"Did you pack some food?" I asked Gabe as I pulled my backpack into the car along with me.

"Yeah, just a sub Sophie made me." He told me.

"Ok. Off we go." I said, feeling excited.

Gabe looked off, he was a little pink.

"Baby, you ok?" I asked him.

"Yup. I'm all good." He smiled. "But can you drive?"

"Yeah. For sure." I smiled, knowing he was just very nervous.

We were flying out to New York where he'd meet my parents in person for the first time. I knew he was very nervous, even though we still had a long flight to sit through.

"Don't be nervous, baby." I smiled, watching his bouncing knees.

"I just want them to like me." He said.

"They already do." I laughed.

"I know. But this will be different." He said.

I leaned over and kissed him on his cheek, making him smile.

"You'll be fine. Ready to go say goodbye to everyone?" I asked him.

He nodded his head and I drove us to Rico's mansion. The whole family was there, waiting to say goodbye.

I said goodbye to them as well, wondering how Gabe would survive without Sophie's food while we were there. I hoped nothing would make him sick, but I packed some of Rico's special tonic to help out if necessary.

His momma was so sweet, hugging me and wishing me a safe trip, she even gave me some hand cream with my own special scent in it, to take with me for the flight. She also handed me a whole set of creams, lotions and gels for my mother. I was so in love with this whole family. They had all collectively given me gifts for my parents. I really hoped that one day my parents would visit and they'd meet this entire family. One day, I'd be an official part of this family, and I wanted my parents to know them.

Once we were done with our goodbyes, Theo drove us to the airport so he could bring the car back once we were off. Before long, we had both boarded our flight, and we were off to New York.

The flight was seven hours long and when we arrived, Gabe was exhausted and scared all at once. Throughout the flights, he'd been completely silent, not saying a single word and refusing to eat because he said he'd throw up if he did. Poor thing was really stressed out about meeting my parents.

I slept for a few hours, cuddling up under his arm and I ate half of his food since he didn't want to eat it. I tried to calm him, but he just started getting more nervous, so I decided to shut up and let him sort things out himself.

When the plane landed he started turning very red.

"Gabe. Drink this." I said to him, handing him my water.

"No, no. I'm ok." He said, taking my hand into his sweaty one.

"Sit down for a second." I told him.

"I can't. How are we getting home?" He asked me.

"I'll call a taxi. Level two, we'll get there faster." I told him.

"Ok. Call it." He said.

"Baby! Come here and give me a kiss." I said, holding out my hand.

He turned and smiled, kissing me like I wanted and then pulling me in for a long hug.

"You're overreacting, Gabriel. Please just calm down. They already love you." I told him.

"What if... they think you're too attractive for me? Or what if they don't like how I am? Or that my family is rich and I'm just a teacher? What if they hate me for not talking to them before we started our relationship?" Gabriel asked me.

"They're not going to think anything like that. You're an amazing person and you look so attractive. They're going to love you." I told him.

"Ok... let's do this." He said, taking my hand and kissing the back of it.

I ordered a level two taxi to get us home and when we arrived, Gabriel was visibly shaken by his anxiety.

"Oh my goodness, I've never seen you like this before." I said to him.

"I've never been like this before." He sighed.

"Why are you so scared, baby?" I said, kissing him on his cheek.

"This means a lot to me. You mean a lot to me. So... I'm nervous." He explained.

Gabriel got our bags out of the taxi and then we went to the front door. He took my hand and squeezed it, trying to ease his nerves.

"I love you." I told him.

"I love you too, baby." He said, leaning down to kiss me before the door opened and he jumped in shock.

Dad was the one who opened it, interrupting our kiss and glaring at Gabriel for a moment.

Gabriel stepped behind me, his hand still in mine.

"Hey, Dad! I missed you!" I said, hugging my father who was still glaring at Gabriel.

My father's eyes softened when he looked at me, hugging me and kissing my forehead. Soon, he'd realize that Gabe was safe, just like he was. Gabe was a sweetheart, the only man other than my father who ever cared enough to see the real Ava.

"Hey, baby, how have you been?" Dad asked me.

"I've been great!" I cheered happily, feeling so excited that Gabe was here.

"I'm so happy to hear that, baby." He said, kissing my forehead.

"Dad! This is Gabe!" I said, almost jumping in excitement.

"Gabriel." Dad said, putting his hand out to shake Gabriel's.

I saw Gabe try to hide that he was wiping the sweat off his hands and then he shook Dad's hand with a nervous smile.

"Hello, Sir." Gabe said.

"Come in." Dad said, pulling him into the house and shutting the door behind us.

"Ava!" Mom said, running towards me and launching herself into my arms for a hug.

