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CHAPTER 6

Lada took a big bite of her apple as her eyes are focused on the movie that was playing. It was Sunday afternoon. Her first relaxed Sunday afternoon after weeks of non-stop work. She wore her pajamas and her socks and her feet were on the table. She missed this- to have absolutely nothing to do.

"P'Mor."

She rolled her eyes at the shouts of her name but she didn't budge an inch. Its was her Sunday morning. No one can disturb her. Not even the loud woman. She ignored it and kept watching the movie.

"Didn't you hear me?" Earn stood in front of the TV, crossed her arms on her chest with an unhappy look on her face.

"Don't you see I am watching?" she pointed the flat screen. "Move!" she shooed the latter.

"Nope, no more TV for you," Earn turned it off earning a disapproving look by Lada.

"You have to get ready. We're going to your parents house for dinner."

The lawyer took away the remote from Lada and put it neatly at the table. "And we have to buy wine for the gift."

"Why must we have dinner with my parents?" She groaned. "Can't we just order pizza or something?" 

The thought of her parents and Earn being in the same room somewhat made her uneasy. She'd be in big trouble should Earn tell them about her mistresses and she can't stand to hear her parents blabbering her childhood and her teen phase to Earn- which apparently a compulsory task for every parent ever to their soon to be daughter in law.

"Tomorrow is Valentine's day. Your mother asked us to get lunch with them and she told me literally to drag you out of the house if I have to"

"Wait a sec, she asked you? Did she call you?" she frown..

"No, she came to my office yesterday. Now come on!" Earn pulled her hand forcefully. "Don't be such a baby, P'Mor!"

"Wait, why didn't she call me? Her own daughter?"

"You'll turn her down and she doesn't wanna do long speech because it wont work on you anymore. We got two hours, make it quick."

The doctor sulked all the way to her room and took the longest bath in her life. Earn knocked on the door countless time- nevertheless she sung even louder. When she got out of the bathroom, the raged Earn was siding on her bed with furious look.

"You should know by now that I'm not afraid of you. Not even a slight bit. Now would you excuse me, I want to get dress or well... I don't mind if you want to stay and watch." She smirked.

Earn's eyes widened at the statement and she quit with redden cheeks. She'll wrath at Lada later.

*****

"This wine is really good. Thank you, my dear." Lada's mom reached out to hold Earn's hand as she squeeze it.

"You're very welcome, Mrs. Thananusak." She smiled brightly.

"Now...now, would you stop calling us that formally? That sounds so distant." The old guy chimed in.

"That's right. Earn, honey. You should call us mom and dad. Just like Lada does. You're also our daughter after all."

"Okay, mom." She said awkwardly. 

"And dad too," Lada's father playfully glared at her. 

"And dad,too" Earn said with a smile.

Lada ate in full silence mode as she observed the interaction surrounding her. Her mom and dad were obviously happy with Earn. She couldn't really blame them. Earn was pretty, and kind and friendly and smart. She practically stole everybody's heart effortlessly.

Meanwhile, Lada was the reserved, moody, gloomy person to begin with. She won't start a conversation if the others didn't make the first move. People would easily judge her as an antisocial kind of person.

Well, yes she'd go to the party her fellow friends threw. And of course she went to the finest club full of people she didn't even know existed, but she mostly drunk when she went clubbing. She just wanted to drown her sorrow and let loose. She didn't need to introduce herself or talk about her private life. She checked in then checked out the first thing in the morning after.

The way her parents treated Earn was nothing to compare with her previous lover- no, her previous girl- no, her ex was more like it.

She didn't want to remember her as her girl let alone her lover. She was just an ex.

Anyway.

Lada's parents didn't really welcomed at her ex. They were plainly flat at her. Even her father had a hard time accepting that she was in love with her but at least he was civil. Don't bother to speak about her mom, she was frankly unable to hide her objection towards her. 

Lada knew, from the look on her parents eyes, from the way they praised Earn, and how comfortable they were with her- this was the real deal. There was no way to get out of this mess without disappointing her parents.

"Hey, you are awfully quiet. Is everything okay?" Earn whispered brought her back from her reverie.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine-was just thinking," She said in a lowered voice. Her parents were busy with some kind of old joke that wasn't even funny at all.

"So, Lada, honey. How was work?" Her dad asked.

"Umm, good," She replied shortly. She shoved another cutlet into her mouth.

"Just... good?"

"Yeah, everything is good."

"We're expecting some details, actually." The oldest woman said sarcastically.

"I'm making a proposal to do research on growing a heart." She answered nonchalantly. 

"Really," Earn tilted her head- asking me to verity. 

"Woah, that is so cool!" 

"Yep, kinda cool." Lada chuckled. 

"You have to make it, darling. I'm so proud of you!" 

"Wait." Her mom spoke sternly, making everyone shut up in an instant. "Earn didn't know about it? How come you didn't tell her?"

Lada frowned at the statement. Why would she tell Earn about it? What did it have to do with her?

"I uh- I don't think it would be interesting for her," she tried to reason. 

"Are you not interested darling?" Her mom asked.

"Who would be not interested? That is a really great thing. Even unimaginable for me before." The lawyer mid truthfully but earned a sharp glare from Lada anyway.

Earn gave her the 'what?' look at her face.

"See? And what is your problem, Lada you didn't tell your spouse about it?"

"Well-"

"This will affect you in one way to another. She needs to understand why you could not get home on time or if you have to work at home so you'd spend less time with her," she said. "This is not just about you alone anymore, my dear. You have to think about Earn too,"

"Your mom is right, baby girl,"

"Don't call me that, dad" Lada sulked.

"I think your communication is not good enough." She shook her head. "The foundation of building a great family is communication. You talk and she'll listen. She talks and you will listen. That's how you open up to each other. Relationship doesn't work in a quiet, silent environment. It won't survive. I know that is not easy considering you guys probably just started warming up to each other but..." she took a long breath. "Try, okay? All you have to do is try, my children." She finished her long speech and continued on doing her lunch leaving the two enemies dumbfounded.

Yep. Just adding up another reason she hated the idea of a meal with her parents.