I was officially meeting the family. It had been months now, and I suppose we both needed to get it over with to move forward as a couple. I knew he didn't want or need to meet my parents, but I felt better knowing I was going to be official with his family. It made me feel secure. It made the relationship feel more permanent, or maybe that he intended for it to be lasting.

Whatever the reasons we were doing it, I could tell that he was nervous. That in turn made me nervous. He told me a little about his family. A very little bit. He had two older brothers, and his mother and father were both older and close to retirement. I didn't really pay attention to names or ages, but I noted that his brothers were over five years apart from him. That must have been tough growing up.

His parents house was modest, two levels but made from the same brick as half the neighbourhood. There was no garage, just a pile of cars all parked in the driveway. They didn't have a yard. That shocked me the most I think. The neighbours were right next door, only a few feet away! I gawked at the neighbourhood more than I suppose was polite, but it was the first time I was experiencing this sort of location.

"Who does that spot with the swing-set belong to?" I asked as we drove up the street. He glanced over at me and then back at the road.

"That is the park. It belongs to the city. The whole neighbourhood uses it." He explained. I nodded but I wasn't sure I really understood. Then I thought back to my condo.

"Oh! Like our community workout centre?" He smiled and nodded at my words. I grinned in triumph. When we pulled into the crowded drive, I saw through the open curtains at the crowd of people in the living room. Looks like his brothers had both shown up to meet me. I smoothed sweating hands down my pant legs and gave Edmund a shaky smile. He came around to get my door, and took my hand to lead me up the walkway.

"Welcome! Come on inside and meet everyone." A large burly guy had thrown the door open as we walked up and motioned us inside. I smiled shyly and let Edmund lead me into the packed living room after I took off my shoes. I caught the exchanged glances and raised eyebrows between the family members. I was taken in front of a tall woman with Edmund's colouring and introduced. This was his mother, and she hugged me quickly while saying I was such a cute little thing.

I gulped. Everyone was huge. His mom was about the same size as Edmund and the rest of the males were at least three inches taller. It was very intimidating to my more petit five foot six inches. They dwarfed me, with their broad shoulders and six foot or more height. Of the four of them, Edmund was the littlest. They hugged his five foot eleven frame as though he was a kid and gave him a hard time about his tiny boyfriend. It was all good natured family ribbing, but I understood better why Edmund liked being the one in charge between us.

"So Brendan, what do you do?" His father shook my hand and was giving me another once over. I knew I was probably over dressed by their standards, but my wardrobe didn't really allow for anything more casual.

"I am a Division Manager for AGCO & Sons. That is how I met your son actually. I was just headhunted to their corporation here and I met him getting settled in my new office." I beamed over at Edmund and he blushed at the attention in front of his family.

"Wow. You were headhunted for AGCO? Where did you used to work?" His brother pried. I hesitated, not really comfortable talking about my parent's company. I exchanged a glance with Edmund as warning.

"I used to work for Riley Incorporated." There was a silence for a moment. Then his other brother whistled softly.

"That's quite the resume." His dad sat back on the easy chair and an awkward silence hung. I wasn't sure if Edmund had remembered my last name, nor if he had told his parents what it was. Then I heard his mother squawk. Never mind; he had told someone.

"Didn't you tell me his name was Brendan Riley!?" She shouted at Edmund. He avoided her gaze and I felt all eyes on me. They took in my clothes, my jewelry, my hair, and the fierce blush on my cheeks.

"Holy sh*t little bro. You are dating a celebrity!" His older brother said with admiration. Edmund shrugged and I loved him even more in that moment for acting like it was nothing.

"It's not like I knew that when we started dating." He mumbled. I grinned at him.

"Yeah, you were pretty shocked when I asked you out. I just knew though; you were the nicest man I had ever met." I gushed to his mother. She beamed with pride and patted my hand affectionately. His younger brother just stared at us speculating. I could tell by the furrowing in his brow and the look on his face. The conversation went on to how each of the boys were doing, emphasis on the careers and relationships.

One of his brothers was an intern and had just gotten married recently, that was the elder son. The other was a Manager at a local business, and dating someone casually for the moment. Neither had the kind of prestige that my job held exactly, and their father made sure to point out that I was something to strive for. It was embarrassing for me, but more for Edmund when he was singled out for lack of ambition in his chosen field.

