Night Walkers - Halloween 2023

Chapter 18

Everyone in the room paused everything they were doing. Some stopped talking mid-conversation, others stopped chewing and the rest dropped their silverware mid bite. They all stared at Carson and I as we entered the room.

"Good morning, everyone." Carson greeted.

"Nice of you to join us, Carson." The woman I recognized to be Carson's mother, replied. She sat to the right of his father, who was at the head of the table.

"Good morning to you too, mother. What's being served this morning?" Carson asked.

His question was answered with silence.

"Who is that with you, son?" Carson's father asked, as he glared at me.

Carson grinned as he glanced over at me, then back at his father. "This is Amellia, father. My girlfriend." Audible gasps escaped many mouths at Carson's announcement.

His father slammed down his fork causing several of the others at the table to jump; some even spilled their drinks. Carson's mother gasped, as she fainted in her chair. The woman sitting next to her screamed then tried to wake her.

"What is the meaning of this, Carson? You have a fiancé, Audrey" His father gestured to the girl on his left who was nearing tears.

"I love Amellia. And I intend to marry the woman I love, not the one you chose for me, father." Carson squeezed my hand as he spoke, assuring me that his words were truth.

Audrey began sobbing. Another woman at the table covered her mouth in shock.

"This family is doomed." One of the other men at the table stated before he gulped down his beverage.

"Let's get some breakfast, Amellia." Carson said, as he gently pulled me through the room to the door on the left.

"This is outrageous!" A man's voice shouted. "You promised my daughter would marry your son-" The door shut behind us silencing the angry chatter we left behind in the other room.

"You broke her heart in front of everyone." I whispered to Carson, as maids bustled about the kitchen, fussing as Carson grabbed us plates and began filling them up with the prepared food.

"I didn't know she was going to be here today. Besides, it's not like she's actually in love with me anyway. Sure, we kind of grew up together, but have never been close like Merek, Roland and I are. Her and I barely know each other. Those tears were all for show, because she was in front of everyone." He explained. "You want sausage?"

"Yes please." I replied, as I followed behind him while he went down the line of food. "You two grew up together?"

"She's the heir and daughter of the Reed family."

"One of the founding families?"

Carson nodded. "Our parents became friends over the past few years and thought it would be nice to combine the families and have Audery and I marry. Audrey loved the engagement announcement. I rejected it, but everyone ignored me and began planning the wedding."

"Damn. That's rude."

Once our plates were full, he grabbed two sets of silverware, then filled two glasses with milk. He handed me the glasses before he picked up the plates. He then led me upstairs to his room, where he set the plates of food down on a glass coffee table in the center of his room. He then sat down on the floor between the couch and the table. I followed suit, setting the glasses down on the table near our plates, I then sat on the floor across from him.

"What happens now?" I asked as Carson took a bite of hashbrowns.

Once he chewed enough, he gave me a muffled reply. "After we've finished eating, we'll head over to your place and meet with the officers."