Perfect Snapshots: Episode thirty-three: Family

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Episode Thirty-three: Family

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So, somehow, I ended up in the kitchen of my love’s first husband’s childhood home. When I decided that I would do anything for her to make her feel better, I hadn’t expected it would lead us here, but obviously, it was what she needed. 

“Esther, what did you do?” She giggled when she got inside the tiny kitchen. I felt too big for the house. Like Gandalf in a hobbit hole. 

“Everyone is coming over today, and then they're coming over on Thursday for Thanksgiving as well. I'm sure someone will show up on Wednesday. They always do. You have to be prepared for guests. Let me start some coffee. Do you want coffee? Have you ever eaten Jewish food, Edward?” Mrs. Zucker said so quickly that the words sort of blended together. She was aflutter with excitement. I was surprised that she was taking so kindly to me, but I was going to suck up as much as possible.  

“I'd love coffee. No, ma'am. I don't think I've ever had the chance.”

Aiden’s mother went beside her daughter-in-law and grabbed an entire thick chunk of her side. “You are too thin. You're not eating enough. Have you lost weight?”

Bella frowned. “I've gained ten pounds actually. I've been lifting weights. Muscle is leaner than fat.”

“Auntie, leave her alone. She looks great,” his cousin called as she got a drink. 

“She does, but she's so tiny. Doesn't lifting weights make you bulky? Give me a muscle. Show me your arm.” I wondered if she was showing off for me, or if this was how she was usually. She squeezed Bella’s muscle. She was lean but strong. “Oh! You are very muscular. Have you two been going to the gym together? You both seem very healthy.” She expectantly looked at me.

I sat down at the offered chair. “We have worked out together, but I actually live in Los Angeles. So, it's not every day.”

Her eyes got big. “Los Angeles! How exciting. How on earth did you two meet?” Then she turned to Bella. “Sweetie, get your gentleman some food. You know where everything is. How long have you been dating?” She sat down across from me, folding her hands in front of her. 

My brain sort of went, ‘Oh shit.’ My girlfriend smirked prettily at me. She was definitely amused. 

“She doesn't have to get me anything,” I responded quickly.

“I don't mind,” she replied, almost playfully light. “Let's see, it looks like we have some plain and everything bagels. So I'm sure there are cream cheese and lox.”

“And, onions and capers, too. Or, jelly if you like it sweet,” she paused, shaking her head. “If I had known you hadn't had breakfast, I would have made you some blueberry blintz. Those are Bella's favorite.”

Aw, I was kind of sad that we missed those too. I liked blueberries. Bella rolled her eyes. 

“I think you have enough already cooked. It looks like there is also sufganiyot. It's a Jewish doughnut will jelly. Strawberry? Or Raspberry?” She questioned.  

“I did them with some cranberry jelly. I used your recipe you gave me that Aiden loved so much.” As soon as the words came out of Esther's mouth, Aiden’s cousin rushed to get one, and so did Bella. 

“Yes, please. Oh, my God,” she moaned in delight. 

“Language,” her mother-in-law chided her gently. 

“Goodness. Oh, my goodness. It's superb, Esther,” Bella murmured with a little smile. “Bagel or doughnut?”

She didn’t give Bella a chance to answer. “Just get him both dear, so he can try them,” Esther remarked before I could as she stood. “You didn't say how you met or how long you've been dating?”

Well, she was a persistent little woman.

“We've been together just a month now,” I sputtered out awkwardly. She brought me a mug of coffee to drink. 
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Nodding her head, she patted the top of my hand lightly. “Oh, so it just started. I see. I wondered why I haven't heard about you yet, but that makes sense. I'm glad she didn't wait too long.” 

Bella stopped what she was doing, looking at her mother-in-law in confusion as she crossed her thin arms over her chest. “Shouldn't it bother you that I'm bringing a new man to your home on your son's birthday?”

Esther looked at her like she was stupid, pulling her chin in towards her chest as she smirked. “No, baby. It's fantastic. Now, how did you meet?” 

My girlfriend sort of raised her eyebrows as she looked away, shaking her head to herself. Then she brought a smile to her face. “I was hired to take his picture for one of the magazines that I work for. Vaudevillian. I flew to LA and got to stay with him for a week, and we hit it off right away. Edward is an actor.” 

“Oh! How interesting! Well, that makes sense, too. She has so many friends who are performers and artists.” She made her daughter-in-law’s coffee in a big mug and handed it to her wordlessly. A moment later, Bella brought me an assorted breakfast for us to share. She sat beside me.

Bringing my hand to her shoulder, I squeezed it gently as I thanked her. Her answering smile was so gorgeous. 

