Unfinished Business

14

Eight years earlier...

The past few months with Wyatt have been the best of my life. Between the late-night ice-cream trips, to live karaoke at The Starlighter, we've been inseparable. It seems that no matter where we go, the town knows who we are. We've officially become the "it" couple of Darlington, predictions of us ending up married in a few years sweeping over the entire town.

Tonight, on Thanksgiving, might just be the most important night of our entire relationship. Despite dating for almost three months now, I've never met his parents. Wyatt isn't the type to take just any girl home, so when he invited my Dad and me over for dinner to introduce our families to each other I had a mixture of feelings that bounced between wanting to run for the hills from being so nervous and jumping up and down from excitement.

But when we arrive at the doorstep of Wyatt's house, I determine that I'm nervous. Definitely nervous. What if his parents don't like me? His family is so important to him. He's told me all about them—how his Dad is obnoxiously into football and his Mom collects little glass elephants to display on her kitchen shelves. If I don't get their approval, it'll be a huge problem for us.

"Please don't say anything to embarrass me," I tell my father after he rings the doorbell.

He turns to look at me, his eyes crinkling at the sides in amusement. I'm not used to seeing him in a dress shirt and jeans, but it looks good on him. "Why are you so nervous? This is a good thing that we're meeting, honey. It's about time if I'm being honest. I don't know why you've kept him away from me for so long."

I gulp when I hear the sound of heels clattering from the other side of the door. It's not that I didn't want Wyatt to meet my father, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to hide my past anymore when he did. I didn't grow up as he did. The way he talks about his Mom most certainly isn't the way I'd describe mine, and it's something I don't talk about with anyone. Even my Dad. We both don't talk about it and pretend it doesn't exist. It's better that way.

The door swings open to a tiny and petite woman with a short blonde bob. I have no idea how she gave birth to Wyatt, who grew to be well over six feet, but when she smiles, it almost makes all of the nerves flow right out of my system. "Oh Macey, it's so nice to meet you! We've heard so much about you." Before I'm able to object, she pulls me in for a hug and squeezes the life out of me. "You're even more beautiful than he described. Look at this dress!"

My cheeks are burning when she steps back to admire the burgundy knee-length dress I'm wearing over a pair of tights. It's modest, not too revealing, and my chest loosens at her approval.

"Dan," My father says with a smile and extends his hand out to shake hers. "It's a pleasure."

Wyatt's mom instructs us to hang our coats on the coat rack and then leads the way down a long hallway to the kitchen. It's bright and open with red checkered decor. Decorative roosters are displayed inside the cabinets, and then I spot the three shelves with all the elephants on them. I smile at Wyatt's story, my cheeks hot once more, but I blame it on the heat swarming from the oven that Wyatt's dad is currently checking out.

"Turkey's almost done," he says to her. His eyes slide to mine, a genuine grin taking over. "Macey Taylor. It's about damn time we meet the girl my boy is so infatuated with. Wyatt will be down in a sec. He's just finishin' gettin' ready."

When he straightens up, it all makes sense where Wyatt got his height from. He's a spitting image of his father, all the way down to the dirty blonde hair and striking blue eyes. I don't know why I feel so shy in his presence. I don't even know what I say in response to him as my Dad strides over to give him a firm handshake. The football game is playing in the living room across from the kitchen, and when Wyatt's father, who tells us to call him Bill, realizes my Dad is rooting for the same team as him, it's an instant friendship. He offers him a beer and they both head over to the couch to watch the game, leaving me and Wyatt's Mom alone.