A Night to Remember

As the music came to an end, Lulu smiled at her dance partner, thanking him for the wonderful dance. Grayson was waiting for her, a pleased smile on his face as he escorted her away. The evening was still in full swing, and Lulu was having the time of her life. But little did she know, the next few minutes would be a turning point in her evening. As they made their way through the crowds, Grayson leaned in close. "My parents want to meet you again," he whispered. Lulu's heart skipped a beat as she nodded, her stomach fluttering with anticipation. They made their way to the designated meeting spot, and Lulu could see Grayson's parents waiting for them. They were beaming with smiles, and Lulu felt a sense of relief wash over her. But as they approached, Grayson's mother, Mrs. Thompson, opened her mouth to speak. "Lulu, dear, it's so lovely to see you again," she said, her voice dripping with warmth. "We were just talking about you the other day, Grayson and I. We were wondering, when are you two planning on taking the next step?" Lulu's eyes widened in shock as Grayson's father, Mr. Thompson, chimed in. "Yes, marriage, children... the works. We're getting up there in age, and we want to make sure we get to spoil our grandkids rotten." Lulu's face went beet red as she stuttered, trying to find the right words to say. Grayson jumped to her rescue, laughing awkwardly. "Ah, well, Mom, Dad, we're just taking things one step at a time. We're enjoying getting to know each other, and we'll see what the future holds." But Mrs. Thompson was relentless. "Oh, come now, Grayson. You're 30 years old. It's time to settle down. And Lulu, dear, you're a catch. We can just imagine you two as the perfect couple." Lulu felt like she was drowning in a sea of questions, her mind racing with panic. She glanced over at Grayson, who was trying to intervene, but his parents were having none of it. "So, Lulu, tell us, what's your plan for children?" Mr. Thompson asked, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. Lulu's mouth went dry as she struggled to find the right words. She had never thought about marriage and children with Grayson, at least not yet. They had only just started dating, and she felt like they were still in the getting-to-know-you phase. "I... uh... I don't know," she stammered, feeling like she was under a microscope. Grayson's parents looked at each other, a look of surprise on their faces. "Well, we'll just have to wait and see, then," Mrs. Thompson said, her voice dripping with implication. "We're just excited to see where things go between you two. We're rooting for you, Lulu." The conversation was quickly becoming more and more uncomfortable, and Lulu felt like she was going to collapse under the pressure. She glanced over at Grayson, who was trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. But it was too late. The damage was done. Lulu felt like she had been blindsided, and she wasn't sure how to recover. As they excused themselves and made their way away from Grayson's parents, Lulu turned to him, her voice barely above a whisper. "What just happened?" she asked, her eyes wide with panic. Grayson chuckled and took her hand. "I'm sorry about that. My parents can be a bit... much sometimes. Let's just enjoy the rest of the evening, okay?" But Lulu couldn't shake off the feeling that her life had just been turned upside down. She had a feeling that this was just the beginning of a long and complicated conversation.