--- 1 Month Ago ---

--- 1st of September, 1962 ---

A couple of days have passed since Odette and Kit encountered one another in Boston's local café as Odette was catching up with her childhood friend Serena. 

Furthermore, after the juvenile singer returned back in Vermont at her parents' home by spilling the tea about not only Serena, but also Kit, the former falsely accused patient whom she met in the mental institution. 

Initially her parents were beyond flabbergasted their daughter is going on a date especially thanks to the young gentleman, who thought Odette hung the moon and vice versa. Even more Serena knew about their imminent first date along with Elsa, Massimo and Evelyn.

--- Flashback ---

--- A Few Days Ago ---

"Oh hi, my darling!" Jude was the first, who noted and acknowledged Odette's return back at home after her long and dynamic day in Boston. The blonde was wearing a plain, clean white apron by walking away from the kitchen by being beyond eager to take her ray of sunshine into her arms, scooping her in a tight, warm and affectionate hug. 

"Mom!" The young woman clasped her slightly pudgy arms around her mother's upper back by pulling her towards her in a tighter snuggle as their chests were pressed together, following the accelerating, vigorous pulsation of their hearts in their ribcage. In the interim, she rested her chin on the older woman's shoulder. "I've missed you!"

"I missed you too! So much, my angel!" The former sister of the church muffled a soft, honeyed whisper past her ear as their eyelids were temporarily shut like blinds by relishing the moment they shared along as a mother and a daughter as well. "How it passed your meeting with Serena in Boston?"

"It was amazing. We chatted a lot as usually as we had a lot of stories to share together." Shortly after they broke off the embrace, they peppered one another's  creamy, milky as vanilla cheeks with affectionate, doting kisses by opening their orbs which were once shaped in slit forms, resembling scars." Mmm, it smells so scrumptious!" She kept on with her utterance by inhaling the pungent, mouth-watering aroma of potato soup and pumpkin cheesecakes, emanating from the kitchen by toying with her sensitive, vulnerable nostrils.

Afterwards the brunette kicked off her shoes.

"Yeah, the dinner is already ready. It's potato soup as for dessert there's pumpkin cheesecakes!" The middle-aged lady fessed as her plumpish lip curled by emphasizing the key words dinner, cheesecake and potato soup as they headed towards the kitchen without an ado. "I'm sure you will love them, dear!" Beaming, promising smile distorted across her rosy-coloured, damp lips as the kitchen table was already adorned with bowls of potato soups, plates with pumpkin cheesecakes and silverware eating tools, a waxed white vase with violet marigolds in the middle of the table, giving family atmosphere.

"Pumpkin cheesecakes are my favorite though I like soups." In the meanwhile, the young singer couldn't help but lick greedily, gamely her lips as she sensed her bottom lip salivating.

The kitchen embraced the both ladies with the dishes which were recently served on the dining table and the opened window as fresh air was ventilate the stiff air. Dim moonlight bathed in dim light the room, mingling with the dim light.

"Where's dad?" She enquired with mild concern in her velvet voice by nibbling on her bottom, plumpish lip.

"Ah, he's upstairs in the attic! He has some work wrapped around his fingers." The blonde replied by helping her daughter to take a seat on the dining table, running her fingers through her shirt's fabric by rubbing her shoulders delicately. "He will come for dinner extremely soon. Don't be so anxious!"

"I hope so. What were ya doing when I wasn't home?"

"Nothing special than spending some time with your father as well." Rejoiced chuckle jolted the corners of her mouth, bearing a semblance of an earthquake. "I was sure ya were about to ask me this question." The former sister of the church untied her apron by placing it on the counterplot by fixing her messy, casual medium ponytail as stray golden strands were hardly brushing her pale temple, framing ideally her angelic, beautiful face.

"Why not?  I care about both of ya. And you won't believe me who I saw when I was in the café with Serena."

"Is that good news? Who it could," As the former holy woman was about to resume her sentence, all of a sudden heavy, masculine footsteps stomped and stomped by descending the stairway for the first floor as the both women were all ears. "Oh! It's Timothy." She gasped by wiping with the back of her petite, clammy hand her forehead as its perspiration formed its swamp, smearing the silken of its flesh.

"Rare bird, I've just finished my task and," As soon as the former priest stepped in the kitchen, he was beyond astounded Jude wasn't all alone at all. His chocolate brown irises were fixed on the both ladies of thr family as he couldn't repress a rapidly growing, megawatt smile, honed up in the corner of his berry-coloured lips. "Hi ladies! Welcome back home, Odette!"

"Hi dad! If ya are about to question me over Serena, we had a great time together and,"

"That's marvelous! I'm glad for you for having a great time with friends." Timothy responded optimistically as he was washing his hands after twisting the sink's faucet, allowing its waterfall splash and contacting his mammoth, filthy hands.

"What were ya about to say, mom?" The singer whispered in velvety voice by waiting for her father to take a seat on the dining table within seconds as her fingers tipped nervously the kitchen's bengal baby blue and baby yellow blanket which sheeted the table.

"Who was the person ya were talking about?"

