Ignorant Parents, Aging Parents, Insightful Parents

Alex knew that seeing her parents this year would be a bad idea, so she rejected Rick's offer to go with him for a visit. She wasn't mentally prepared yet for her mother to insult her makeup and clothes, or her father to call her a pansy and a failure who was ruined by a bad influence. The bad influence being Dora, of course. In fact, Alex was surprised by Rick's bravery to just walk back in on a regular basis after marrying Dora despite their disapproval of her. Their faces would twist into scorn as they glared at Dora's blissfully peaceful face, knowing nothing they would say would do anything to her. Their loaded statements were useless against her, so they gave up and accepted her begrudgingly.

Still, it was amusing watching her dodge them so well. The last time Alex witnessed this was when she was still boring, plain-faced Alexander, wearing large t-shirts and jeans to hide as much of her body's features as possible. They were all sitting around the dinner table, which was filled with various home-cooked foods that their mother had slaved hours over the stove to create. Or at least that's what she would claim. In truth, Alex had helped her through the whole ordeal, and half of the items came from an instant mix box. Not that anyone was complaining. Sometimes the best rolls come from a can.

As Dora was going for her fourth roll, their mother said, "My, you have an appetite. Are you sure you can eat all of that?"

"Sure, I can," Dora confidently replied. "It would be a waste if I didn't eat it anyway. That's what my mom taught me."

"Even so... aren't you worried about the weight gain? The more you eat now, the more effort you'll need to put in to be ready for bikini season next year."

"I go to the gym every day, so it's fine. Besides, I don't wear bikinis. I like one pieces."

Rick smirked and leaned closer to his wife as he said, "You're the only one piece I need."

Dora giggled and playfully nudged him back in response, while their mother huffed and rolled her eyes. By this point, their mother's copper hair was beginning to gray and she couldn't fit in her jeans like she used to, so clearly she was taking it out on Dora. She wasn't her single target either. To this day, Alex hated when people touched her stomach because of how often their mother kept constantly poking it while scolding her for late-night snacking.

Meanwhile, their father patted his plump belly and grumbled, "The gym, huh? Can't just go outside and walk? Seems like a waste of money."

"I lift weights too," Dora said. "Actually, I use a little bit of everything there, so I really get my money's worth."

Their father furrowed his brows. "Huh? You don't need to do that. Not like you'll be using that muscle for anything useful, especially with Rick around. Unless you're doing it to get attention from the other guys."

Dora grinned and proudly flexed her arm. "I'm doing it for Rick's attention! I love when he praises me for lifting all the heavy things!"

"Oh, so strong," Rick gushed as he dramatically draped over her arm. "She's the best at opening the pickle jar too. The absolute woman of my dreams!"

Alex raised a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter as she watched her father join their mother in huffing and pouting. The lovebirds were able to eat their fill without any further questions.

When the meal was over and Alex showed them to the door, Dora was quick to pull her into a hug.

"It gets better," Dora said in the most calming and supportive voice. "You're almost there."

Alex sighed and hugged her back. "I know."

It was a simple phrase, yet one that gave Alex hope as she finished the chapter of her life being forced to live with her parents.

---

"Are you alright, Alex?"

Alex snapped out of her trip down memory lane to look over at Edmund, who was in the middle of driving. She was beside him up front while Oliver was in the back playing his video games. Unsurprisingly, he was absorbed in the newest game he got, so they doubted he would make a peep until they arrived at their destination.

"Yeah, I'm good," Alex said. "I'm just... a little nervous, I guess."

"I understand," Edmund replied. "And that's why I appreciate you agreeing to come with me. I'm sure my parents will like you."

Alex smiled at that, his encouraging words putting her at ease. In summary, Alex had agreed to join Edmund and Oliver to visit the grandparents for the new year. Oliver was the one who made the request, innocently asking her if she was, and Alex knew there was no way she could say no to those baby doe eyes. Thus, here she was on a road trip over to the suburbs on the edge of the city.

