Beyond The Lie

Chapter 37: Mom wants to know

Adeline.

I stumbled into the house, bleary-eyed and starving. My morning routine had been a blur, but the promise of food had fueled my sprint home. I pushed open the unlocked door and yelled, "Mom! Dad!" - because, you know, announcing my arrival was crucial.

Mom was already in the kitchen, probably fueling her own caffeine addiction. She turned around, a warm smile on her face, and opened her arms for a hug. "Oh, my dear! You're home!" I wrapped my arms around her, giving her a squeeze before hopping onto the counter.

"Where's Dad?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

Mom chuckled. "He was watching some match yesterday and slept in. Again." I nodded sympathetically. Dad's love for sports was rivaled only by his love for sleep.

My stomach growled loudly, reminding me of my neglect. "I'm starving! I skipped breakfast." Mom's eyes lit up, and she handed me a plate with two steaming breakfast burritos. I dug in, savoring the fluffy scrambled eggs and crispy bacon.

As I ate, I waited for Mom to ask about... you know, him. But she didn't. The silence was deafening. I decided to take matters into my own hands. 

As I scrubbed the last dish, I called out, "Ma?" Mom hummed a response, and I asked, "Are you sad?"

Mom's voice was tinged with mock despair. "Oh, yes! Your dad will sleep in till noon and eat lunch instead. All these burritos will go to waste!" I chuckled at her dramatics.

"Don't worry, Mom. I'll take care of the burritos. It's been ages since I had your famous breakfast wraps. I can easily eat more!" I teased, and Mom smiled.

She switched gears. "I called Emily, but she's not home. They're on a mini trip." I responded with genuine excitement, "Aww, sweet!"

But then I circled back to my original question. "Mom, I wasn't asking about Dad's sleep schedule... I meant, are you sad about the news?" There was a pause before she spoke.

"Well, you could've told us about it, kiddo! It wasn't a bad thing after all. I was a bit shocked, but hey, my daughter's all grown up! I was waiting for this kind of news... just not via social media!" She smiled wryly, and I chuckled.

"Did Dad say anything to you?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

Mom's expression softened. "He's worried, sweetie. He always worries about his girls. Remember when Emily shared her relationship news? Dad wasn't angry or sad; he was just concerned. That's our Dad – always looking out for us." I smiled, feeling grateful for their unwavering support and love.

"Do you have a picture with him?" Mom asked, her curiosity piqued.

Oh no, I thought. We hadn't taken any photos together yet!

"Um... no," I admitted, feeling a bit sheepish. Mom raised an eyebrow, giving me a "really?" look.

"Hey, you know me, Mom – I'm not exactly a selfie enthusiast. And he's not too fond of them either. So, no photos together... yet!" I added with a grin.

"But I do have his picture!" I exclaimed, feeling a bit excited. I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my social media.

Mom's eyes sparkled. "Aww, show me!" I handed her my phone, and she cooed over his photo. "He's handsome, sweetie!"

"You think so, huh?" I asked, laughing. Mom nodded enthusiastically.

"You guys should take pictures together, though. You know, to keep memories of special moments..." She smiled, still gazing at his photo. 

"Wow, seriously wow! How did you two meet?" Mom asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. "It's a long story, Mom. Let's just say... we met in a weird way."

Mom's curiosity was piqued. "That only makes me more interested!" she admitted.

I chuckled dryly. "Our story is pretty... interesting. Every morning, I wonder what kind of... shit... I mean, sweet thing he'll do today!"

As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized what I'd just said. Quick as lightning, Mom's expression changed, and she teased, "Oh, he does sweet things to you, huh? My little girl's all grown up!"

I tensed up, taken aback by her playful jab. "No, I, that... uh, never mind!" I stuttered, trying to deflect her teasing.

***

The rest of the day was a chill family affair. We chowed down on food, chatted about work, and had a movie marathon. Mom and Dad caught up on each other's work gossip, while I expertly sidestepped Mom's attempts to grill me about Eryx.

Dad, on the other hand, asked me a million questions about him, but I just shrugged and said "still getting to know him, Dad!" (Truth: I still had a lot to learn).

We spent the evening doing our own thing, and at night, I retreated to my old bedroom. It had been ages since I'd slept there. Memories of Emily and me playing, fighting, and making up (repeat cycle) came flooding back. Ah, the golden days!

I snuggled into bed, feeling like a kid again, surrounded by the familiar creaks and groans of my childhood room. It was like no time had passed at all – except my bed now felt suspiciously small.

The next morning, Mom brought up Eryx again over lunch. I was like, "Seriously, Mom? Can't a girl eat in peace?"

"We haven't seen him!" she exclaimed.

I played dumb, mouth full of food. "Seen who?"

"Eryx, of course!" Mom replied, as if I'd forgotten the love of my life (spoiler alert: I hadn't).

I chuckled, trying to deflect. "I showed you his picture yesterday, didn't I?"

Mom wasn't having it. "I mean, in person. Why don't you invite him over for dinner?"

My eyes widened in panic. Holy crap, no. "Dinner? Uh, I don't know... He's really busy with work," I stammered, scrambling for an excuse. "He's got a lot on his plate... tough cases and all that jazz."

Dad nodded sympathetically, and I breathed a silent "thanks, Dad".

But Mom wasn't giving up. "Then bring him over next weekend. I just want to meet him!"

I opened my mouth to spin another excuse, but Mom cut me off. "I can call him myself, maybe?"

I hastily intervened. "No, no, I've got it. I'll call him. I'll make sure to tell him you're not planning an inquisition... just a friendly dinner."

Mom beamed. "And invite your friends over too!"

I raised an eyebrow. "What for?"

"I miss them!" Mom said, her eyes sparkling.

Aww, Mom missing my friends?

That's adorable.

But Eryx and my friends under one roof?

That's a recipe for disaster... or at least some serious awkwardness.