RP: Dinner With the Family

[shh_eleanor]

Date: 15 June 2005
Character(s): Eleanor, Ernie, and the Branstones
Location: River & D
Status: Private
Summary: Eleanor and Ernie tell her family of their new--sort of new--living arrangements.
Completion: Complete

Comments

[shh_ernie]

Ernie Apparated home directly after work. It had been a trying day; he and Ambrose knew that the small fires had been set by a group of adolescent boys who spent their days loitering about town and generally making a nuisance of themselves, but they couldn't prove it. It was frustrating to say the least. It had, however, kept his mind off of the fact that Eleanor's family was coming for dinner. And they were going to tell them that they'd moved in together. Officially

[shh_eleanor]

She really didn't have time to be scrubbing the grout either, but she needed to calm down before she started dinner. Otherwise she was going to bugger it up completely.

"It's going to be fine," she muttered over and over under her breath. Until she head the door open. She didn't want Ernie to find her in the kitchen talking to herself and think she'd gone completely insane.

Well, thank Merlin he did seem to be holding up better than she did. "You're right. Brilliant. You go change." Eleanor gave him a kiss before letting him go, tossing the toothbrush under the sink, and moving off to pull things out of the fridge

[shh_ernie]

Ernie stripped off his work clothes, did a quick freshening charm, and then stood in front of the wardrobe for a few minutes. He didn't want to look as if he were trying too hard so a shirt and tie were out. On the other hand, he didn't want to look as if he didn't care at all. Finally, he settled on a nice pair of denims and his checked sweater. After all, it had brought him luck with Eleanor.

Eleanor was standing beside the stove, stirring something. When she mentioned whisking them to the table, he bit back a laugh. "Er...alright." She did have a point about telling them before they noticed anything. Like his clothes in the wardrobe. Or his toothbrush in the bathroom. Or the Auror manual on the table beside the bed.

A little butter, some lemon, a few seasonings and Ernie popped the fish into the oven. He pulled the vegetables from the fridge and did a quick chopping spell before levitating the contents of the cutting board into a large bowl. "How do you think we should tell them?"

[shh_eleanor]

That was a very good question. How should they tell them? "Uh... I don't know. But I think we should do it straight away. Perhaps Dad will have gotten over it by dessert."

What in the world was she saying? Ernie was holding up rather nicely. The last thing she needed to do was turn him into a nervous wreck, as well. Giggling, Eleanor tried to pass it off as a joke. "Just kidding. We'll just tell them we have some good news. I guess. And if Dad starts having an outburst, there is a bottle of Scotch in the cupboard over there." Eleanor pointed.

The rice was finished, so Eleanor transfered it to a serving bowl, and quickly set the table. "I'm going to go change. I'll be quick."

[shh_eleanor]

Eleanor should have predicted this would happen, what with Henry's telling her how much room she had earlier. But she'd been a bit preoccupied with the fact that Ernie was upstairs alone with her parents to have given it much thought.

That was a good answer. Nice and noncommittal. Not that she really thought her mother would ever go for it. She was pretty sure what Mum had really meant was, 'no, but this is neither the time nor place for this discussion.'

At least there weren't anymore awkward topics during dinner.

Eleanor showed her family around the house, and then deposited them in the living room. Telling them that she was going to make sure Ernie didn't need any help in the kitchen, and promising to be right back.

"That... actually didn't go too awfully," Eleanor said quietly, wrapping her arms around Ernie's waist and resting her chin on his shoulder. "At least mum didn't have a nervous breakdown during dinner. Or dad, for that matter. They're in the living room, are you nearly finished?"

[shh_ernie]

Ernie was putting the freshly washed and dried dishes back in the cupboard. The nervousness he'd felt earlier was gone. Getting everything out in the open would tend to do that, he supposed.

"No, it could've gone loads worse," he said, turning around and putting his arms around her. "I didn't mean to tell them about our plans without you. I just...wanted them to know that I was...serious...about us." He kissed her. "I'm glad that we needn't hide anything from them."

He gave her one more kiss before letting go. "Would you like to show them a bit of Stoatshead?" he asked as they walked to the living room. "Might be better than sitting around staring at each other."

[shh_eleanor]

"It's alright. I probably could have found a better way to tell them you'd moved in too. I just panicked. But it's good to have everything out in the open." Chuckling she added, "If, for some reason, they didn't think you were serious about us by now, I'm sure it's not a worry anymore."

That was a great idea. Eleanor asked as soon as they got to the living room. Although Mum looked hesitant, Dad and Henry looked rather pleased with the idea. Which is why she'd probably agreed when they looked at her for an answer.

Once they were outside, Eleanor took Ernie by the hand, and headed down River. He was right, they didn't need to hide anything from them, and she would have done anyway.