Foreman's gaze dropped to his lap, watching Amber lace their fingers together, and he smiled slightly as he squeezed back. Her thigh and arm pressed against his side. That touch had always helped to calm him down, keep him from getting tangled up in things he couldn't change. "She wants to meet your boyfriend," he said, gently enough, although not without a touch of irony. It was strange, still, saying the word boyfriend to mean himself. The intonation Kate gave it was worse: like Amber was still in high school, and bringing over her 'little friends' who probably jizzed in their pants if they got to second base. Not like her daughter had an adult, loving relationship. "Thanksgiving's only one meal. Think about how much worse it would be if you put her off until Christmas."
He nodded when Amber said she hadn't brought it up with her mom. That was reassuring. He didn't expect Amber to turn around and change her mind, but he was a little more familiar with her arranging her life to suit her behind his back. As much as he wanted to trust her, he was still wary over that. "I told you I'd go," he said, meeting her eyes. He felt...strange. How long had it been since he'd had a proper Thanksgiving meal? Not since he'd started working for House. He couldn't remember one in California. Had it really been that long? He'd gotten used to spending his holidays, when he wasn't working, still at work. Playing Santa Claus on the peds ward at Christmas, or volunteering in the clinic to dispense pepto bismol to the overeaters at Thanksgiving. If not that, then watching football. No matter how amazing his high def TV was, the sound of the crowds cheering didn't exactly make up for not having someone to toss a football around with, dodging behind the furniture to evade tackles.
Shrugging off the strange sense of loneliness, he smiled at her, his amusement coming back. "Just remembering," he said. "I'm pretty good with parents." He'd never had trouble with his nearly-in-laws. And charm, he could do, even when he was seething inside. All those evaluations he'd been through, he'd more or less come out unscathed. He could get through another one.
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He nodded when Amber said she hadn't brought it up with her mom. That was reassuring. He didn't expect Amber to turn around and change her mind, but he was a little more familiar with her arranging her life to suit her behind his back. As much as he wanted to trust her, he was still wary over that. "I told you I'd go," he said, meeting her eyes. He felt...strange. How long had it been since he'd had a proper Thanksgiving meal? Not since he'd started working for House. He couldn't remember one in California. Had it really been that long? He'd gotten used to spending his holidays, when he wasn't working, still at work. Playing Santa Claus on the peds ward at Christmas, or volunteering in the clinic to dispense pepto bismol to the overeaters at Thanksgiving. If not that, then watching football. No matter how amazing his high def TV was, the sound of the crowds cheering didn't exactly make up for not having someone to toss a football around with, dodging behind the furniture to evade tackles.
Shrugging off the strange sense of loneliness, he smiled at her, his amusement coming back. "Just remembering," he said. "I'm pretty good with parents." He'd never had trouble with his nearly-in-laws. And charm, he could do, even when he was seething inside. All those evaluations he'd been through, he'd more or less come out unscathed. He could get through another one.