3A/N- In honor of our tenth Ryelsi thread on the other board, I dedicate this fic to the girls in our group. While this is not my best writing, I hope you all still enjoy it all the same. And as always, I do not own the franchise and can only claim the original characters used in this fic.
Night To Remember
For the first time in his life seventeen year old Aaron Danforth was a completely nervous wreak. Get a hold of yourself man, he silently chided to himself as he stood outside on the porch at the Evan's estate. The normally cool and collected caption of the basketball team was about to do the one thing that all male high school seniors have come to dread, which is the infamous customary talk with the parents before going to the prom. And while Aaron has known the Evans family for as long as he could remember, the mere thought of taking their oldest daughter Melanie, his girlfriend of the past six months to what was deemed by many of his female classmates to be the "biggest night of a girl's life," almost seemed to overwhelmed him.
"Just remember to breath," he muttered to himself as he loosened the grip he had on his hand that that held the light blue corsage he was going to present to her , taking a deep breath he then used the other hand to ring the doorbell, after all, he reasoned with himself as he took another deep breath, this is Melanie Evans parents we're talking about here not some random strangers that you've never met before. Putting on what he hoped was his most charming smile, he waited for some one to answer the door.
"Could some one please get the door," Chloe Evans heard her mom yell from the piano room downstairs to one of the four Evans children who were all currently home at the time.
"Sure thing mom," the freshman responded happy to be able to have an excuse to take a brief break from her home work that she was previously working on. "Well hello there," she replied, happy as always to see her oldest sister's boyfriend.
"Hi Chlo" he replied back in what he hope was a pleasant tone, "are your parents home," he asked hoping that the girl wouldn't pick up on the anxiety in his voice.
"Yep," she answered as she give him a bit of an odd look obviously confused about his question, "mom is downstairs putting the finishing touches on one of her composition for some new musical and dad is helping her. But why are you here so early," she asked, "I mean, I thought that you were planning on picking her up for prom in about a couple hours or so, and I don't think anyone was expecting you to see you right now. Not that we don't like having you around," she hastily added before continuing to ramble on like she been known to do, especially around those that she knows really well, "it's just that between the fact that Melanie has been freaking out all day because she discovered a pimple and has locked herself in one of our bathrooms, and that the song is my mom is working due that the end of the week causing her added stress, not to mention that fact both Lucas and Riley (the two youngest of the Evans children) are both fighting off colds and are being rather irritable at the moment, and it just makes it a bit of bad time for you to come over to visit right now," she concluded taking a deep breath after finishing her spiel.
Aaron smiled at her, out of all the Evans children she was definitely the talker of the group. "It's okay, " he replied ," I could wait on the couch for awhile if you'd think that would be okay," he told her, "it's just that I wanted to have a talk with you're parents before taking Melanie to prom, and thought that this may have been a good time to do it."
"Okay then," she replied, still not fully convinced of his answer. "I could go see if they take a break for a minute so you could talk to them if you want," she offered as she let him in and headed downstairs to retrieve her parents, "just make yourself at home."
Aaron nodded as he headed over to the living room. Sighing to himself he wondered as he plunked down on the coach if coming early was such a great idea in the first place. Better to get this over with sooner then later, he thought to himself, as he tried to brace himself for the talk the he knew was coming ahead. Briefly closing his eyes for a moment he thought back to a conversation he had with his girlfriend about it earlier that week.
"What do you mean your nervous about talking to my dad before we leave on our date," Melanie asked her boyfriend as the two of then sat on the porch swing in front of the Danforth home nursing on some colas after another day of classes. "It's not like my dad doesn't like you or anything."
"I know," he replied as he shrugged his shoulders, "it's just that my dad has always said that meeting with the parents before leaving to prom is part of common courtesy or something like that, so..."
Melanie smiled happy to know her boyfriend still held on to some old fashioned values, "I am sure it'll be fine," she replied giving him a kiss on the cheek, "I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"
Aaron frowned while most people including his own father thought that he may be acting a bit overly dramatic about the whole situation,(after all it wouldn't be the first time that the basketball player turned thespian has over-reacted about something that others considered quite trivial,) Aaron remained certain that there was more to the mild-manner man that what initially meets the eyes.
Ryan sighed as he looked over the photographs of his children scattered across the room. Listening to his wife as she played some music in the background, he thought back reminiscing about his children and how much they have impacted his life, from his oldest daughter, Melanie, to his youngest and only son Lucas, Ryan couldn't imagined his life without them.
"A penny for your thoughts," his wife, Kelsi asked briefly interrupting his thoughts.
Ryan gave her a slight smile, " I was just thinking about our children," he replied, "and how fast they seem to be growing up."
"I know what you mean," she steadily agreed, "it seems like just like yesterday we were bringing Melanie home from the hospital, and now here she is getting ready to go to her senior prom."
"And just think," Ryan added thoughtfully, "by this time next year Lucas will be in middle school."
"I just wish that they could stay our babies forever," Kelsi replied wishfully, "but sadly that will never be the case. Although, I would have to say for the most part I've think that they have turned out pretty alright so we must have done something right then."
