan said nothing.

After dessert of blueberry crumble cake, everyone went into the living room where the fire was burning nicely. Jonathan had retired to his room and Nadia was curled up beside Tyler in the couch. Dad sat in his rocking chair by the fire and Parker and I occupied the floor, drinking our tea.

'How do you like here so far, Nadia?' dad asked Nadia directly, which surprised me a bit. And hurt me as well. Dad never talks directly to me.

Nadia gushed about how lovely our home was and how everything here was so pleasant and how the neighbourhood was so peaceful. Tyler blushed for some reason but I didn't bother him about it then.

'Where did you graduate from?' was dad's following question.

'Harvard, sir. I majored in Business Studies and Language.'

'Two totally different things, and why is that?'

Nadia paused for a moment before answering the question. 'It's due to the fact that I want to travel around with my business, if need be and so I want to be well-versed in the main languages that people all around the world use.'

I thought that was well-answered, so did dad actually…he nodded. 'Doesn't everyone use English though?'

Nadia laughed and shook her head. 'Not everyone. In Malaysia, almost 78 percent of them use Malay, their national language.'

'And you do business in Malaysia?' dad leaned forward, with a serious look on his face.

'Not yet,' Nadia shook her head with a smile. 'But who knows?'

Dad turned to Tyler. 'And you're okay with this, Tyler? Her having to move around a lot?'

I sensed trouble there and I turned to Tyler who looked at Nadia who was staring at her cup of tea, probably wondering if this was a good idea.

'I don't mind. I just want her to love her job.' Tyler answered. And people still wonder why I adore him.

'Where are you staying tonight, dear?' dad asked. What has happened to my dad? Nadia is a miracle worker!

'At the Brighton Hotel, sir.' Nadia answered immediately.

Dad nodded before telling her that she was going to stay here tonight. He excused himself to go to bed before he got up and went up the stairs.

I turned to Nadia who was talking to Tyler in hushed tones and he nodded.

'We're going back to the hotel to get her stuff. Do you mind cleaning up?' Tyler asked, both him and Nadia getting up.

I shook my head and told them to go. When they did, I went to the dining hall and was surprised to see Parker picking up the plates. 'I thought you were gone.'

Parker looked up at me and grinned. 'How can I leave my only friend to do the dishes all by herself?'

I smiled and both of us worked in silence.

He went home immediately after everything was set in place. When we were at the door, he turned and placed a kiss on my head, a simple tradition we held on to since we were kids. 'Au revoir, mademoiselle.'

'Au revoir.'