Lynne enjoyed her vacation with Leif. It felt like a honeymoon of sorts even though they were not yet married. And Linda hadn't wanted to see them go. She dropped them off at LAX airport.
She threw her arms around Lynne as they entered the airport, with Leif in tow, carrying their bags.
"Well, I'm sorry you two are leaving, but I'm so glad that you all will be coming back for the wedding at least. I'll help in any way that I can," said his mother.
"We'd love your help. And thank you so much for our gift, to help get us started. And the kindness, and making me feel like your daughter in law already," said Lynne with a shy smile.
"You are my daughter in law. There's no waiting period to make it official, you don't have to wait until the wedding to call me your mother in law," said his mother.
"Linda...this was such a great trip. I don't think I've ever had so much fun at home. I...getting to introduce Lynney to all the sites, and people I knew growing up, and my family, it was just phenomenal. And it makes me appreciate even more all that you did for us, growing up. Seeing what it's been like for others, even my Lynney, thanks Mom," said Leif with a smile.
"Well if you really mean that, come back soon. I don't know if I could ever convince the two of you to come on back to California to live, but we all miss you, and we enjoyed having you, and Lynne. At least I got you back for the wedding. You all have to come back every six months at least. Don't worry about the tickets, Garret and I will send what you need," said Linda.
"Of course Linda, of course," said Leif.
Linda swallowed the three of them up in a huge hug.
"Come on Ladies, don't be sad and shit. You have face time on your iPhones, and you girls love to talk to each other on the phone, so you'll have to call each other. I just want to request less double teaming on me, with the christmas cookies, and at dinner and things like that," said Leif.
"Oh please, you need someone to keep you in line," said Lynne.
She swatted him firmly on the ass.
His mother chuckled, reached up to tousle Leif's hair, difficult for her because he was so tall, and she bid them goodbye.
They checked their luggage, and once they passed security clearance, Lynne's phone started vibrating.
She thought it would be Janelle, demanding that they arrange a time to pick up their cat. Janelle had graciously agreed to watch "their daughter" the cat, but Janelle was not a cat lover, and had already sent a few playful complaining text messages about how the cat was spoiled and would not eat cat foot, but wanted table scraps, because she was used to Lynne's delicious cooking leftovers.
But when she pulled her phone out of her pocket, she saw that it was her father's number. Instead of the smiles on her face that she got when she interacted with Leif's family, a sense of dread filled her. She'd never known anyone else's family besides her own so intimately to compare, but the visit brought the stark differences in Leif's upbringing, and the way she suffered emotionally struggling for her parents love and approval to light.
They couldn't even allow her to come home and have a few days to feel like she could float on the air from the love that she and Leif shared and the unfettered acceptance of his family. It was like coming back to work on a Monday after a three week vacation in tropical paradise, even though their little vacation had been a simple one.
And as she held the phone vibrating in her hand, she couldn't even mask the worry, the hurt, and the fear that crossed her features. The phone was shaking in her hands, and she stopped keeping up with Leif as he looked for a place for them to sit while they waited to board the airplane.
Leif quickly noticed Lynne was not keeping pace with him. He turned around and called for her. Lynne's eyes were watery and she wore a screwed up facial expression. The phone rang again.
"Sweetness, come here, what's wrong, why are you upset," murmured Leif.
He grabbed her protectively by her waist and nuzzled his nose in her hair.
Security. Love. She was learning what that felt like in stark contrast what she'd felt like growing up, as the recipient of the browbeating that was sure to await her on the other end of the phone, should she dare answer.
Her eyes swirled with tears. She hadn't heard from her parents since she'd called them and confessed that she was serious about Leif, and had been living with him outside of wedlock. That she hadn't heard from them in three weeks, and they were calling her all of a sudden, could not be a good thing. She thought they were calling to tell her they were kicking her out of the church.
"I...it...it's my parents. Twice they called in the last five minutes," she said softly.