Why on earth they chose to do that all with me present was a mystery to me, but Edmund took it in stride as what was normal. How frustrating for him. To be in a job that he loved and completely disrespected by his parents for it. I couldn't imagine. Perhaps it was the same, for me to be pushed forward into something I wasn't even sure I wanted. I had just done what I was told, but he... he had gone his own path. I admired him for the strength it must have taken.

Dinner was uncomfortable even though his mother did everything she could think of to cheer me up and make me happy. Edmund was constantly put down, belittled, or teased by his male family members. I couldn't ignore it. Especially when I heard the whispered digs like gold-digger, kept man, and whore. Did they really think so little of their own family member?

"I'm so sorry about my boys. I hope you will come back to visit us again, Brendan." I could see the sweat on her forehead and the worry in her eyes. The problem was that she did nothing in her power to stop any of it. She should have, if she could acknowledge that it happened at all.

"I don't know, Mrs. Tate. I will have to think about it." I nodded to her gravely and followed Edmund out the door. We walked in silence, and drove away without saying a word. It was as we sat in the parking garage before going upstairs that Edmund finally spoke.

"I am sorry about that." He uttered unhappily. I looked over in surprise.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything. If anything, I should be sorry for pushing us to do this. It is my fault they were being so hard on you." I grimaced, thinking about how easy everything had come to me too.

"No, they would have found another reason if it wasn't you. It isn't your fault either." We sat in silence. I huffed and got out of the car. The squeaky door made me laugh. Then I got his door open and dragged him out. "What are you doing?"

"Come on. I'm going cheer you up!" I yanked on his arm and took him up to my place. We kicked off our shoes and I dragged him into the living room. There, I turned on the tv and tried to put on a movie. I was failing at life again, even though I thought I was doing it the same way he showed me, so Edmund took the remote and got the movies up.

"What do you want to watch?" He asked me with a smile. I hummed and hawed before settling on a cartoon with a bug on the cover. His grin widened. I tried to look innocent. I liked the last cartoon he had showed me, so why not?

"Opps! I almost forgot." I rushed out of the room and went to my bedroom, grabbed my teddy bear and went back to the living room. The movie was paused at the beginning. I sat next to him on the couch. It was a neat movie, about a singer and a flea. Part way through, he wrapped an arm about me and pulled me close. I looked up in confusion.

"I want to cuddle." He growled into my ear. I nodded. This cuddling thing was pretty comfortable. I huddled into the warmth of his arms and enjoyed the feel of his body pressed against mine. I hummed to the songs in the story, because they were pretty catchy. He chuckled at my enthusiasm. When it was over, I was sad that there wasn't more. I wanted him to stay and cuddle some more, but it was getting late. I sighed. Maybe I should just ask him to stay?

"Hey Edmund?" I started. He hummed into my hair. "Do you want to stay over?" Silence. I could feel him breathing evenly against my side.

"Are you sure? I don't want things to move too fast for you." He finally answered. It was mumbled a bit but I understood it.

"I'm sure. I feel like I'm not getting all my services, you know. I mean, really, I am paying for way more cuddles than I am getting right now mister." I scrunched up my nose and mocked crossed my arms in anger. He chuckled low and squeezed me tighter. I squawked as it pinched off my air supply and breathlessly laughed.

He lifted us both up off the couch. I teetered before being unceremoniously tossed over a shoulder and carried down to my bedroom as I laughed. He tossed me on the bed and I giggled as it made me bounce. I pulled off my shirt and threw it on the pile of clothes on the floor. My pants joined it. I looked up to see Edmund looking around my room with consternation. I looked around at the piles of clothes and dust-bunnies and was a little ashamed with myself for not hiding it all in the closet.

"Ah, sorry. I'm not very good with housework." He climbed in next to me and flopped me into a laying down hug. I sighed in contentment. This was great.

"Do you want me to help you with it tomorrow?" He asked into my ear. I shivered at the feeling of his breath against my skin.

"Would you? You don't have to. Sometimes I just don't know where to start. Maybe I should just pay a maid." I mused. Edmund shook his head.

"Nope. You have me now. I will take care of you. I promise." He was so solemn. He kissed my head and I snuggled in closer. It felt so safe and warm in his arms. I loved it. Maybe I loved him. Maybe that was what love was. This feeling of it being home. This feeling that everything would eventually be alright. Or that I was finally going to be alright.