Parental Approval

"Mom! Dad!" Wes calls out to the elderly man and woman, "What a coincidence. Are you guys sailing today?"

"Yeah, it's a good day to be out on the water," the older man says.

"This is Rae Novak, my girlfriend," Wes says.

Rae immediately looks up at his face in shock. Did he just introduce her as a girlfriend? In front of "Mom" and "Dad"? What? Rae believes her jaw just dropped.

"You can't be serious!" The woman says, glaring at Rae, checking her up and down.

Rae's mind goes blank, she is too nervous, she squeezes a smile, "Hello, Mom, I mean..., Mrs. Warren and and Mr. Warren," Rae wants to slap herself. She can't believe she just called Wes's mom "Mom."

"Why don't we get lunch?" Wes says, looking still quite naturally pleasant.

They sit down by an upscale seaside restaurant. Wes orders them white wine.

"So I've heard a lot about you from the internet. Are you with that firefighter or are you with our son?"

"The firefighter, Dan Schneider, is a high school friend. We just happened to meet again at my hometown's community event. He told me about the competition and asked me to join. It really is just that."

The mom continues to grill about where she works, what she does in life, what her education background, how old is she, has she been married before. After answer all the questions, Rae decides to excuse herself to use the restroom.

She goes to the restroom and uses the speech to text function to message Z.

"Z. I know you don't listen to my conversations anymore. But I just got grilled by Wes Warren's mom. I think she hates me. Is there anything I should say?"

As soon as Rae leaves the seat, Wes's mom laughs and says, "There is no way in hell you should be dating this woman."

"Mom, please," Wes puts one of his hand over his mom's hand.

"She has no real job! She didn't finish college! What are you thinking? You need to find a better match than that! You are not that young anymore. Please don't waste time on a woman who is not promising at all."

"Oh my gosh. You are unbelievable. I like her. She is fine the way she is. How can you be so judgmental? You came from nothing. We came from nothing." Wes sits back, scowling at his mother.

"Yeah, but you are hard-working and you got to where you are now from your hard work. What is she even doing in life?"

"She is doing what she loves. Making food is a job. She doesn't have to be a millionaire businesswoman to be my girlfriend."

Rae can hear them talking from behind a plant. Even the waiters hear the mother and son conversation. She walks back to the bathroom and tells Z, "Sorry to bug you Z earlier. Never mind. I don't really care if she likes me. She is too mean."

Rae puts on a polite face for the rest of the luncheon. Finally, the parents say they want to leave early and go home.

Wes pays for their check and he takes Rae out. He looks as if nothing has happened. Rae doesn't want to mention anything either. It's too early to say anything. They really only just started dating.

Wes takes Rae out to the ocean, the salty wind and the seagulls have put a genuine smile back on her face. Wes kisses her.

"I want to take you up to a mountain one weekend. Can you not work on the weekends anymore?"

"I probably still have to though, Wes."

"What can I do to make you stop working on the weekends?" He kisses her knuckles.

"I don't think you can. That's just the way I make a living. I also have to pay rent." Rae touches his hair.

"Move in with me then." He gazes into her eyes.

"Wes, that's probably too soon, don't you think?"

"You can trust my decision. I know what has potential."

"Really? We have potential?" Rae knows she sounds sarcastic, which she really didn't mean to.

"Just ignore my mom. She can't tell me who I want to... date."

Rae nods but she isn't sure. She has a feeling that she can't count on this. She just thinks being with Wes is probably too good to be true anyway.

After they sail on the ocean for a while, they get back on the shore, and Wes says they should go grocery shopping at a cool afternoon outdoor farmers' market.

"Actually, I kind of want to get back to the city now," Rae says.

"Why?"

"I just kind of want to get back now."

When they get back into the city, Rae asks to be dropped off at the bakery she works.

"Why are you still going back there? Didn't you call the day off?"

"I want to get back to work actually. I'll talk to you tomorrow, OK?" Rae gets off the car.

Wes knows Rae is depressed by his mother's comment. He has something to tell her but he doesn't want to say it now.

When Rae walks in to the bakery, all her coworkers are shocked.

"What are you doing here?"

"I've decided to finish the shift today. I'm sure you still need help."

"No, because your friend already came in and stepped in for you?"

"My friend? Who?"

Rae goes back to the kitchen and she sees Z working in there.

"Pretty cool that your friend knows how to work around here. Maybe he'll replace you. He's cute."

"Thanks a log, Megan." Rae laughs.

"Oh my gosh, Z, you are working here now?" Rae walks over to Z.

"I thought I could work in place of you. I've got not much else to do."

Rae hugs Z from behind. "Thank you. You're too sweet."

"Don't hug me in the public. You've got enough boyfriends as far as most people are concerned."

Z smiles. But he has just talked to Zach Evans before coming here. He wanted to make sure Zach was OK that he wanted to go to an actual workplace to work.

And he wanted to ask his creator what this really really strange feelings he was feeling after seeing Rae stopping by the apartment briefly.

He described it as he thought the inside of his body was shutting down and his components were being ripped off and torn.

Zach sighs, "Well, if you feel that way after she spent a night with Wes, you are probably feeling a heartache. You are heartbroken. Even though I don't know how you learn that. But that's what is is."

"How do you know that's a heartache, Zach?"

"Because...," Zach scratches his head, "I kind of feel the same way."