Lee was almost too eager to get into the dining room and from the look on her face, Tarin hadn’t called them in a moment too soon. He would have teased her, but there was probably a very similar look on his face as he set the enchiladas on the table. Those, at least, were predictable, and they were good…and they weren’t bringing up things that Tarin would have preferred to have never seen the light of day again. He and Robert were going to have to have a talk. A serious talk.

Lee pointed out how good the enchiladas smelled and Tairn grinned at her. It was amazing how something as little as praise over food could make Tarin feel so great when it came from Lee. It diffused the tension in the room a little too, and when Lee asked if there was anything else to grab, Tarin shook his head in the negative. “Nope, I just need to go and grab the guacamole from the fridge and the chips from the cabinet.”

Back to the kitchen, Tarin went and reemerged a few moments later with both the chips and the guacamole he’d mentioned. Back out to the dining room he went and was pleased to see that Lee had started dishing for everyone. Tarin did a final once-over to confirm that sour cream, salsa, and everything else they could possibly need were present then down he sat, and the conversation continued.

”Rachael said that you’ve just recently moved to this apartment. Are you all settling in?”

Tarin nodded his head and smiled, casting Lee a quick, knowing look. “We especially love having the truly separate areas. We’ve made great use of the dining room and entry hall since we moved in.” Now that the akward conversation was over, Tarin figured it was time to tease Lee some more. If nothing else, it might make her relax a little bit.

”Well, that’s good. We never saw your other place, was it much different? Are you still working in your shop?

Tarin took a big bite of enchiladas, it was definitely going to be Lee’s turn to answer some questions. As he chewed he looked at Lee with feigned helplessness and gestured to his full cheeks. Ha.

All he had to do was grab chips and guacamole. That didn't exactly give her a whole lot that she could help with, to get her out of the room for a moment.

And then Tarin was gone, back to the kitchen. Yeah, thanks a lot. Turning to the table, Lee saw that yes, everything was on the table ready for dinner. And the sooner they ate, the sooner they could get her parents out of their apartment. Right?

So Lee turned back to the table and started dishing out the enchiladas onto the four plates. By that time, Tarin was back in the dinning room, and mere moments later, the four of them were sitting at the table, starting to eat.

Which only resulted in more conversation. It really wasn't all that surprising of a question her mother had asked, at least not compared to the question her mother had asked while they had been alone in the living room. Thankfully, Tarin fielded that question, though just looking at the apartment, and how unpacked and organized it was should have given a good indication of the fact that they'd settled in already.

Though Tarin did specifically point out that they'd made good use of the entry hall and dinning room so far. Lee just shot Tarin a look over her fork as she took a bite of the enchiladas.

And then she glared at him even more as he stuffed his mouth just in time to not be able to answer her mother's next question. "Well, it was definitely a lot smaller," Lee replied after a moment, turning to look at her mother again. "This is New York. You don't exactly get as much as you pay for here. But we do still have the shop running. We're working on turning it more into retail, though. That makes things a bit easier on Tarin."

At this point, Lee saw her father put his fork down and look at her. "You're right, things are a lot more expensive here, aren't they? So how can you two afford this kind of place?"

Lee took a breath as she set her fork down on her plate as she tried to figure out how much to tell her parents. She was sure that they wouldn't understand everything, even if she had wanted to tell them everything about her role in the Kabal, so it was a matter of figuring out what exactly to say.

"I've actually got a job, too," Lee said after a moment, looking at her parents, though her eyes flicked to Tarin briefly. "It's kind of hard to explain why, but my job covers the rent here, and the shop covers everything else." Well, that was, in a way, true, right?

"Hard to explain or not, I'd like to hear a bit more about this job if it's paying this well.

Lee frowned down at her plate as she thought. How could she really explain this? "I don't even really know why he hired me," Lee admitted. I'm an advisor for the CEO of a medical research lab. Like I said, it doesn't really make sense, but apparently he thinks I can help him with things his other employees can't."

Lee was doing an absolutely famous job of explaining the old apartment, the new apartment, and the jobs. She was doing so well, in fact, that Tarin was tempted to simply allow her to continue chatting with her parents, no matter how many dirty looks she gave him. He hadn’t missed the one after his comment about the dining room and entry hall either.

