Elliot was nervous.

You had met her parents, and that had gone fine.

Now, she was supposed to meet your parents. Well, mom. Your parents had divorced when you were ten, so she was just netting your mom and her boyfriend.

A small comfort to her was that your two younger brothers were bringing their girlfriends, so maybe it wouldn’t be so weird.

You had told her not to worry and that everything would be fine, but, in reality, you weren’t totally sure how everything would go.

Your mother, Bernadette, had been relatively off-and-on with this man, Dan. You had met him a few times, but he was overall kind of an asshole- just like your father.

So, when you and Elliot pulled into the parking lot for your mother’s apartment building, Elliot was already nervous.

She had one hand on the steering wheel, the other squeezing your thigh.

You took the hand on your thigh, intertwining your fingers and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

Elliot tugged you closer for a kiss, resting her forehead against yours. You smiled at her, pulling away and getting out of the car.

The other woman followed suit, grabbing some flowers she had picked out for your mother from the backseat.

When you reached the apartment, Elliot knocked on the door. It was opened by Dan, who had a cigarette in his mouth and a beer bottle in his right hand. He grumbled, but let them in, frowning at Elliot.

Just as Elliot hung both of your coats on a hook by the door, she was ambushed with a hug from your mother, Bernadette.

Immediately, the older brunette pulled back and started gushing, giving compliments and asking about Elliot’s job.