Donnie - "Do I look okay?"

Jess - "Honey you look fine." She reassures him for the fifth time. They are on the subway heading to Jess's parents.

Donnie - "I've just never done really well with the whole meeting the parents thing."

Jess - "You'll do just fine."

Donnie - "Stephen said your dad's kinda edgy."

Jess - "Daddy edgy? I don't think that's how I would describe him. Maybe neurotic and paranoid but not edgy."

Donnie - "He's going to look at me and all he'll see is the guy who is sleeping with his daughter."

Jess - "Only daughter."

Donnie - "You're not helping." She smiles at him and pats his knee. "Do I look okay?" She rolls her eyes.

Jess - "Come on this is our stop."

They get off and walk the six blocks to her parents house. The weather is brisk so they kind step on it. Kurt and Goldie have a small house set back off the street. There is a fence around the front yard which Goldie has done up like an English garden. Donnie opens the gate for Jess and they go knock on the front door. Stephen answers. Jess squeals at the sight of her twin brother and he picks her up in a hug.

Jess - "What are you doing here?"

Stephen - "Well mom called and said that we were having Thanksgiving a week early cause of dad's trip"

Jess - "And she told you I was bring Donnie."

Stephen - "Yeah. Nice to met you in person."

Donnie - "Yeah I'm not really at her house that much it just seems to be every time you call."

Stephen - "yeah whatever man. Lose the hat, mom will hate it."

Jess - "Stephen!"

Stephen - "What she hates hats in the house you know that."

Donnie - "Are you trying to sabotage me?"

Jess - "No, honey I was going to tell you to take off your hat but we just got in the door."

Goldie - "Are you coming in or am I serving dinner in the foyer." She yells from the living room. Jess take Donnie's hand, as they walk passed Stephen he takes off Donnie's hat and hangs it up. Goldie and Kurt are sitting in the living room. She's reading a book and he's watching the game.

Jess - "Hi mom, dad, this is my boyfriend Donnie Wahlberg. Donnie these are my parents Kurt and Goldie."

Donnie - "Nice to met you." Kurt looks at him and grumbles
something under his breath. Goldie gives him a look and sets down her book.

Goldie - "Why don't you have a seat and watch the game Donnie. Jessica I need your help in the kitchen."

Stephen - "Can I come?"

Goldie - "No, stay here with the guys and watch the game." Which translates to don't leave Kurt and Donnie alone. When Jess and her mom get into the kitchen she know she's in for it. "So tell me about this Donnie guy. Have you met his family yet?" Okay here we go.

Jess - "Yeah I met one of his brothers and his mom yesterday. She invited me up to Boston for Thanksgiving."

Goldie - "Is that where he's from Boston?"

Jess - "Yeap, born and raised. He lives with his mom still cause he's been to busy with touring to get a place of his own."

Goldie - "Well Boston's not that far just an hour train ride."

Jess - "I know I can't believe I've never been there."

Goldie - "Well don't get any ideas you're staying in school."

Jess - "What? Mom I'm not running off and moving in with Donnie. He's the first real boyfriend I've had since Richard and that was like two years ago."

Goldie - "I know I'm just getting paranoid like your father. Stephen ran off the California as soon as he graduated high school. I'm just not ready for you to leave yet."

Jess - "Mom, I'm not going anywhere. I love my apartment and I'm a 15 minute ride from my mom's cookies, okay." She nods. They set the food on the table and then go back to the living room. All three of the guys are quiet. "So who's winning?"

All three - "The Cowboys."

Goldie - "Well dinner's ready."

Kurt - "okay be there in 32 seconds."

Stephen - "Hey Jess, I've got something for you to read." He gets up and she follows him to his room. "Here this is a new script they just gave me."

Jess - "Back Beat?"

Stephen - "Yeah it's about the Beatles before they where the Beatles. I'm going for Stuart Sutcliff."

Jess - "You would have to be British?"

Stephen - "Yeah, Grammy will love that. Just read it and get back to me."

Jess - "Okay, you know one day you're going to have to pick these part's on your own."

Stephen - "Nope you're always going to have you read my scripts. I'll be here until Tuesday."

Jess - "I'll probably have it done by tomorrow."

Stephen - "Well what ever."

Jess - "How do you like Donnie?"

Stephen - "I like him better then Richard."

Jess - "That's not saying much you thought Richard acted like a serial killer."

Stephen - "Well he did. He was too polite. I don't know he hasn't really said much."

Jess - "That's cause he's really nervous. Daddy can be kind of intimidating when he wants to be."

Stephen - "Well we better get down there before mom starts yelling up the stairs."

Dinner passes with out much incident. Goldie engages Donnie in polite conversation asking him about the music business, touring, and his family. Basically trying to get to know him. Kurt doesn't really say a word except pass the carrots. Finally Jess couldn't take it anymore, during dessert she asks.

Jess - "Daddy are you feeling okay?"