“What have you been in? I thought you looked familiar, but I thought you might just be one of her friends that I've seen before. I'm sorry if that's rude,” Ash piped up curiously. She was sitting across the table from us as she played with her coffee drink.

“No, it's fine.” I actually preferred that people didn’t recognize me when I was out. It felt awkward. “I'm kind of just starting out, really. I've only been in a couple of bigger movies so far. Last year I was in Night Hunter, and this year, I was in a movie called Golden Spy. I'm more of a voice actor, though. I've done a few cartoons and video games,” I explained to her in a rush.  

“That's so fascinating!” The older woman answered. 

“I saw Night Hunter in the theater with my wife. She loves those killer thriller type movies. Who were you in it?” She asked, looking at my face as she tried to figure it out. 

I actually flushed a little under the attention. “I was the one who got his head shot off about halfway through.”

“Oh... yeah…” She trailed off before nodding. “Yeah, I remember you. That's cool! That scene was so gross, though,” she replied through a bite of pastry. 

“He was just training for a movie the past couple of weeks. He's going to be a henchman with a name next month. He gets to kill Jodie Foster,” Bella declared proudly, repeating the words that I had told her in the bathtub. 

“Yes. Henchman with a name. Yeah.” I chuckled worriedly. “I'm pretty excited. It's the biggest part I've had where people actually see my face. I'm a little nervous,” I admitted to them.  

Bella adoringly looked up at me. “Everyone might not know your face, but everyone will know your voice soon enough.” It made my heart skip a beat. I pressed my forehead against her, wanting to kiss her but didn’t because we were in front of people.  

“You have far too much faith in my abilities, darling.”

She looked over at her mother-in-law, still leaning into me. “He's being modest. He has a Grammy.” She glanced up at me again. “I've been reading that your work in Beyond the Hollow is in the running for an Emmy.” Bella turned back to Esther. “Beyond the Hollow is a cartoon series,” she explained. 

“I know that one! Claire watches it! She made me watch it with her on her tablet,” Esther replied cheerfully. 

My girlfriend took my hand on the table and gave it a tight squeeze as she looked into my eyes. “It's just a matter of time before you get an Emmy for your voice work. Your Disney Pixar movie will undoubtedly be nominated for some sort of Oscar. At the very least in the animated category. We just need to get you on Broadway next, and you're halfway to your EGOT.” 

God, she really did love me if she thought that I could do all of those things. It made me happier than I could put into words. 

“I need you to understand how terrible you are for my ego. Just awful. I am going to be a beast if you don't stop. Just...” I made the sound of a balloon filling up and popping, my fingers around my head. She just giggled. 

“Nah. You need the encouragement.”

Esther was happy to talk and talk. We were there for hours as she even started preparing dinner. Bella often helped, as did Ash, until she left to fetch some more people who were going to join us later in the evening. My girl looked so much happier than she did in the morning. No matter how awkward I felt, it was worth every single second. 

We stopped chatting for a moment when we heard the front door open. Bella was standing in the entryway between the kitchen and living room. She turned and smiled at whoever came in. Then she went to them, though I couldn’t see. There was a quiet conversation that I couldn’t hear as well. After a few minutes, she returned and was followed by a short, skinny, older man. 

He stopped to look at me, making a face. “Who are you?”

Mrs. Zucker was beaming at him. “This is Edward. He's Bella's new gentleman.”

“I really like the term gentleman. I am too old for a boyfriend,” my girlfriend said mischievously. I rolled my eyes and shook my head as I stood from the table. 

“No, you're not.” I shook the man’s hand. I assumed it was her father-in-law, Dr. Zucker. “Hello, sir. Nice to meet you.”

He analyzed me slowly, his eyes looking me up and down. “Aren't you a tall one? You don't buy your clothes at Penny's.” 

“No, not usually. I have a lot of stuff tailored to me. A lot of special ordered stuff,” I explained, too shocked to say anything else. I wasn’t even sure what Penny’s was, but I wasn’t going to admit that. 

“He's twice your size.” The man waved a finger between Bella and me. 

She didn’t like the teasing much, scrunching up her face. “No. He is one and a third of my size. I'm not a midget. Mrs. Esther is an inch shorter than me without the hair. Make fun of her.” 

He looked shocked that she would even suggest such a thing. “No. I can't make fun of my wife.”

Bella actually snorted loudly. “That's a lie.”

I smiled to myself when I realized that this was how she was with her family. She might have felt like an outsider, but clearly, they didn’t see herself that way. She would fit perfectly in with my own. I couldn’t wait for them to meet them one day. 

“Why don't you come to help me, young man? I need to bring some things in from the car,” Dr. Zucker suggested abruptly, looking me straight in the face. There was no turning him down.

