Survive

Chapter Fourteen

Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

September 1, 2022.

Andrey Butler's Point Of View.

"Relax, they will like you." Mad says as she crosses her hands around my neck, but that doesn't calm me down.

We are dating. Two weeks after the dance I asked her to date me and she accepted. Today I came to pick her up to go to school together and according to her, her parents want to meet me, so here I am a little nervous for this date, because I have never been through this before.

"Can't I just see them when we get back from school?" I ask and she laughs.

"So Anthony who is going to take me to school, because my mother won't let me go with you without meeting you."

"Okay then."

"Great," she smiles and gives me a kiss, causing me to place my hands subtly on her waist, but then she seems to remember something and breaks free brutally, giving me a fright.

"What's the problem?"

"I have to introduce you to Anthony," she says and walks off pulling me through the halls of her house until we go to the outside of the house and then stop at a house in the back of her house.

She knocks on the door and after a short while, the same man who picked her up the day I met her walks out of the house looking happy to see her, but when he sees me, he looks surprised.

"Good morning, Anthony. This is Andrey, who I told you about. He's my boyfriend." She speaks excitedly and he looks me up and down, but then gives me a smile.

"Nice to meet you Andrey," he holds out his hand and I greet him.

"Nice to meet you Sr. Anthony."

"Anthony, Andrey and I are going to school together today."

"Oh, that's okay, I will just put on my shoes and come out to take you," he says in such an affectionate way that it makes me sad that he didn't understand what she meant.

"... I meant we are going together in Andrey's car." She says clumsily and his happy expression fades away.

"Oh, sure. All right then." And you can see by his eyes that he wasn't happy, which makes me feel a little guilty, so I have an idea so that everyone can come out of this story happy.

"So, Mad.. how about I leave my car here and Anthony drives us? Then when class is over, I will come back with you and get my car." I suggest and I can see the sparkle returning in Anthony's eyes and Madison getting happy with the idea.

"I think it's a good idea, Andrey. What do you think Madison?"

"I loved it."

"So I will just put my shoes on quickly and get you to school. Do you want to come in to wait up?" and I was going to say yes, because it's a little chilly out here, but Mad denies it.

"No, thank you Anthony, while you finish getting ready, I'm going to go introduce Andrey to my parents," and I feel the nervousness in me that was already passing, return.

"Oh, okay. So I will come in." And we agree it.

Mad takes me into the house again and we go to the living room, which is where we were before, meeting a woman, very beautiful by the way, who is probably her mother and who, seeing us, gives a smile from ear to ear.

"So you're the famous Andrey," she says and comes closer to us, giving me a very tight hug, which is reciprocated by me, only a little more subtly. "You're so beautiful.. daughter, you have good taste," she says as she lets go of me and I giggle a little.

"Thank you. You're beautiful too, I even know who Mad pulled for," and she smiles at what I say. "By the way, what's your name?"

"Oh, I was so excited to met you that I forgot to introduce myself.. my name is Barbara Stone."

"Mom and where is my father to meet Andrey?" Mad asks and her mother intersperses her look between us clumsily.

"He went to work a little while ago, honey. I asked and insisted that he wait just a few minutes and meet Andrey, but you know how he is, right?" she says and Mad denies it. It's clear the look of disappointment on her face.

"No, I really don't know how he is, because he's never here," she speaks quietly and the mother sighs heavily as she looks at her daughter.

"No need to be like that Mad, maybe when we get back from school he will be here, then you can introduce me to him. And if he isn't, there will be other opportunities, won't there Mrs. Stone?" I hug Mad from the side and look at her mother, who agrees with what I say.

"Yes, you are right, dear. There will be other opportunities, Madison." And my girlfriend agrees with her head as if she is already over what happened.

"Yeah, it can be."

"I am ready. Let's go?" Anthony appears in the room and Mad and I agree.

"Yes, if we're not going to be late," Madison picks up her backpack that was on top of the couch and puts it on her back. I do the same. "Bye mom, see you later." She speaks, gives her mother a hug and starts walking towards the door, while Anthony probably goes to the garage to get the car.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Stone." I say and give her mother a hug.

"I say the same, dear. And I'm sorry for the upset, it's just that her father is kind of complicated to deal with," and I nod.

"No need to apologize. She had already told me about her father's absence." And now she looks at me a little surprised.

"Had she told you about it before?"

"Yes."

"Um... it's something she pretends doesn't affect her, but I know it does." And I agree with Ms. Stone, because I saw that day when we were at Amour that she tries to deal with it normally, when in fact it hurts her a lot, which is normal in a situation like that.

"Not to be inconvenient, but.. has her father always been absent?"

"He's always been absent. When she was little, he even played with her a little. He played a little bit, but he had some time with her. But after time went by, he became more and more absent. I try to do something to try to bring them closer together, and it's not even for him, but for her, because I know it would make her happy, but he's always busy, and lately he's busy even for me.." she speaks seriously and disappointed, but then quickly pulls herself together and gives me a smile. "Sorry I'm venting."

"No problem. I'm the one who asked."

"Come on Andrey," Mad calls me with the door already open and part of her body out of the house.

"I'm already going." I say and she agrees.

"Go on honey, if not you guys are going to be late," she speaks and gives me another hug. "It was lovely to meet you and I hope you and my daughter be happy," and I smile. I really didn't need to be nervous.

"Thank you. I hope too, because I really like your daughter." And she gives a smile.

"Come on Andrey," Mad calls me again.

"You'd better go Andrey," she speaks and walks me to the door, where she says goodbye to us once again and we get into the car.