"I think so too," Ryan agreed as he gave his wife of nearly twenty years a passionate kiss. Pulling away, he headed towards the doorway "I would love to talk more hon, " he replied as he grabbed a spare hat from the hat rack located near the door, " but, I think I've just heard our daughter's date down stairs, so I am going to go downstairs to have a man to man talk with him for a while."
"Try not to scare him too much," Kelsi replied with a chuckle as she remembered the speech her own father gave Ryan all those years ago.
"I'll try not," Ryan replied in a serious tone as he left the room, "but I am not going to be making any promises."
Rolling her eyes slightly, Kelsi went back to working on her song, hoping that the experience wouldn't leave the Danforth boy too traumatized.
Putting on what was considered to be his game face, he went into the room Aaron was residing in. Clearing his throat slightly, he awaited for the boy to look up at him. Sensing that the boy seemed a bit nervous, Ryan decided to ease him in slowly before going in for the kill.
Taking a seat next to the teen, he causally asked him what their plans were for the night even though he already knew the answer to the question before he asked it.
"Well sir," Aaron began sounding quite nervous, "I was thinking of taking Melanie out to dinner first."
"Where at?"
"Olive Garden Sir."
"Good choice," Ryan replied as he nodded his head in approval, "I know how much my daughter loves Italian."
Not quite knowing how to respond to that, Aaron just smiled as he nodded his head.
"So," Ryan asked in attempt to further the integration, "Would I be correct in assuming that you are paying for dinner then."
"That would indeed to correct sir," Aaron replied trying his best to remain formal despite how nervous he still felt.
"Good," studying the teen for a moment, he then decided to ask the teen on how they were planning on arriving to the prom.
"Well," Aaron replied still a bit intimated at the way that Ryan was looking at him," Since I have been given special permission from my father, I was planning on taking his Mustang for the night."
"I'm kinda surprised that he is letting you drive it," Ryan replied causally, "considering how much I know he loves that car."
"Well it is prom you know."
"Indeed it is," he agreed with a slight smile, only a moment later becoming quite serious again. "So," he asked, "That would mean that I could assume that you are a safe driver with auto insurance then correct."
"Yes sir, " Aaron replied with a nod, "but I've thought that you would have already known that considering that I have driven your daughter around before."
"But never to prom."
"Why are you so concerned about my driving ability all the sudden," Aaron asked a bit confused.
"It's not just you that I am worried about ," Ryan replied, "It's just that, with it being prom night and all, I am bit concerned that some of your classmates may drink and drive.
"But I would never do that, " Aaron replied aghast. "Especially considering that I will have Melanie with me."
"I know that," Ryan admitted, "And I know that while I may not always see eye to eye with your father, that I do not doubt his parenting ability, and think that he has raised you quite well so far."
"Thanks, I think that my father would appreciate you saying that sir."
"I am not quite finished yet," Ryan replied a bit irritated that he was interrupted, " although I trust you, I still want you make sure to drive especially careful tonight."
"I will, "Aaron replied." I promise sir."
"Good," Ryan replied glad to know how serious Aaron was taking the discussion, "Well then, the curfew tonight is at one, so make sure to have her back home no later then that. I also want to add that if you two were go to any parties afterwards that I don't want to hear back later about you doing any thing stupid like drinking or getting my daughter pregnant. Because if I was to find out that you were to hurt my baby girl in any possible way," Ryan said as he continued to further threaten the teen, "That as a card carrying member of the NRA, and I will have no problem using my gun if I feel the need has arisened . Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes sir," Aaron replied some what solemnly, knowing full well that the former dancer was known to remain true to his word.
Tying to ease the tension that was in the room at the moment, Ryan gave him a slight smile. "So," he replied trying his best to sound as nonchalantly as he could, "I think it's probably about time for you to get ready for the night."
A bit confused about the sudden change in Ryan's demure, Aaron nodded his head. As he glanced at his watch he realized with a start how late it was becoming, and that he still needed to get back home to take a shower and get dressed . Quickly apologizing Aaron left in a haste promising to be back in a hour.
Watching as the boy succored out, Ryan thought to himself of how good Aaron really was for his daughter and if he was perhaps being too hard on him. Picking up the corsage that was accidentally left on the coffee table, Ryan decided to check up on his daughter and see how the process was going.
About an hour later, Ryan found himself sitting on the couch playing a card game with his two youngest children, (both whom were feeling much better then they were earlier that day,) and Aaron who had arrived about ten minutes earlier as they eagerly awaited for Melanie to finally make her appearance. When the moment finally came, the four watched Melanie as she descended down the stairs.
Breath taking beautiful Ryan's eyes misted slightly as he watched his daughter descend down the stairs. A lump forming in his throat, he looked over to where Kelsi was sitting, and noticed that she mirrored a similar expression of pride on her face as well. Glancing over quickly to the direction where Aaron was standing awe clearly written across his face, Ryan couldn't help but to remember how he felt all those years ago when he was in the teen's shoes. After presenting Melanie with her corsage, the two then took the customary photographs and headed out to the car to leave. Watching from the window as the mustang pulled out of the driveway, Ryan put his arms around Kelsi as the two watched the car drove away. After a moment of silence as the two remained lost in their own thoughts, Ryan finally decided to voice what they were both feeling. Turning to his wife he said with a small smile playing on his face. " I can't believe that our little girl is now a young woman."