Kurt - "Yes I feel fine. Why do you ask?"

Jess - "because usually we can't get a word in edge wise."

Kurt - "I promised your mother if I didn't have anything nice to say I wouldn't say anything at all."

Jess - "What's that suppose to mean?"

Goldie - "Jessica sit down."

Jess - "No I want to know what he means by that."

Kurt - "I thought it was bad enough your aunt got involved with people like him, but then you come home dragging one behind you." He knows of the club Loren works at and does not approve.

Jess - "what! Daddy he doesn't even know those people and even if he did it wouldn't make a difference. Donnie is a good person. If you had met him under any other circumstances you probably would have gotten along. And as far as Loren is concerned, she is just working there. Its not like she joined a cult. You need to stop being so judgmental and give people a chance." Jess walks out of the room. Donnie's not sure what to do, he looks at Stephen who motions for him to leave the room.

Donnie - "well thanks you for a lovely dinner Mrs. Connery it was very good, but I think it's time for us to be going. Good night Stephen, Mr. Connery."

Stephen - "I'll walk you guys to the station." They join Jess in the foyer where she's bundled up and ready to go.

Jess - "It's about time." They leave.

Stephen - "Can't you ever just let things go?"

Jess - "I was not going to let him sit there and be rude to my boyfriend. If you ever bring that girl you're seeing home I'll stick up for her too."

Stephen - "I really won't want to be dad right now. Mom's really giving it to him right now."

Jess - "He deserves it. I can't believe he was being like that. Oh shit Stevie I forgot your script."

Stephen - "don't worry I'll bring it by later I'm going out tonight."

Jess - "Okay I'm staying at the Hilton with Donnie until he leaves."

Stephen - "Shit it's cold, I'm going back see ya later."

Jess - "okay, hey it's room 2315." He waves and they catch the train back into the city. When they get back to the hotel the turkey had kicked in and they where exhausted. So they laid down to watch some TV and fell asleep. Later they were awoken be a banging on the door. Figuring it was Stephen Jess opened it. It was her dad.

Jess - "Hi dad."

Kurt - "Hi sweetie. Can I come in?"

Jess - "Um yeah. Donnie my dad's here." He jumps off the bed and reaches for his shirt.

Donnie - "Mr. Connelly, we weren't expecting you."

Kurt- "Get dressed I'm taking you out." He kisses Jess's cheek. "I'll wait outside. oh this is from your brother." He leaves.

Donnie - "You're dad's going to take me out." He holds his hand to his head like a gun.

Jess - "No, he wants to take you out for a drink is probably what he means." he's putting on his shoes.

Donnie - "Can't you come with."

Jess - "No, he said you. I'm not sure what he's up to so be on your toes."

Donnie - "Okay if I'm not back remember I love you and you get my fish."

Jess - "You'll be back. bye." She opens the door. "Bye daddy."

Kurt - "See ya later sweetie." he kisses her cheek again. "Let's go son." Donnie gives her one last pleading look. She motions for him to go. Jess stayed up and read Stephen's script. They are gone for three hours. Jess was pacing by the time Donnie got back, Kurt was holding him up.

Donnie - "Hey baby."

Jess - "Where the hell have you been?"

Kurt - "All over the place, we even went and check out that club where Loren works.

Jess - "What did you do to him?"

Kurt - "What your mother told me to."

Jess - "I highly doubt she told you to get him drunk." Donnie is singing some song she had never heard before.

Kurt - "I was suppose to take him out and get to know him and the best way to get to know some one is to see how much they can drink. Your boy can drink quite a bit."

Jess - "So did things go okay?"

Kurt - "Yeah things where fine. I'm sorry pumpkin. Your mom gave me a lecture about letting you grow up, so I'm going to start trying to treat you more like the adult you are and not the kid you were."

Jess - "Thanks dad but I have to ask, what brought all of this on you usually aren't like that with people."

Kurt - "I guess I just got a little freak out your older now and in school. I could lose you any day now."

Jess - "Dad I am not in any hurry. I'm being careful. Okay besides I'm always going to be your little girl." She giveshim a hug and kisses his cheek.

Kurt - "Okay put him to bed and then I'll give you a ride home."

Jess - "Thanks but I think I'll just stay here tonight."

Kurt - "Let's not push this too far okay. Get your coat I'm taking you home, he will be fine he's a big boy." SHe smiles.

Jess - "Okay." She gets her coat and writes Donnie a note cause he has passed out. "Can you at least help me get him on the bed."

Kurt - "Sure thing." They get him on the bed and then leave.

He drops Jess off at the door. It's really late by then and Goldie's going to kill him when he gets home. Once Jess got inside she could hear Loren and Greg. Guess he finally called her. He is the type she always went for. Successful, handsome, and completely self absorbed. Jess quietly made herself a PB&J and went to her room. She can hear Loren's laughter from across the living room so she turn on the TV and fell asleep watching a re-run of I love Lucy.

Chapter Seven