Alizee meets the family. Adapted from Meet Ella by James Middleton
Meanwhile, Alizee has yet to meet my family. Her first encounter with them happens quite by accident.
Alizee and I have been to a wedding not far from my parents' home in Bucklebury, Berkshire. We decide, on impulse, to stay at Mum and Dad's.
We let ourselves in and tiptoe around in the dark, not wanting to wake anyone, then catch a few hours' sleep before I'm woken at 7.30am by giggling at the bedroom door.
It's George and Charlotte, my nephew and niece. I hadn't realised all three children are staying for the weekend with my sister and William.
Alizee is still sound asleep, so I gently shush the children and we go downstairs where Catherine and William are drinking their early morning tea in the kitchen.
I'm about to take a cup up to Alizee when she appears at the kitchen door. She has just got out of bed, her hair still tousled, and she is wearing one of my shirts. In situations like this, Alizee is wonderfully French. She does not panic or rush upstairs to get dressed. Instead, she just greets everyone warmly as if it's not remotely unusual to be meeting her boyfriend's sister and brother-in-law for the first time wearing only an oversized man's shirt.
'Hello,' she says, proffering her hand and with no awkwardness at all we're soon all chatting and the children are asking all kinds of cheeky questions at 100 miles per hour.
How come we weren't there when they went to bed? And who is this lady? Is she your girlfriend? (Cue giggles from both of them.)
So I tell Charlotte and George, yes, she is my girlfriend and introduce her to them, then we are all talking and laughing as if she has been part of the family for years. Later that afternoon, Mum and Dad, who have been away for the weekend, come home. The next day we go for a walk together, all of us.
When we all hug goodbye I get a special squeeze from Catherine, who whispers in my ear, 'She's just great.' Mum's warm smile tells me she agrees. All my stars have aligned: Alizee is perfect for me and my family adores her.