They continued to chat about the apartment, and Lee made the point that the more they made the shop into a retail business, the easier things were on him. “Much easier.” He confirmed, “I used to get these awful headaches. They’re pretty much nonexistent now, and you wouldn’t believe what a whiz your daughter is at the books. She’s made all the difference in the world over the last few months.”

Even Lee’s father looked a little impressed at that, and Tarin decided to push his luck, it couldn’t hurt things any worse than everything he’d already said, “I keep telling her that she should go back to school. I think she could do awesome things.”

“You really should…” her father joined in, “Isn’t it true that people with degrees make a great deal more in salary than those who never got one?”

Tarin smiled and looked at Lee, “See, I told you. It would be a great idea.” They didn’t need the extra money, but no matter how good Lee was at helping him keep the shop, she really was meant for greater things. Besides, Tarin thought, maybe having something that was really her own would help Lee deal with the things they always seemed to get into together.

Lee continued to speak, though and Tarin’s brows drew slightly together.

“Yes, we fell in with a young entrepreneur who is just taking over a business. He seems to think that Lee and I have a unique perspective, so we’re signed on as consultants for his business. It’s particularly nice because we’ve gotten to do some humanitarian work outside the States. We went to Colombia a while back to build a school, and I think we’re off to Europe sometime in the near future to do some more. It’s fulfilling work, and you really can’t beat our consultant fees…wouldn’t you agree, Lee?”

Lee continued to eat while Tarin commented about her working the books at the shop. Ate and didn't say a think about how he was talking about her organizing things. Just because Tarin thought that filing things meant tossing them into a drawer...

Which apparently flowed seamlessly into Tarin suggesting, again, that she go back to school. A sentiment which was apparently shared by her father. Lee sat there and looked at the man across the table in shock for a moment, her fork part way to her mouth, before she set it back down. "I guess it's a good thing I managed to take enough classes while on my own in Toronto to finish high school then, isn't it?"

Then she turned to look at Tarin. "And when I figure out what I'd like to study, I'll go back to school. How's that sound?" Lee didn't intend it to be mean, but she didn't see this as being something to be discussed with her parents.

And of course, Tarin felt the need to expand on what she had said about Slate, though 'entrepreneur' was definitely one way to describe him.

"You went to Columbia?" Lee heard her mother ask. "Isn't it dangerous there? And if you're worried about paying for school, we can always help. How do you think the others went to university?"

What little emotion that had been left on Lee's face fell away as she heard her mother's words. "I don't need your help," Lee said, her voice a little short. "We're good with our money. If I wanted to, I could probably go for a PhD without having to worry about money. And, in case you forgot, not too long ago, New York wasn't exactly safe for me, either."

All of a sudden, the conversation took a completely downhill turn, and Tarin frowned when Lee pointed out the fact that it was a lucky thing she’d been able to take classes in Toronto. The frown stayed in place, and he just looked at her. This was like when Ash was in the room with him. Maybe Lee really wasn’t ready to forgive and forget yet. Maybe she wouldn’t ever be.

It got worse. What Tarin had taken as encouragement and positivity, Lee apparently took as an attack and his fork stopped halfway to his mouth when she snapped out a response. A look followed, one of those, ’Did you really just say that?’ looks that probably conveyed the message better than words would have.

Then, there was the awkward silence. Everyone just ate for a few moments, avoiding eye contact like the plague. Then Lee’s mother picked up on the Colombia thing and started asking question. Lee snapped back again. Now she was pointing out that they had more than enough money to take care of her college. Tarin bit back a response that would have been something to the fact that it didn’t matter how much money they had…especially if she didn’t care to pursue anything and simply snap at anyone who suggested she might be good at it. Nope, Tarin didn’t say that. Tarin didn’t say. A. Word.

Lee’s mother was frowning down at her plate, choosing silence still. So was her dad, but he was looking at Lee. Staring hard. Then, he set his fork down.

”Mary. Let’s go. This was a bad idea, and if possible, I think we’re making things worse.”

”I….okay.” Lee’s mother said, and when she frowned, the crease between her eyebrows was the exact same one that Lee got when she was troubled. Down went the fork, followed by the napkin, then Lee’s father turned back to Tarin and held out a hand that Tarin readily took.

