Kent stepped forward on his own this time, extending a hand and waiting for Patrick to take his measure. "My name is Kent Rockwell, sir."
"He is my fiancй, Daddy," Charisma cut in before Kent could say anything more.
Surprise flashed through Patrick's eyes, though it was gone so quickly Charisma wondered if she had imagined it. Without hesitating, he accepted Kent's hand, shaking it firmly and smiling slightly at the firm strength he found there.
"Can I offer you as drink, son?" giving Okasa the slightest nod. She took Charisma's elbow to lead her from the room. Charisma didn't refuse but arched an eyebrow in question.
"We'll just go get some dinner started," Okasa stated as she eased them from the room. Charisma followed without comment, smiling as they walked the familiar hallways to the large kitchen? until one particular picture caught her peripheral vision. She quickly turned away from the photograph and hurriedly crossed the threshold of the kitchen behind Okasa, running from the memories it and the crystal frame that surrounded it brought back. Okasa cocked her head and glanced at her briefly before opening the refrigerator door.
"Everything all right, baby girl?"
"Hmm? Oh? yes - fine, Mama."
"You sure? You came in here like the hounds of hell were on your heels and there's a frown putting deep creases in your forehead. Shouldn't you be happy?"
"I *am* happy, Mama. But where is everyone?"
"I don't know, Charisma. Did you let them know they needed to be here?"
"No. I figured when I told you I was bringing someone home, you would have let them know. I just assumed you understood what that meant. I expected some excitement? something. I mean, here I am after thirty-seven years finally bringing someone home to meet the folks."
Okasa shook her head and proceeded to get out her largest stew pot even as she directed Charisma to begin cutting up vegetables. Charisma didn't even hesitate; here in this house, she was Okasa's daughter? not a United States Senator. There was no way she was going to let her mother down by not helping prepare the meal they would soon share.
"You've brought people home before, baby girl."
"Not like this? and not in a very long time," her voice dropping to a whisper at the last.
Okasa bit her lip to keep the questions she wanted to ask about Brianna from escaping - as Brianna had been the last person Charisma had brought home for the family to meet. Instead she cleared her throat and asked about Kent with all the enthusiasm she could muster. "So? tell me about your young man. Where did you meet? What does he do? How long have you known him?"
Charisma smiled, though her eyes didn't twinkle. Okasa wondered what on earth Charisma had gotten herself into. "Mama, only you would refer to a grown man like Kent as young. We were introduced several months ago by a mutual friend at a party in Washington. Kent is from a wealthy family, so he doesn't have a singular interest. He does some acting, some investing, some traveling?."
Charisma sighed when Okasa's eyes narrowed. She'd known that tidbit wasn't going to go over well. Her parents firmly believed in a strong work ethic and Kent's genteel manner would not make up for the fact that he was essentially a playboy. Still she forged ahead. "We like a lot of the same things? we have a lot in common. He's bright, funny? he makes me laugh. I like him."
"You like him," Okasa repeated flatly. "You're engaged to marry this man, ready to commit your life to him and bring him into the family, and all you can say is you like him?"
"You don't think it's important to like the per? man you're going to marry?"
Okasa took Charisma into her arms and met her eyes squarely. "Charisma, of course I do," not commenting on Charisma's slip of the tongue. She was a grown woman after all - capable of making and living with her mistakes. "If your Daddy and I hadn't liked each other tremendously, the love we've shared for the last forty-something years wouldn't have been enough to carry us through any number of tough situations we lived through."
Okasa sighed and looked away for a long moment before bringing her eyes back to meet Charisma's. "But baby girl, simply liking someone isn't necessarily a good foundation for creating a life together."
"The love will come, Mama."
"And if it doesn't? Will it be enough, Charisma?"
"It will have to be, Mama. At least he's a good man who comes from a good family. He'll be a good partner? a good father."
Okasa held Charisma's gaze for a long moment before finally nodding her agreement. "All right, baby girl. I just hope you know what you're doing." Then she turned back to her preparations. Charisma sighed and shook her head. It could have gone a lot better? and a lot worse.
************
"So, Kent?" Patrick said, motioning the younger man to a seat in front of the fireplace before moving from behind his desk and over towards the bar. "What's your pleasure?"
"Whatever you're having is fine, sir. Personally, I like a good Scotch."
"Glenlivet?"
"That would be great, sir? thank you."
Patrick poured three fingers' worth into a glass and passed it to Kent. Then he poured something else for himself and took the seat opposite. He smiled. "I prefer an Irish Whiskey myself." He tilted his glass in Kent's direction.
Kent nodded his head and raised his glass. "To new beginnings."
Each man took a swallow of his chosen alcohol, taking one another's measure. Then Patrick cleared his throat. "Tell me about yourself, Kent. You'll forgive an old man his bluntness, but this is the first we've heard about you. It'd be nice to know a little bit about you before you marry my only daughter."
Kent smiled easily. "Yes sir. I guess it must have been something of a shock."
"My boy, you're a master of understatement. So??"
Kent chuckled and launched into his personal history, telling Patrick about his family and his childhood. He told anecdotes that made Patrick chuckle with the telling and went on about his interests. From there he told Patrick how he and Charisma had met, what they had in common and how they had come to be engaged.
"So she proposed to you, hmm?"
"Not exactly? well, she suggested it first, and we talked and decided it was a good idea. I'll admit it was something of a surprise when she brought it up. I mean? I always thought we were a good match, and my mother loves her. But I didn't realize she was ready to settle down - I know how important Charisma's career is to her - it comes first. Otherwise, I'd have already asked her."
Patrick nodded, hearing what was said as well as what wasn't. But unlike Okasa with Charisma, he didn't really know the man currently sitting in front of him and he had no way of knowing just how honest with Kent Charisma had actually been. So he tried a little more subtle approach.
"So you're happy together?"
"Yes, sir. And we have so much in common; we like many of the same things. Charisma and I have fun together and we enjoy each other's company. We're friends first."
Patrick smiled. "That sounds very much like Okasa and me. We were friends who liked each other long before we ever fell in love with one another. It's made our lives together and our marriage a much smoother journey."
"To smoother journeys," Kent said, raising his glass again.
"And a long life together," Patrick agreed.
************
After a short and pointed argument that Okasa won due to Kent's agreement and capitulation - Mama, I'm thirty-seven years old and we're engaged for God's sakes! That is not the point, Charisma? this is still my house, and in my house only married couples share a room and a bed. You knew that. It was that way with your brothers and I'm not changing it for you despite your age and position. Honey, it's all right. It won't hurt us to respect the rules your mother set up. We'll probably do the same thing to our kids one day - everyone was finally settled into bed for the night.