Collide

"How about just a little bit higher?" CiCi suggested as she watched two interns attempt to hang a landscape of the city in the front entrance to the gallery. "Now it's crooked. You know what, never mind. I'll do it myself!"

"Stressed are we?" Nick asked as he rounded his desk and approached CiCi as she walked away from the young guys trying to piece the gallery back together after the exhibit over the weekend.

"Completely unrelated to work and I hate bringing it in to work," CiCi moaned as she leaned against the information counter.

"Trouble in paradise already?"

"No, well sort of. But he doesn't know! He is so completely calm about me meeting his parents and I just am a mess. What if they don't like me?"

"What's not to like? You know nothing about what he does for a living and have no desire to steal his money," Nick reassured her. She shrugged her shoulders and chuckled, it was such a typical response from him. But it didn't reassure CiCi that she was going to make a fool of herself.

"Are we going to have to go have drinks after work this evening to calm you down?"

She shook her head vigorously, "Can't. I have to be at Consol by 5. I am going straight from here to there."

"Wait, are you meeting them at the game? Without Sidney?"

CiCi nodded and chewed on her lip. She could do this. She could meet her boyfriend's parents without her boyfriend.

"I hate that we are lying to them."

"You had no problem before trying to keep things from your parents."

"That was different," CiCi sighed and turned towards her office.

Nick stayed by his desk but asked, "How?"

"I'm not worth millions of dollars!" CiCi shouted then closed her door to be alone for a while.

********

"Shit!" Sidney groaned as he rummaged through his duffel bag inside the gigantic walk-in closet. He was searching for his phone charger and swore he packed it that morning as he rushed out of his apartment to get to his house before his parents arrived.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Trina asked from the door to his bedroom.

"Oh, uh it's nothing mom. I'll be right out!" He said as calmly as he could. He wasn't going to survive the rest of the week without seeing CiCi and his phone died. He sighed in defeat and stood up from his kneeling position on the floor. Closing the walk-in door he turned to leave the bedroom and join his parents downstairs.

"Hey Sid, would you like to go out for lunch before your nap?" Troy asked when he saw his son walk into the kitchen.

"Uh sounds great. Where do you want to go?"

"Your choice," Trina said.

"There is this great Italian bistro in market square we could try." Maybe he could sneak off to the apartment and grab what he needed while his parents waited to be served. He hoped his parents would go for it.

"You want to go clear into the city for lunch?" Troy asked incredulously.

'Of course they wouldn't,' Sid thought.

"Yeah, no you're right. That's silly." He ran his hands through his hair and began to pace.

"Sid, honey, what's wrong?" Trina tried to stop her son from getting worked up.

"I just, uh my phone died and I can't find my charger."

"You're all worked up because of a lost charger? We can run to the Best Buy and get a new one," Troy said.

"No, I know where it's at. I'm just worried that CiCi will try to reach me and," Sid trailed off.

"Is she always expecting to hear from you? That's not very healthy," Troy commented, "Where did you meet this girl anyways?"

"Why does that matter dad?"

"Yeah Troy. Why should where they met matter? What matters is that she makes our son happy."

"I'm just trying to look out for your assets."

"You mean the money I make to help you live."

"Sidney Patrick!"

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I really didn't. I'm just, Cesira is everything I have ever wanted in a partner dad. And she doesn't care about all of this! Last Friday was the first time she ever attended a sporting event. Ever."

"You can't possibly live in this city and not know who you are," Troy reasoned.

"No it's true. Her roommates made fun of her for weeks, dragged me into it. It's pretty much why I love her. She tolerated me as I played along with her friends."

"Alright, let's go get a charger," Trina said trying to diffuse the tension.

"Where's your charger at Sidney?" Troy asked conspiratorially.

"At my place downtown." Damn it, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep the charade going.

"And why is it there?" His father continued.

"Because I still live there." Sid felt his cheeks become hot with embarrassment.

"Why did you lie?"

"I intended on moving out here." He had too. That wasn't a lie.

"But you changed your plans because of a girl? Come on son, get your head out of the clouds!"

"Fine, CiCi lives at the apartment now. She and her roommates did not renew on their lease and she needed a place she could afford close to work. I offered her the apartment and she argued with the idea at first. In the end the closest thing she could afford on her own was an hour out of the city and was an efficiency at best. She moved in this weekend, and I just haven't moved out yet."

"So you're living with a girl we haven't even met yet?" Troy looked livid.

"I didn't think I needed your approval to be with someone. And we are transitioning. The minute you meet her you will see what it is about her that I fell in love with."

"You keep saying that."

"Oh Troy, stop. I think it's sweet. Sidney is an adult, not some teenage boy who doesn't know what love is."

Sid was slightly relieved his mother was there. Not that Troy was ever difficult to live with or be around. He just has hockey on his mind as much as Sidney. But he also had this need to protect his son. His constant want to see his son not get screwed over by women was one reason Sidney tended to avoid long term relationships. But he would show his dad how he shouldn't be passing judgement on CiCi already.

"Sidney, what is really bothering you."

"CiCi is scared to meet you guys on her own. And at the game to boot. She said to me this morning that she worries you will judge her because she won't cheer."

"Why won't she cheer?" Troy asked.

"Because she doesn't know what is going on Troy. Pay attention!"

"Yeah. That's why I suggested the place in market square. Maybe we could swing by the gallery and I can introduce you to her."

"And your charger?"

"Oh yeah I can get that too."

"Did you stage this place for our stay?"

