Fight or Flight (Eddie Munson x Y/N)

27. "Blame It On the Rain"*

Everyone had off the next day—Monday— because the teachers had an in-service day so Eddie wanted to take you somewhere special. That's all he said.

"Okay, but..." you took a deep breath, twirling the phone cord in your fingers nervously. "My mom wants to meet you?" you said more like a question, squeezing your eyes tight as you waited for a response.

"Oh...that's...that's bad, right? I mean, I'm okay meeting your mom but from what you told me, I'm not so sure she'll really love me. Or the look of me."

You sighed. "Look, she took me to lunch yesterday after church and basically told me she knew the tutoring thing was a ruse and wants to meet you."

"...was it a ruse for you the whole time?" he lowers his voice. You can basically hear him smirking through the phone.

"Oh, shut up," you smile into the phone, rolling your eyes. "Come pick me up at noon."

"I'll be there with my chariot, princess."

*****************
You hear the doorbell ring just after noon and you nearly jump out of your skin.

Your legs feel like cement and your brain doesn't work. Should you get the door? Should you let your mom?

But your mom's already on it before you can get to the stairs from your room, so your decision is made for you. You peek around the corner upstairs and down the stairs, to watch what happens.

"Hi Mrs. Y/L/N. I'm Eddie, Y/N's friend," he smiles, turning the charm on, and extends his hand to her.

"Well, Eddie. It's certainly a pleasure to meet you," she says, delicately taking his hand. "Y/N told me she's tutoring you and you've been teaching her guitar too."

You can see them facing each other, both their profiles. You see your mom give him a once over but her body language doesn't quite read as judgment like you feared...

"You've raised an amazing girl, Mrs. Y/L/N. She's so smart. She's really patient with me. School isn't really my strong suit but I feel a lot more confident with it when she helps me. I have the right thoughts but writing has always been hard for me. I got a B- on my last essay..." he finds himself rambling.

To your relief, your mom laughs. And it seems genuine, endearing even. "Well we tried to raise her with good values. I'm glad she's been so helpful to your studies. I trust you'll take good care of her."

"My mom always said, treat other women the way you'd treat your mom...I loved my mom very much," he finishes quietly.

God, he thinks, shut the fuck up already. She already probably thinks you're a fuck up and too good for her daughter. Now she's going to think you have mommy issues...

You see your mom blink in a way that actually juts her head back slightly. A look of recognition.

"Oh dear, you're... you're Eddie Munson, aren't you? Your mom was Sheila Munson."

"Yes ma'am," he nods quietly. 

"Oh my poor dear, I remember hearing about your mom. I saw the obituary in the paper. I...I'm so sorry Eddie."

And then she does the last thing you expected her to do meeting Eddie for the first time, or possibly ever.  She hugs him.

He lets her.

"Well then," your mom lets go, sniffs, dabs an eye. "Forgive me...the idea of any child without their mom sends me into tears."

"It's okay, really," he gives a small smile. "I actually like talking about her sometimes. No one ever wants to bring her up, you know?"