She hadn't been prepared for Leif to snuggle her deeply into his arms. Other airport passengers be dammed, he pulled her into his chest right in the middle of the busy terminal.
The message was loud and clear to Lynne. He didn't care who saw, her first priority was that she feel safe and loved. She buried herself in his arms. She'd never known comfort like this, even as a small girl. It was heavenly to drink in, and her sobs came out in tiny gulps, and most of the sobbing was pain, but some of it was emotional pleasure at being cared for tenderly by her sweet man, and the shock of the tenderness he showed. She couldn't have imagined all that they would share a few short months ago.
"It's alright baby. Leif's got you now sweet princess," he added dotingly, his nose in her hair.
"You don't even care who else sees. God damn it Leif, I love you so much!" she murmured through her sobs.
"Well you already know I love you too baby girl. This shit kills me. I can't stand for my little girl to be hurting! So what is it sweetheart? You tell me what you need. If they call again, do you want to give me the phone so I can answer it. I don't know what the hell I will say, but I will try to be as respectful as possible while getting them off your back. They might be your parents, but you've been a tough little cookie your whole life, with no one in your corner, and now it's time for you to let your man take care of you if you want," he added, his fingers in her hair.
Lynne shook her head no in his chest.
Lynne appreciated Leif's tenderness, but she wondered if she should have him step in so soon to protect her when she didn't even know what they wanted yet. Maybe they were calling to tell her she was kicked out of church, but suppose they wanted to start trying to rebuild their dysfunctional relationship. If she had Leif answer the phone, it might be the catalyst to make them uncomfortable and cause things to go haywire in the other direction.
"I....I don't think you should answer it yet...because I don't even know what they want. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe they are just calling to catch up. Maybe they miss me. Maybe it's finally okay with them that I'm not their perfect little girl anymore and they want to make amends, and start over...let's see what they want" said Lynne.
"You are my perfect little girl. You don't let them, or anyone else think that you aren't perfect just as you are. Just because you aren't in that faith anymore. Just because you want to sing, and they don't want you to have a career in music? Who says you aren't perfect just as you are? You saw how kind those people at the other church were? They liked the young woman they saw. You're gonna be my little wifey now, so you're perfect to me. But you do what you think is best. They are your parents. But you are literally sick with your emotions and your heart is in upheaval. It's not good. I don't like this. I don't like it at all. It's not healthy for you baby girl. If it keeps hurting you like this, I'm gonna have to step in as your husband baby, I can't let shit like this torment you when you become my wife. This shit stops after the wedding, even if I have to have a sit down with them," murmured Leif.
This shit stops after the wedding. Lynne never had protection before. Not for her heart and feelings. And it filled her with a warm glow that traveled through the pit of her stomach and stared wafting down between her legs. The kinder he was, the more turned on she became.
"I...I agree. You're right. I...if....if you think we should have a talk with them...after the wedding, If they will talk to me at all, because I am almost certain they will have that church excommunicate me. If they'll talk to me then I agree, we need to let them know what the behavior boundaries are, but let's see what they want first. Maybe it won't be bad. Why won't they leave a fucking voicemail, so I can at least see what they want," said Lynne, as they hung up each time without leaving her any message to indicate what they wanted.
"I mean, if they don't want to leave a message babe, and you want them to leave a message so you know what the call is about, you might have to ignore it for now, until they decide to leave one. But I'm sorry that it hurts. You tell me what I can do to make it better," he murmured tenderly kissing her forehead.
He ushered her onto the plane.
"My baby gets the window seat," he murmured dotingly ushering her into the aisle.
Leif sat in the middle seat, and Lynne was relieved to see that there was no passenger sitting in the aisle seat as the plane began to get full. That meant they would be in the aisle alone. She was glad, because she was in a crummy mood, and while she was normally very sweet, she did not feel like talking to strangers.
They'd chosen a very late flight, because it was cheaper, and Leif had wanted to have as much time with his family as possible.