"Hi, Mom! How are you?!" I asked her.

"I'm great, baby!" Mom laughed, kissing my cheek and looking at Gabriel. "And this handsome man must be Gabriel!"

"Yeah, isn't he so cute!" I giggled.

"He sure is!" Mom agreed, wrapping Gabriel up in a hug.

"Come in! How was your flight? You must be tired!" Mom said, fussing over us both.

"Gabe probably is. He didn't sleep at all on the flight." I sighed. "He didn't eat either. He must be hungry."

"No, no. I'm fine." Gabe said in a panic.

"Nonsense. I've made some food for you both anyway and I've set up the spare room for Gabriel because your father insisted." Mom said, getting up to get some food.

"So... Gabriel... is there a reason why you're so jittery?" Dad asked him.

"Dad!" I sighed.

"I'm just a little nervous, Sir." Gabe said.

"Why? Why are you nervous? Are you hiding something?" Dad asked him.

"No." Gabe said, looking about ready to pass out.

"Then why would you be nervous?" Dad asked him.

"I want you to like me. Ava is very important to me, and I want you to like me." Gabe said, accepting the hand I offered him.

"I see." Dad said. "I know we've spoken on the phone already, but I'd like to see your face while we have this talk."

Gabe nodded his head.

"I want you to lay out your intentions for me again." Dad told him.

"I love your daughter, Sir. My intentions are to build a future with her." Gabe said simply. "I want her to be happy and comfortable... and I want to take care of her."

"Alright. Is that it?" Dad asked him.

"I think so." Gabe said, looking at me with a panicked expression on his face.

"Alright, and what about when you've been with Ava for so long and you've done everything together and a new more exciting girl comes along?" Dad asked Gabe.

"No one could ever be more exciting than Ava. I've chosen my life partner, I don't care about any other girl. Even if there was a more exciting girl I wouldn't see her, I'd be too busy fussing over this beautiful doctor." Gabe said, kissing the back of my hand and making my smile widen.

"Ava doesn't want children, you've spoken about that, I assume?" Dad said.

"Yeah, we have." I said, squeezing Gabriel's hand.

"And as a teacher, I assume kids were something you had in mind for your future." Dad said to Gabriel.

"They were." Gabe nodded.

"And are you ok now with the fact that you won't be having them?" Dad pushed.

"I'm perfectly fine with it. It's Ava's choice especially if it's a biological child. And I understand that Ava doesn't have much free time and might not be able to take care of our kid. Which is why I accept it. I have my students and my family... I'm not really losing anything." Gabe said.

"You're not just saying this for now? When you two progress to the point where you would think it's time for kids, you won't pressure Ava?" Dad asked.

"Of course not. Ava's comfort is my highest priority. I would never push her to do something she didn't want to do or isn't comfortable with." I said.

"Good. And you don't have any past relationships that you feel could affect this one?" Dad asked, not knowing that Gabriel had never been in a relationship before me.

"No, Sir. Ava is the only girl I've ever been in a relationship with." Gabe told my father.

"Ever?" Dad asked, frowning in shock.

"Ever." Gabriel nodded.

"Why is that?" Dad asked.

"I've never met a girl that made me feel like Ava does. Ava is literally the most beautiful woman I've ever laid my eyes on and the only one I ever truly believed I could have a lasting relationship with. We're a lot like each other, we have similar interests and matching personalities... From the first moment, I knew that only Ava could be the one for me." Gabe said.

"How can you be so sure?" Dad asked him.

"Dad! Give the poor guy a break." I said.

"I know because Ava makes me laugh, Ava adds excitement and happiness to my life. If I ever need anything, she's there to listen to me. If she ever needs anything it would be my greatest pleasure to help her. She's the only one I truly see, Sir. And there's this overwhelming feeling inside of me that tells me she's going to be the one I marry and spend the rest of my life with." Gabe told my father.

"What's the most important aspect of a relationship?" Dad asked Gabriel, and I could tell he was impressed with what Gabriel was saying.

"Communication." Gabriel said.

"Why communication?" Dad questioned.

"Because as long as I'm able to tell Ava everything that happens and everything I feel as soon as I feel it. We can both work on our shortcomings together and we can both be on the same page. Nothing can get between us if we know everything about each other and if we're comfortable communicating our feelings." Gabe said.

"You're right." Dad nodded. "And let me tell you, kid. I like you. You better take care of my little drama queen."

"I will, Sir." Gabe smiled, looking overjoyed about my father liking him. I felt the tension in the room dissipate slightly.

"Now can you guys be friends?" I asked.

"Of course we can. Relax, Kid, I'm not going to hurt you." Dad laughed.

Gabriel's nerves calmed a little and he was finally feeling better. My happy man was back.