”It was good to see you again, hopefully we’ll see you again soon. The food really was very good.”

“Thanks.” Tarin said, nodding his head, “I hope you’ll stop in the next time you’re in town.”

Lee honestly hadn't meant for what she had said to come across as harsh as it apparently had. But, at least based on the look Tarin directed her way, that's how it apparently sounded.

In the silence that followed, Lee continued eating. And then she heard her father's voice, only this time it was not directed at her.

Lee's eyes shot up when she heard her father suggest that they should just go, and though her mother didn't look all that happy about it, she was putting her fork down and looking read to get up. Had she really been that harsh?

But despite the fact that her parents were leaving before dinner was over, they were still being polite to Tarin. Surprisingly polite. Based on how many of the meetings with her family tended to go, and what some of the conversation had been, Lee was shocked that her father was being this polite as he thanked Tarin for dinner.

Lee figured that it would only make things worse if she was purposely rude at this point, Tarin already looked rather upset at her about what had happened here tonight. So Lee set her fork down and stood up too.

"Have a safe flight home," she said. Lee might not like her parents, but that didn't mean she actually wished them harm.

But her parents were making their way to the door, Tarin going with them, so Lee decided to start tidying up a bit; her husband seemed to be getting along with her parents much better at the moment anyway. So Lee grabbed her mother and father's plates, taking them into the kitchen; she figured that she and Tarin would be finishing their own dinner once they were alone in the apartment

She was going to let them leave. If Tarin had really been all that surprised by the action, he would have raised his eyebrows. The truth was, however, that Tarin wasn’t really surprised at all, Lee had made it clear how she felt about her parents’ presence, and she was equally clear now that they were leaving. At least she wished them a safe flight home…that was something. She wasn’t going to walk them to the door though. Tarin shook his head and walked his In-laws back through the apartment and to the front door.

“I’m sorry.” He said sincerely as he opened the door and watched the couple walk out of the door. Lee’s father shook his head.

“She’s not ready.” He said, and Lee’s mother nodded as her husband continued to speak, “We made a lot of mistakes. We just didn’t know how else to deal…it’s obviously not so much of a problem now…but with Robert and Rachael and little Doug. Everyone had been so exhausted…”

Tarin held up both of his hands, “You’re explaining to the wrong person, and believe me, I know. When I found out what I could do…everyone thought I was nuts. I ended up in a psych ward for months. Ignorance is a convenient excuse, but it doesn’t make things right. It’ll take time.”

The three chatted for a few more moments and then Tarin bid them farewell before shutting the door and going to find out what Lee was doing. She’d cleared away most of the dishes and the enchiladas were gone, assumedly wrapped up in the refrigerator for lunch the next day. Tarin was grateful, but they often worked that way. Lee still wasn’t much of a hand in the kitchen, so when he cooked, she often helped him clean up.

It was quiet in the apartment, and Axel was nowhere to be seen, probably off chewing on one of the rawhide bones they’d gotten him. It was amazing how the little dog could gnaw through one of those in a single night…amazing and vastly preferable to one of Tarin or Lee’s shoes or other personal items. Tarin turned back to where Lee was working in the kitchen, then made his way out there to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind and just standing there for a moment.

Yeah, he’d been mad when she’d snapped at him in front of her parents, but an argument right now wasn’t going to solve anything. Besides, this was much nicer than yelling. Kissing her softly on the cheek before unwrapping his arms, Tarin started to make his way from the room so Lee could finish what she was doing.
“I’m going to go flip the TV on.” He said, looking over his shoulder, but stopping for a minute to look at his wife.

“You know. If you gave them a chance…I think they really regret what they did. I know sorry don’t necessarily make the hurt go away, but if Josh and my mom had been as hard on me…we’d have never gone to Texas. I won’t say anything else if you don’t want me to…but it’s just something to think about.”

Lee had figured that Tarin would be back in the main part of the apartment, back to her again, by the time that she had gotten her parents' plates cleaned off, but he wasn't. Instead, she heard chatting coming from the doorway still. Huh, so they were still talking. If that was the case, Lee decided that she'd do some more cleaning up; it wasn't like they'd probably eat much more than what was already on their plates that night, anyway. So Lee wrapped up the rest of the enchiladas, and put everything in the fridge.