“Yes, sir,” I answered right away. 

He nodded his head, quickly turning on his heels, and I followed him outside. 

“So,” the man began as soon as the front door was closed behind us. “I hope you know that was bullshit and that there is nothing in the car that I need help with.”

I laughed at his bluntness. “No, I kind of figured. Though, I thought you’d find something for me to carry. Make me work for it a little.”

“No, I’m an honest man if I can be. And I’m going to be honest with you right now. I just want to get something straight with you.” He pointed towards the house. “That woman in there, she’s a good girl.”

“She is. The best,” I agreed with him promptly.

He looked me over. “So, you’re really dating her?” He questioned, licking his bottom lip. 

“Yes,” I nodded in response. “Yes, sir. I am.”  

The older gentleman pursed his mouth a little. “And how old are you?”

“I’m twenty-five,” I replied. It was close enough. I suddenly felt very young in front of his tiny old man who looked like the pictures of Aiden that Bella had shown me. 

“Ah, a young one. I’m not shocked. Bella needs someone who can keep up with her.” He nodded his head, considering his words for a long moment. “I have to admit, I was surprised when she settled for Aiden. He could barely-” The man shook his head and sighed very heavily before looking at me very seriously for a moment. “I have to say that my son didn’t deserve her. Sadly.”

I didn’t know what to say. He meant it when he said that he was going to be honest. “I’m not sure that I do either.”

He shook his head, not looking up at me but the sky as the snow continued to fall. “My wife never saw the flaws in our boy. Typical Jewish mother. But he was a selfish man. Self-centered and often cold. Spoiled. He could be cruel if he didn’t get his way. And Bella often suffered because of it. And…” He licked his bottom lip again. “I caught him out with other women during his marriage. More than once. I don’t know if Bella knows, but I’ll never tell her. Or my wife. Nor will you.”

Oh, he was going to give me the brutal, unfiltered truth. 

“She said that she had a good marriage,” I breathed out quietly. 

“That’s because when that girl loves someone, she does with her whole heart no matter what. Even if it breaks her. She’s suffered enough, though. So, I’m going to give you a warning. The warning my son deserved, but I couldn’t give him because it would upset his mother.” He narrowed his eyes on me. “If you hurt my sweet little daughter, I will fuckin’ kill you. I will drug your sorry ass, take your limp body down to the hospital, and cut it up into little manageable pieces while you’re still breathing before I throw them into the human waste incinerator. I was a soldier before I was a doctor, and I’ve killed men before. And I’m willing to do it again if I have to. Do I make myself clear?”  

“Holy fuck,” I mumbled to myself. “Uh, yes. Crystal clear, sir. I swear, I have no intention of hurting her, and if I do, I’ll come straight to you because I won’t be able to live with myself anyway.”

“Good,” he nodded his head once more. “I realize that we’ve just met, and I’m a stranger, but she wouldn’t bring you home if it weren’t serious between you. I figured that it was best to get the unpleasantness out of the way to start.”

I sort of chuckled. “I can respect that. I feel like it’s serious, but it’s only been a month.”

“You’re in love with her already,” he said appraisingly, his eyes looking me over again. He pegged me right away. I nodded my head. “She’s a lovely girl. You’re lucky that she’s chosen you.”

“I am,” I agreed. “I fell in love with her instantly. I haven’t told her yet, though. I don’t think that she’s ready for it. Especially right now. I just want her to be happy.”

“Good. That’s what we want, too.” He patted my shoulder firmly. He leaned against the side of his car, looking off into the street as he wrapped his arms around himself. “My boy fell for her instantly, too. He told me after they got married. They used to visit the same coffee shop a lot. He told me that the first time he saw her, he knew that she was his wife. It took him a month to say hello, he was too nervous. Another two months before he somehow got her to agree to go out to the movies with him.”

“She hasn’t told me how they’ve met yet. We’ve talked about him some, but I think that it hurts her. She’s like me, if it doesn’t feel good, it’s just best not to speak about it at all. I hope that one day, she can trust me enough to tell me all of her stories.” I couldn’t look at him as I said it. 

“That’s good. Be that kind of man for her. Aiden wasted that precious gift, that trust. He forgot his vows as a husband. If you make that kind of commitment to her, you better not. There isn’t any other man to look out for her, so it’s my job, but I’m happy to do it because she’s my daughter now. And she always will be.”

“I won’t,” I swore. “I won’t hurt her.” 

“Great. Because you’re a big boy, and it would be a pain in the ass to drag you,” he mumbled jokingly as he went back towards the house.

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This episode goes with episode Twenty-eight of Imperfect Pictures!

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