The main concern was how to deal with the grandparents. It was agreed that they wouldn't disclose Alex's past. It was not their business, and if having children was brought up Alex would simply state that she can't have any. Candace actually helped them with this decision. She had never mentioned Alex to Edmund's parents, meaning they didn't have any preconceived notions of her. Edmund had only informed them that he was dating someone and left it at that.

"They're old-fashioned," Candace had said. "That makes them sweet in some ways, but stubborn in others. It's best not to bring up something they neither know nor understand. They'll be quick to reject it."

With this in mind, Oliver was forced to keep his games in the car once they reached their destination. While video games weren't too foreign to them, messing around with them instead of showing respect to elders would have been seen as a poor reflection on the parents. He was already used to this since Candace was strict about it, so he just resigned, saved his progress, and closed his game.

There was already a woman outside in the yard, tending to the withered hydrangeas so they may reemerge in the spring. It was when the woman raised her head that Alex could see what was hiding under her large straw sun hat. Faded black hair tied in a bun, gentle eyes wise beyond their years, and soft cheeks wrinkled from decades of smiles. She waved to the group after standing up, and Oliver dashed right through the gate and over to her.

"Hi, grandma!" Oliver cheerfully greeted as he went in for a hug.

"Oh hello, Oliver," his grandma replied as she hugged him back with one arm and patted his head with the other. Her voice was soft and warm, wrapping around like a blanket. "You keep getting bigger every time I see you."

"I'm gonna be eight feet tall when I grew up!"

His grandma chuckled in response. "Wouldn't that be wonderful? Then you could help me get what I need from the high shelves."

"Exactly!"

Seeing how friendly and approachable she was, Alex decided to go for it, bowing to her as she said, "It's nice to meet you, ma'am. I'm Alex Rosalind."

The grandmother broke from the embrace to bow back to her. "Abby Hironori. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

Edmund came in last, and Abby's expression was tender and loving. Despite only bowing to each other, the gaze they shared said everything that needed to be said.

The interior was very simple yet homely, which would explain Edmund's choice of furniture. There were photos of family moments on the walls, displaying everything from Edmund as a toddler to graduating from college. Alex couldn't help but admire how cute Edmund was as a child. His features were sharp even at a young age, unlike Oliver who was all squishy and cuddly. She might have to compare Candace's childhood photos someday to see if that's where he got it from, if she'd even let her see them.

Edmund's father was sitting in the kotatsu, watching television and peeling one of the oranges that were in a bowl on the table. It was like viewing Edmund thirty years into the future, his slicked-back, black hair striped with bits of gray while his framed glasses helped him see exactly where he needed to peel. The heavy wrinkles that cracked around his eyes reflected the years of sleepless nights as he dedicated himself to his work to support his family.

Not wanting to make it awkward by delaying introductions, Alex boldly stepped forward and said, "Hello, sir. I'm Alex Rosalind. It's nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Hironori Genta," he said without looking away from his orange. His tone was monotone and seemingly uninterested. "The kanji is respectful and frequent."

"Kanji?" Alex repeated, confused.

"Don't worry about it, dear," Abby said as she brought out the tray of tea and snacks. "Why don't you tell us more about yourself? You've been dating for a while, right?"

Alex nodded. "Yes, nearly four months now!"

"Then you still have a ways to go, I see."

Alex sheepishly laughed at that, and the group circled around the kotatsu while enjoying the tea and snacks. It was very warm and cozy, and Alex had to fight the urge to curl up underneath and fall asleep. Omitting certain details, Alex told them about how she and Edmund met, how their dates have been doing, how they've been getting along with Oliver, and anything else important she could think of. His parents patiently listened, Abby bobbing her head along and reacting positively while Genta was as stern-faced as his son. Alex couldn't see it, but under the kotatsu both men were holding the hand of their significant other.

Once they were all caught up on the events, Abby smiled brightly and said, "My, you two have really been through quite a lot together! I do hope you two have many more joyous moments together this year."

