As we sat together, deep in discussion about our presentation — figuring out who would speak when, what slides to use, and how not to completely embarrass ourselves — the doorbell suddenly rang. I looked up, startled, and quickly made my way to the door.
Opening it, I found two elderly people standing there — a woman with kind eyes and a warm smile, and a tall, gentle-looking man. Before I could say a word, I heard footsteps behind me. Danny appeared, and the moment his eyes met theirs, he froze.
"Mom? Dad?" he said, surprised.
"Hi, sweetheart! It's been so long," his mother beamed, pulling him into a hug.
Then her eyes landed on me. They both looked at me curiously, smiles spreading across their faces.
"A new friend?" his mom asked warmly.
I gave a small, polite smile, quickly bowing my head in greeting. "Hello, ma'am… sir…"
But before the awkwardness could settle, Danny cleared his throat and stepped closer to me.
"Actually… she's not just a friend," he said, his voice a little quieter. "She's my girlfriend now."
I blinked. The words caught me so off guard, I almost gasped aloud. Girlfriend? Did he really just say that?
His mother's eyes widened, then softened instantly. "Oh, Danny, you got yourself a real doll," she said with a little laugh.
I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as I lowered my gaze, hiding my smile. "Thank you," I murmured.
They welcomed us in, the mood instantly warm and relaxed, like slipping into a soft blanket. We sat down in the cozy living room as the aroma of baked goods and something savory lingered from the kitchen.
Danny's dad leaned slightly toward me, his tone kind. "So, what's your major? And how did you two meet?"
I hesitated, but Danny was already smiling.
"You'll love this," he said. "It started on our very first day of college. We crashed into each other — literally. She came running around a corner and bumped into me so hard I nearly dropped my coffee."
"I still think you planned the crash," I mumbled teasingly.
"Oh please," he winked. "You were the missile."
"And then," Danny continued, "we found out we'd been paired for the same group project by our Communications professor. It was like fate. We were both awkward at first, but she was… interesting. Quiet, but not shy. I don't know — she had this whole aura."
I stared at him, surprised by how easily he was talking about it.
His mom rested her hand on her heart. "That's the most romantic clumsy start I've heard."
His dad chuckled. "That, or your professor is a secret matchmaker."
We all laughed lightly, and I started to feel more at ease.
"Oh! I just remembered," his mother said suddenly, springing up. "I've got some old photo albums upstairs. Danny's baby pictures. You have to see them!"
Danny groaned audibly. "Mom…"
But it was too late. She was already halfway up the stairs, determined and humming to herself.
A few minutes later,One by one, we flipped through pages: toddler Danny in a Superman cape, five-year-old Danny sulking in a pumpkin costume, and a particularly hilarious one of him trying to shave his imaginary beard with a toy razor.
"I will never recover from these," I whispered between giggles.
But then, as if she'd saved the best for last, she grinned and placed the video camera on the coffee table.
"I still have one video that survived time," she said proudly. "Let's see if this works…"
She pressed play. The screen buzzed, and then came to life — grainy and flickering slightly.
There he was. Two or maybe three years old, waddling around in a diaper, holding a spoon like a sword and declaring something dramatic in gibberish. Then came a moment where he fell flat on his bottom, looked up at the camera, and shouted, "I okay!"
We burst out laughing. Even Danny.
"You were so tiny," I teased, unable to stop smiling.
"And chaotic," he muttered, hiding his face in a pillow.
His mom laughed, wiping her eyes. "He was the wildest, gentlest boy. Still is."
Just then, the scent of lasagna wafted in from the kitchen, and his dad stood. "I think dinner's ready. You must stay for dinner rose?"
I glanced at Danny, and he gave me that look — the one that said I want you here. I nodded, heart full.
As we sat down at the dinner table, passing plates and sharing stories, I realized how comfortable everything felt. Almost too comfortable.
Just as I took a bite of lasagna, Danny's dad looked at me thoughtfully and asked, "So, tell me… what are your intentions with my son?"
I nearly choked.