"No! Everything in here is mine. How I designed it and the furniture is what I wanted. It's just a large house for one person."

"But we are here a lot."

"Yeah I know. I'll move, I promise. But let me just have this time with CiCi and enjoy it. She is special."

"Well I can't wait to meet her."

"Thanks Mom. I'm excited for this to happen. So let's go downtown for lunch, sound good?"

"Sounds great."

*****

CiCi walked out of her office minutes later. She had kicked off her shoes and was carrying a level in her hand. She said she would get the painting hung herself, and disregarding her pencil skirt she found a step ladder and began organizing her mission.

"CiCi you know that the painting is damaged, right?" Sherri mentioned when she caught sight of her protege gearing up to hang the display.

"Where?" She studied it closely, but didn't see where there were any marks.

"The bottom corners appear to be scratched."

"Ugh! Alright. Let me go get my paint and brush to fix it."

"Maybe you could just add your signature to the bottom right corner."

"Sherri I don't sign my work."

"Oh come on CiCi! I can't imagine it will stay on this wall for long. It's too realistic and vibrant. Someone is going to want to buy it."

"Fine. I will initial it and that is all." CiCi scurried barefoot back into her office for her paint to repair the painting and came back out determined to finish the job.

It was as she was finishing, crouched down on her knees with paint all over her fingers did she hear the slight commotion behind her. She assumed the loud whispers were coming from a few of the other employees Without turning, she asked, "Nick, what's the problem?"

"What? I'm right here." CiCi looked to her left to see Nick standing close by. "Oh, never mind. It appears that your hot piece just walked in."

"What?" CiCi exclaimed and whirled around splattering some blue paint on the pristine white tile.

"I'll get the paint thinner," the intern, Reise, said when he saw the mess CiCi just made. CiCi ignored him, climbed to her feet and found the source of all the whispering.

"Hey! You're covered in paint," Sidney pointed out. CiCi gulped, felt how dry her throat was, and ignored his comment.

"What...what are you doing here?"

"Sid, you didn't say she was the artist!" An older man boomed from behind CiCi's boyfriend. He smiled sheepishly at CiCi and she realized then that they had so much more to learn about one another. She never told him she dabbled in art herself, but she assumed he knew this.

"You must be Sidney's parents!" CiCi found her voice and turned on the charm. Sidney spun around to stand beside her and focused on the interaction taking place.

"This is Troy and Trina. Guys this is Cesira."

"It's so wonderful to meet you both! I'd shake your hands, but eek!" She squealed quietly when she held up her hands to show they were covered in paint.

"Ah, babe. Did you paint that?" Sid asked looking over to the painting he had seen CiCi kneeling in front of only moment before.

"I did! Well, I started it as a final project back in my final semester in college, but I finished it recently. The board members loved it especially since it came from one of their own."

"You never told me you paint. You don't have anything at the apartment." CiCi jerked her head towards Sid and narrowed her eyes. He couldn't speak like they were living together. And what he just said was pushing the limits.

"Well until you I surrounded myself around people who didn't expect great things from me. Or who seemed to put me down and I lost the spark I needed to stay motivated."

"What changed?" Trina seemed just as intrigued by the intimate conversation transpiring. Rather than responding to Trina she spoke directly to Sidney.

"You make me want to be the best that I can be. Your drive to be the best hockey guy makes me want to be the next Picasso."

Troy laughed and seemed to ease into the conversation. "Hockey guy? You really don't know sports huh?"

Sid grinned cheekily as CiCi narrowed her eyes at him again. "We came down to eat at Market Square. Have you had lunch yet?"

"I haven't! Is this an invite? Because if so I need to go wash up a bit first. I can meet you over there if you like?"

"Sounds great!" Trina exclaimed. They informed CiCi where to find them and turned to leave the gallery. CiCi watched as they approached the door Sidney turned abruptly and pulled CiCi close for a kiss.

"Hi," he whispered as his forehead was pushing against hers and their lips lightly touching.

"Hi."

"They know and they don't care." CiCi jerked away slightly to see Sidney's eyes.

"Really?"

"Yes." His face broke out into a toothy grin.

"Okay." CiCi kissed Sid again and pushed him towards the street to his parents.

"See you in a few," Sid said over his shoulder. CiCi smiled and turned to go wash up. But she wasn't the least bit excited now.

"What's that face for?" Nick asked as CiCi made a beeline for the women's room. Nick, not caring, followed her into the public facilities.

"His parents know that we live together. What the hell am I going to do?" She scrubbed her hands vigorously with soap and hot water.

"What do you mean?"

"They are probably already passing judgment on me."

"How many parents have you met?" He asked as he crossed his arms and leaned against the sink.

"Honestly Nick. You know I've only had one other serious boyfriend," CiCi exclaimed as she continued running the hot water over her hands.

"Exactly my point. You met them when you were what? Five? Just go be your charming self and show them that you genuinely don't care how much their son is worth."

"Stop talking about the money. It makes me physically sick." CiCi reached for a paper towel to dry off.

"Ok. No more mentioning how much money he has. Ever."

"Thank you."

"Feeling any better?"

"Not really."

"Ugh just go before they start thinking you are ditching them!" CiCi brushed past Nick with a large pout on her face eliciting a chuckle from Nick.

Notes

Ugh, it's been forever! I must apologize for how poorly written this chapter is. I've written and re-written it four times. I just couldn't settle on it. So you've got a mediocre chapter that I am not pleased with, but I'm ready to move on and write better for you lovely readers. So enjoy and don't dislike too much! (I'm already beating myself up over here!)