"Thank you," Alex mumbled with a small blush, feeling both embarrassed and relieved to hear she had won her support.

"You should come with us to the shrine next year. I can have one of my friends get you a nice kimono for the occasion."

"I'd love to!" Alex burst out with stars in her eyes. She was perhaps too enthusiastic in her reply, but she couldn't help it. The idea of wearing a gorgeous kimono was something she had been dying to try out for ages. She could already imagine how amazing she would look in a full ruby red kimono with a faux fur wrap to keep her warm.

Despite being a little shaken, Abby was quick to recover, amused by her attitude. "I'm glad to hear it. We'll exchange numbers and we can discuss the details at a later date."

"Sounds good to me!"

Meanwhile, Oliver had already fallen asleep under the kotatsu, having been lulled into it after filling himself up. No one bothered to disturb such a cute moment. As for Edmund, he saw now to be a good opportunity to place a folder on the table. His parents stared down at it with blank expressions, not knowing what to make of it.

"These are the results of my examination," Edmund explained. "After being examined by several professionals who performed numerous assessments, I've been diagnosed with social pragmatic communication disorder."

The room was silent. This was completely new territory, even for Alex. Abby was the first to take the folder and review the documents, frowning as she tried to make sense of this.

"What did they recommend?" Abby asked.

"There are a number of options," Edmund said. "Including speech therapy, group therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy."

"Are you sure you really need them though? I mean you've been perfectly fine all this time. Everyone's a little awkward sometimes. It doesn't mean anything negative."

Edmund sighed, and Alex recalled what Edmund had said about his parents refusing to get him diagnosed before. "You're right. It's not, and it's nothing to be ashamed of either. However, I can't risk letting it hurt those I care about. I already ruined my previous marriage by not understanding my wife's needs and taking her help for granted."

"That's not your fault," Abby said. "She's a wonderful woman, but she is stubborn and prideful. You weren't compatible, that's all."

Edmund curled his fists and looked her directly in the eye. "Regardless of whose fault it was, I wish to better myself for the future."

Abby gasped a little, probably not expecting her son to be so forward. While they were talking, Genta had taken his turn scanning over the documents.

"No, the fault is mine," Genta interjected, causing everyone to turn their heads towards him. "My father was distant and closed off from most. He may have had a similar issue, yet no one would admit there was a problem in the first place. It would have been seen as shameful if there was something wrong with the eldest son. My frustrations with him were part of the reason why I was fine with leaving the country..." He removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge between his eyes. "I should have confronted it instead of running away from my past."

"Honey..." Abby murmured, placing a comforting hand on her husband's shoulder.

Sensing the tension in the room, Alex wanted to help however she could. "Um... I know what you mean. Kind of." This put the spotlight on her this time, but she decided to own up to it. "I tried running away from my past too. But even when I got what I wanted, it didn't mean all of my problems magically disappeared. Whether I knew it or not, I had taken my baggage with me. It was by confronting it that I was finally able to accomplish what I had set out to do, and be the woman I had always aspired to be." She glanced over at Edmund with a soft smile. "Not that I did it alone. I had those who cared about me to help push me in the right direction. I think that's what Edmund needs now more than ever." She bowed her head to his parents. "So please. Consider supporting him during this difficult time."

After a painfully long moment passed, Abby finally spoke up. "You can rise your head, dear. Of course we'll support our son."

Alex raised her head and blinked. "Really?"

"Really."

Alex sighed with relief and melted into the kotatsu, ready to join Oliver in a nap. Edmund chuckled and held her hand again, his thumb tenderly rubbing against it. Alex took that as a sign of gratitude. Oliver emerged from the kotatsu shortly afterward, rubbing his eyes while grumbling about dinner. Abby took that as a signal that she should get to cooking, which piqued Alex's interest. Genta affectionately petted Oliver's head and encouraged him to crawl out to play some games.

The day ended with a nice meal, a peaceful exchange, and a promise to return very soon.