She was just finishing when she felt someone coming up from behind her, then felt Tarin wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. Good, he wasn't that upset with her.

He wasn't that mad, but Tarin didn't seem all that happy with her, either. Yes, he wrapped his arms around her and even kissed her cheek, but then he was stepping away and saying he was going to go turn the TV on. Lee simply nodded.

But just before he was out of the room, Tarin turned and looked at her once more, speaking.

Lee sighed, looking across the room at her husband. "They might say their sorry," she started, her voice quiet, a slight frown on her face. "They might actually mean it, too. But that doesn't mean that they are really any more accepting of what I am, doesn't mean they'd have actually been comfortable spending an entire evening with me, because I'd be siphoning from them.

"And they have absolutely no reason to but in to my life now, after all this time, all these years."

Lee spoke in response to his statement, and Tarin figured that meant that the topic was open for conversation. He was having a difficult time getting a handle on what Lee was saying, though. Her parents weren’t any more accepting of what she was? Tarin tilted his head, brows drawing together as he tried to puzzle out how to get his confusion across without upsetting his wife.

“I’m sorry Lee, but I really don’t understand how that could be true. If they wanted to avoid you and what you are so completely, they could have just stayed in Canada.” Tarin paused to let that sink in for a moment, “The second they heard you’d gotten married without them knowing, they hopped a jet and came to see for themselves.” There was one more thing relevant that Tarin wanted to point out.

“And Lee…the daddy in the kitchen, ready to pop my head for runnin’ off with his baby girl wasn’t worried in the least about your powers.”

Lee paused for a moment, and Tarin was going to let it go, figuring it was something she just had to think about and work through on her own. She spoke again though, and Tarin leaned against one of the counters in the kitchen, shaking his head slowly, “Oh Lee…what if my mom would have said the same thing?” he asked, letting the question hang heavily in the air. Lee knew how much it had meant to him that his mother had been so quick to forgive and forget.

“Ash pretty much said the exact same thing to me the last time we talked. You’ve always agreed with me that he’s not fair.” He paused again and shook his head. There was no anger in his words, but they were heavy with meaning.

“It’s your life Lee, and you know I’ll love you no matter what. Just think about it a little bit.” He finished softly, still leaning on the counter, “How about you be done in here and come chill with me for a while?”

Tarin didn't think that her parents cared about her powers any more, that if they did, they wouldn't have made the trip down there to see them. It did make some sense, but Lee did also know what her parents had been like for the rest of her life.

Lee was going to reply to that, respond about how her parents had occasionally treated her when she was younger, when he spoke again. Then Lee just blinked at her husband as her mind computed what it was he'd said.

"His baby girl?" Lee asked sceptically. "He didn't actually call me that, did he?"

Regardless, Tarin was now comparing her to Ash. Lee's eyes dropped to the floor, she couldn't look at Tarin at the moment. Was she really being like Ash was, how she didn't like Ash acting?

And, while yes, her parents had treated her horribly after they'd found out about her powers when she was teen, they really had been nothing but polite that night, right? They'd just come to get to know the man who they suddenly found to be their son in law, they'd said.

Damn it. Lee didn't like Tarin being right like this. Maybe she'd have to see about being able to meet up with her parents again briefly before they went home.

But then Tarin asked her if she'd be able to be finished in the kitchen so she could spend some time with him. Raising her eyes from the floor, Lee glanced around; other than hers and Tarin's plates that were still out on the dinning room table, she'd gotten everything cleaned up and put away already.

"After all this, you want me to come chill with you?" Lee asked, finally looking over at Tarin again. Taking a breath, trying to work out the remaining anger and frustration that she felt in her, Lee nodded. "Ok, is there anything on TV tonight?"

“Not in as many words....” Tarin said when Lee asked if her father had really called her his baby girl. “He did give me the third degree about what he’d heard from Robert, though.” Tarin held a hand up, “Before you flip out about it…I’d do the same thing. If it was a bad situation, most women wouldn’t admit it. It’s just how it works. He did everything I’d do if it were me in the situation…and he ended up giving me the benefit of the doubt.”