"I don't want my father to know, please. It's Kit Walker. He used to be a patient in Briarcliff like me as he was falsely accused in murdering and skinning women as he has nothing to do with their brutal murders." Odette leaned against her mother's ear by whispering angelic anthems in her ear by keeping her voice as low as possible. Sufficiently audible just for them with exception of the British."If he knows it, I know I'll be,"

"It's adorable, sweetie! I'm so happy you and this guy encountered somehow in Boston. And what about him?"

"I told him about my pregnancy and he thought I hung the moon and vice versa. Let's not forget, he invited me on a date!"

"A date? Congratulations! Welcome in the romance world!"

"I don't want to pry so much but what's going? For heaven sake, what are those facial expressions on your faces, Odette and Judy?"  The younger man cleared his throat after twisting the faucet by wiping  his hands in the small towel.

"Ah, we're just rejoicing, sweetie!" Judy riposted by winking at him, when he was sitting alongside his wife. "It's alright."

"Over what? Is Serena the sole reason why you are so bright as a star?"

"Nope, dad!" Suddenly the juvenile brunette heaved an abrupt, half-hearted exhale by tickling her frail lungs. All of a sudden, the former Briarcliff patient's courage was plucked up by persuading her to inform her father right away over her first crush she bumped into in Boston. "She's not the only reason why I'm so happy."

"Well, you're full of surprises, sweetie!" 

"As ya see, I've never been in a relationship especially a romantic one and I saw Kit in Boston as we talked in privately. He just invited me on a date!" Once the juvenile singer emphasized the word date as her mother commenced to assault her dish by grabbing the spoon by scooping some potato soup, whereas Timothy gathered his silverware spoon by glimpsing shocked at his daughter for not telling him earlier about Kit as soon as they seated on the kitchen table. His facial expression, painted on his face beared a semblance as if the young lady was involved in homicide. 

"A date by a guy? Hmm, is he a decent one?" Initially, the former member of the clergy was beyond dumbfound when his daughter made a revelation of being invited on a date which was in a matter of days. Little did Timothy know about Kit, however, what he knew by far was he was an innocent and affable young man, besides he was falsely committed patient behind the dull walls of the notorious mental hospital. 

"He's, dad! Don't ya remember when I told ya about him? How we met for first time and since the first moment we liked one another?"

"Oh yeah, you did! Pardon me for having a memory of fish! But I'd like to congratulate you. It's part of the first steps for a romantic relationship if you really really like each other and the things work out on the first date."

"Hopefully it works out since I'm so nervous and confused!"

"Who isn't, sweetheart?" Suddenly Jude left the scoop in the bowl by reaching for the brunette's hand by taking it into hers, in order to alleviate her as electroshocking shivers conveyed the younger one's body by feeling her mother's warmness. Her honey brown pools followed the motioning thumb which frequently, gently kneaded the back of her petite, milky as snow hand. Faint, childish smile cracked upon her face. "I used to be like that with yar fathah, ya know. Nervous, confused young lady who had always bad luck with guys! I thought I'd never have any luck even with him, despite our bickers sometimes."

--- *** --- 

Whilst Timothy was downstairs by helping Judy with cooking as it's going to be among some nights when the entire family didn't have a dinner altogether, Odette was upstairs in her bedroom by sitting beside the dressing table by applying some peach pink lipstick her plumpish lips, whereas she wore classy black formal dress with short sleeves and boat neckline as its satin hem cascaded down slightly above her knees by revealing her yet drop dead gorgeous, long legs, black sandals, her pair of sapphire pendant and stud. Additionally, she sprayed some perfume on her neck, lion mane of straight chestnut tresses and wrists. 

It has been a quarter an hour after Odette left the bathroom by taking a fresh, lukewarm shower and preparing herself for her first date which she was eagerly looking forward for a couple of days. 

On one hand, the former members of the church were beyond flabbergasted and content their daughter is taking the first step in the pre-romantic relationships and having greater chances of living with her crush far away from her parents, whilst on other hand they were discreetly anxious for Odette, in fact, they can't ultimately trust the guy who's going to take her on a first date and all the both middle-aged adults hankered than anything was Odette being not hurt, regardless if it's the first boy whom she's dating or the fifth in her life. It was their second nature as well. Their unconditional love was as potent as the cooking and brewing anger once they figure out the juvenile singer was hurt, besides despaired as a mindless and immobile corpse. 

The tangy fragrance of rose perfume quickly overspread in her bedroom until a door tap didn't interrupt her make-up process by putting some black mascara on her long, flapping as wings eyelashes. Another baby kicked stunned her for a while as her solely free hand lowered to her lower abdomen by rubbing it without turning to the door as she hasn't acknowledged, who stood before it. 

"Ouch! Baby girl, Mommy is almost ready for the date!" The young woman muffled a whisper by talking to the unborn child as her fingers kneaded the pregnant belly through the cotton fabric. "Yes? Come in."

"How is doing my big girl?" All of a sudden, Judy opened the door by setting a foot in her sole daughter's bedroom by leaving the door askew opened as it slightly creaked, hobbling up to her by caressing her pregnant belly without hesitation since the vigorous kicks of the life which grew inside her escalated. 

