After dinner everyone retired to the parlor and my father did something extraordinarily kind; he suggested that since Braden and I enjoyed walking so much, we should go out for a stroll around the neighborhood before it got dark. I loved my dad! We headed out into the warm New York evening holding hands.

“So I’m sure you’ve been to New York many times, but this is my neighborhood.”

“I love this. These homes have so much character. This city has so much character.” He was looking around and taking it all in.

“I think so too! Whenever I was feeling depressed about something I would take a walk and remind myself that I lived in one of the most exciting, must cultural, most interesting cities in the world and it would cheer me up.” I smiled and took it all in.

“You really love it.” He smiled.

“I do!”

“So why did you move to Philly?”

“I wanted some space from my family so I could learn how to be a grown-up. Besides, I like Philly too, even more now.” I squeezed his hand.

We talked about what we should do the next day and decided to visit a museum and go book shopping among other things. As it got darker we walked home again, and I must say I felt much calmer than when we left. When we got back nobody was fighting, thank God. My relatives were being decently well behaved and they had the courtesy to leave not long after we got back.

“So, Braden! You survived!” my dad said with a smile.

“They were very interesting.” Braden laughed.

“Clearly he doesn’t know them well enough yet,” my mother said dryly. “So my darling family, it’s nine o’clock on a Friday evening in Manhattan. Obviously we can’t just stay in the house.” I liked that fact that she had included Braden in our “darling family.” He seemed to like it too. It was almost cracking me up how much he was enjoying this trip so far.

“Well, kids, what do you think?” my dad asked. “Jones Wood Foundry?”

“That’s a British style pub not far from here. You can sit outside,” I explained to Braden.

“Sounds great,” he replied.

“Okay then! Let’s go get some well-deserved alcohol!” My mom laughed.

We headed out to the pub and settled in for a chat. We had a lot of fun. My parents were on a real roll, cracking all kinds of jokes, doing impressions of my relatives, telling funny stories and being very cute and flirty with each other.

“So Braden, I’ve been looking into your dad’s political record. I’m a Democrat but I really liked what I saw. He seems to be a well-grounded guy with some really good ideas.”

“My father is pretty level-headed. He’s not a reactionary.”

“I like that. That’s what we need more of in Washington.”

“Braden’s family is so sweet. They were so nice to me.”

“I guess that means we can’t stick him with the check then, huh?” my dad joked.

“Be quiet!” I laughed.

“You should let Braden and I spend some time getting to know each other tomorrow,” my dad said. “I promise to go easy on him.”

“No hints!” I said. “We’ve only been dating for a couple of weeks. Give the poor guy a break.”

“Hints? Hints about what? I don’t know what she’s talking about. Do you know what she’s talking about?” he asked my mom.

“I have no idea what she’s talking about,” she said innocently.

“Incidentally, I can get you a good deal on a band and a caterer should you ever need them for anything,” Dad joked. At least I think he was joking.

“So, do you want to see baby pictures of Gabby?” Mom asked with a huge grin. “She was so cute!”

This was obviously some kind of a mom thing. Maybe when I had given birth someday I would develop the Kodak moment hormone.

“Hey! I’m still cute.”

“I would love to,” Braden said enthusiastically.

“You would?” I asked, surprised. The guy who had recently told me that he wanted to nail me against the f**king wall now wanted to see my baby pictures. That was unexpected.

“We should show him the one where she took all her clothes off at that birthday party,” my mom said to my dad with a smile.

“Oh my God! What, have you been holding on to that picture all these years just waiting for this opportunity to humiliate me?”

“Oh come on! It’s so cute! She’s shaking her naked little tuckus to Disney songs.” My dad smiled at Braden who looked like he was trying not to laugh.

“What is wrong with you people? I finally bring a guy home and you immediately have to break out the kiddie  p**n ?”

“Gabby! I’m sure he’s seen you naked before,” my mom said. Clearly my parents weren’t going to stop until I had no pride left.

“Oh! Yuck — Ma! You sound like Bubbe! I’m really gonna need therapy now.”

“Oh please!” She rolled her eyes and waved her hand.

“I do really want to see that picture,” Braden said to my mom with a smile. Great.

We made plans to just relax in the morning. My dad and Braden could hang out and “get to know each other” whatever that entailed. After lunch, we would go to the Museum of the City of New York, then go to the Strand Bookstore, have dinner in the Village, and then go watch Shakespeare in the park. Sounded like a fun day. At least that was the plan. We got back home around eleven and Braden and I told my parents that we were going to turn in. They said that they were going to stay up a little longer and they wished us goodnight.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

We got up to my room and I locked the door behind me. I wasn’t taking any chances.

“So, what do you want to do now?” he asked with his hot Braden sex smile. It wasn’t hard to figure out what he wanted to do now.

“I’m glad you asked. Have a seat.” I gestured to the stuffed armchair near my overflowing bookshelf. He went over and sat down, looking at me expectantly. “You know what Bubbe said about oral attention?” I asked as I came over and sat on the ottoman that was resting in front of the chair.

“Yes?” He was looking very interested.

“Well, it occurred to me that while you’ve been very generous and giving with your oral attentions, I haven’t made any effort at all to reciprocate. So, you do like that, right?”

“I’m a guy, Gabrielle. Most guys like that.” I tried not to think about how many women may have diverted him in restrooms across the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan area.