Tarin could tell that his word were hitting home when Lee’s eyes dropped. He really wasn’t trying to be mean about the whole situation, but Lee seriously needed to get outside of the little metal box of thinking she’d built around herself on this subject. Her parents really were trying, and she couldn’t even see it. If she managed to reconcile to that fact and still wanted nothing to do with the people, Tarin would let the sleeping dog lie, but no matter how horrible they’d been when she’d been younger, they deserved the benefit of the doubt.

She was thinking about it, Tarin realized as Lee stood mutely and looked at the floor. He smiled slightly, it was really all he could ask for…and he hadn’t even had to ask, just nudge her in the right direction. And now she seemed surprised that he wanted to spend time with her. Tarin actually chuckled a little and made his way back to where Lee was standing.

Wrapping his arms around his wife, Tarin squeezed her in a tight hug and kissed the side of her head, “Of course I want to spend time with you Lee. I’m not pointing these things out there because I’m mad or because I want to hurt your feelings. Ultimately, I’m on your side.” He said, not stepping away, but staying right where he was, “I’d hate for us to get ten, twenty years down the line and have you regret not giving it a try, no matter how sure you are now that it wouldn’t happen.”

She’d asked what was on TV and Tarin shrugged and chuckled, “I have no clue, I was pretty much just hoping to put something on, then put the moves on this hot chick I talked into sitting with me. Think my plan will work?”

Of course her father hadn't actually called her his 'baby girl'. Even before she had left home to go to Toronto, Rachael had been his baby girl, being the younger of the two sisters. But still, what Tarin was saying, if it was true, was quite surprising. Coming from her father.

And then Tarin was there, wrapping his arms around her, pressing a kiss against the side of her head. Well, of course it really wasn't all that surprising that Tarin wanted to spend time with her, it was just....Lee couldn't really explain it.

But Tarin didn't want her to regret what she was currently doing with her parents. She simply nodded against his shoulder then stood there for a few moments before speaking.

"I don't know if I'd regret it," she said softly. "To be honest, your mother feels more like family to me than those two." She took a deep breath, then sighed slightly as she exhaled. "But I'll try to meet them for coffee or something before they leave."

Then Tarin chuckled and admitted his plan for when they went to sit down. Lee couldn't help it, despite how stressful and upsetting the evening had been for her, she laughed as well. "I'd say it has some definitely good chances of succeeding," Lee replied, pulling her head back so she could look up at her husband. "So what are you doing in here? Get out there and try."

“My mother feels more like family because it’s easier to let her feel like family.” Tarin said, still not moving away from Lee as they stood in the kitchen. “She welcomed you with open arms from the very beginning with no reservations and no judgments. I’ll admit that’s pretty great…but I’ll also remind you that she put her son in a mental hospital.” He said softly, reminding Lee that his mother hadn’t always been the paragon of acceptance she seemed to be now.

“She had three boys that she was raising on her own, and one of them was raving like a lunatic and lashing out at anyone who tried to come near him when it happened at night.” It was the truth, parents did what they thought they had to do. Tarin’s mother had been loving and supportive in every way she could, while suspecting him of being a complete mental case. He’d taken it better than Lee, then again, his mother hadn’t locked him in a room away from the very things he needed to survive.

There wasn’t any need to go into it anymore though, Lee had her things to think about, and she was even thinking about going to see her parents before they left. Again, Tarin had to think that it was more than he could hope for in the situation. After everything that had happened between Lee and her parents.

Lee was moving on though, and Tarin had to laugh when she asked him what he was doing where he was. “You make a good point. This girl can be fickle.” He said, taking a quick step back and hoping to avoid the inevitable swat that would be coming from Lee’s direction. “I’d better get to work.”

Tarin did have a bit of a point with what he was saying about his mother; based on how the trip to Texas had gone, it was much easier for her to think of Adele as family, but things hadn't been all that easy for Tarin growing up, either. But, based on what she had heard, there really wasn't much to believe that Tarin had been a mutant when he had been young, what was his mother supposed to have done?

But then Tarin laughed when she asked what he was still doing in the kitchen, and she couldn't help but smile slightly at him. Until he said the girl could be fickle. The smile slid off Lee's face even as she raised her hand to swat at Tarin's shoulder.

Apparently, he was expecting that, though, since Tarin had already stepped back and so her swat missed its mark. "Get going then," Lee said, reaching out her other hand to gently push Tarin toward the doorway out to the living room.