"I'm almost ready for the date, in condition to spend a marvelous night with somebody I like. And the little one just kicked inside moments ago."

"Oh! It looks like the little one is either excited for her mother's first date or probably is jealous."

"Who perhaps knows?" In the interval, Odette got from the dressing table after finishing with altering her neat looks. "She might like him as a person. Let's hope she will accept him as a part of the small family though we haven't kissed yet and yeah!"

"Don't be so anxious, Odette! Do not lose faith in yarself! I'm sure the first date is going to be blowminding. I and your fathar totally agree to do whatever ya want with yar life since you are no longer a typical little kid, who needs control. Have fun! Enjoy your life! You're only once young!" At the moment, the both ladies walked away from the room as they were imposing the hardwood stairs by propping themselves on the stairway railing, in case, if a physical accident befalls either of them. 

"I'm just sick and tired of being hurt and that's why my barriers are as tough as stone!" Meanwhile the girl exhaled sharply, lightly bitting her bottom lip in unsettled manner.

"I completely understand ya, although you should keep the wits about you at times if you're about to break those barriers."

"Dad, I'm about to leave!" Odette yelled by earning her father's attention in no time as a beaming, doting smile flashed upon his still youthful face as he was walking away from the kitchen, whilst the baked potatoes with garlic and vanilla along with carrots were baking in the oven.

"Oh! Look at you! You look marvelous!" The both parents were in awe as they scanned in the corner of their eyes the young woman, whose formal attires were hugging her slightly pudgy body by wearing incessant, radiant smiles, spread across their lips.

"Why thank you, mom and dad!" Once she unlocked the front door, she was embraced by the young man, who wore a plain pale green shirt along with beige slacks, black leather oxford and his colossal hand concealed something as he held a single wine red rose behind his spine, in order to surprise his recent crush. "Hi Kit!"

"Hi Odette!" Meantime the both older adults were beyond dumbfound by the genial and benevolent nature of Kit once they captured themselves in one another's arms, bracing their shoulders. "I was strongly looking forward for this day."

"Me too!" Shortly after they broke off the hug, afterwards he handed her a single wine red rose as she couldn't be happier to receive such adorable presents as it was the first present she has ever received from a boy especially whether approximately her age or slightly older than her. "Aww, that's so kind of ya! Thank you!" The young adults' smiles couldn't repress rapid growth by illuminating their lighter side of their genial characters. 

"Hello Kit!" Jude and Timothy exclaimed as one by approaching him, welcoming him warmly.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Howard! It's nice to meet you, I'm Kit!"

"It's a pleasure to meet ya, Kit! I'm Judy and that's my husband." The blonde shook Kit's hand and thereafter introducing her husband to him.

"It's nice to meet you, Kit! It's just Timothy."

--- *** ---

A quarter an hour passed since Odette has already introduced her crush in front of her parents and vice versa, besides Kit was driving her to his home as a part of their first date agenda.

Initially the young singer kept in her mind he was going to take her on a first date in a restaurant or a local cafe as the cliché first dates how they pass in the majority pre-romantic relationship circumstances. Nevertheless, what the brunette figured out was Kit was much different man and he had much better and creative idea over their first date, taking its place at his home.

He has been living in Vermont since he left Briarcliff by moving on in his vernal life and some of the strangers, who occasionally passed him down the Boston streets, subsequently charged him in being the serial killer Bloody Face since the killer was unidentified yet and all they kept on their minds was that he has actually committed the barbarous homicides. Furthermore, he could have a greater chance of meeting Odette and go on dates and until nowadays, Alma was still missing. Subsequently he thought of divorcing her and not having any polygamy dilemma or breaking her heart which were the least craved things he'd think of doing them.

The Howards, Serena and Mars were his sole supporters for this moment. 

During their forthcoming journey up to his one story, vintage house which wasn't far from the Howards' mesmerizing mansion, nor far from far away as well, the birds in love were drowning themselves in rational and intriguing discussions which involved not only their interests, but also the process of getting to know one another. With each advancing minute, they were developing their platonic relationship for better as if the paradise has fogged their minds and eyes, considering one another flawless as they were head over heels in love. 

"So ya did divorce yar wife?" She wondered by inquiring far from tepid.

"Yeah, I did! It was weeks ago. I love her though I just don't feel the same lately." The juvenile man answered as mild jealousy cooked inside the young woman's body, her honey brown orbs blinked as flapping bird wings.

"Oh! I'm so sorry for hearing this. I mean, you loved her and vice versa."

"Don't be sorry, Odette! Sometimes the things change. I keep avoiding to look back in the past."

"Well, urm," In this moment, the singer stuttered by struggling to spell each syllable by pursing her lips in disquiet manner as the awkwardness escalated when they were discussing Alma and the divorce. "Let's just change the topic!" She insisted pigheadedly.

"As you insist, miss!" He said in teasing way until they parked in the yard of his one story house as Odette questioned herself yet as if that's his home by darting her hazelish-brown eyes absently to the hypnotizing, eye-catching view of the property. "We're home!"

To be continued...