Meet the Family

Phil tried not to laugh at how fidgety Bobbi was the entire trip from the Big Apple to Beantown. She kept looking out the window at the scenery, looking back at him, holding his hand, then not holding his hand, digging through her bags making sure she had everything, and constantly changed the radio station. It was amazing how she could easily take down an entire squad of HYDRA lackeys by her lonesome, but she couldn’t face the idea of meeting his family.

He wouldn’t admit it, but he was a little nervous himself. It had been years since he had brought anyone home to meet the family, and that really hadn’t gone well. This time though, he knew, would be different. It was the only thing that could squelch the butterflies. How could anyone not instantly love Bobbi Morse? Hell, all those years ago, in that interrogation room… he had.

Before they knew it, Phil was pulling into the neighborhood where his sister, Stephanie, lived. It was a neighborhood in a suburb of the city of Boston, not far from where they had grown up as children. The house was something typical: a fairly large house with a white picket fence and a large front and back yard. The house was a light blue and the shutters were a navy blue, as was the front door.

Phil brought the car to a stop at the curb, cutting the engine and pulling the keys out. He glanced over to the passenger seat where Bobbi practically had her face against the window, looking up at the house.

“Ready?” He asked her, breaking the silence.

She simply nodded.

After deciding on leaving their stuff in the car for now, Phil opened the door and climbed out, heading over to the passenger side. Then, the next thing they knew, he was pushing the doorbell, waiting patiently for someone to answer the door. Phil took Bobbie’s hand and squeezed it comfortingly, smiling down at her.

Then, the door swung wide, revealing a brunette woman, a couple inches shorter than Bobbi. She had a few wrinkles and laugh lines, but she was still an attractive woman, with the Coulson blue eyes and their mother’s warm smile. This was Stephanie, who resembled their mother almost too a tee, especially now that she was getting older. Stephanie had gone to Boston University, and there she had met her husband, James, who was pre-law. Now, years later, at the age of 45, she was a high school History teacher, and James was a hotshot lawyer in the city.

“Well… if it isn’t the prodigal brother, returned,” Stephanie smiled widely immediately enveloping him in her arms. “But then, I really don’t care about you,” she said, practically shoving him away and turning to Bobbi, who looked a little startled. “I’m more interested in your beau! Hi, I’m Stephanie,” she greeted before immediately taking Bobbi into a bone-crushing hug.

“Gee, thanks Steph,” Phil smiled, amusedly, as he watched Bobbi’s face while his sister practically choked her. “This is Bobbi Morse… my—“

“Fiance, yes,” Stephanie interrupted him, pulling away from Bobbi, a huge smile on the brunette’s face. “You have no idea how excited I was to hear you guys were coming to visit.” She then dropped her voice to a whisper, but of course Phil could hear her. “I was even more excited when I heard Phil had finally found a woman. And you are way too pretty for him.” Stephanie winked.

Phil rolled his eyes and sighed. This was only a small taste of his family.