Melody.
That name sounded oddly familiar. I couldn't put my finger on it - most likely because my brain was already filled with troubled thoughts - but I feel like I know someone with that name.
"Who's Melody?" I asked Karen.
"Oh, she was-" she begins but cuts herself off when Michael returns to the room.
"Maybe you're better off if he tells you himself," Karen whispers to me, then glances over at Michael. "Your father and I are going to go shop for dinner, want anything specific?"
Michael shook his head in response. "No, just get whatever makes you happy."
She smiled and leaves the room, leaving Michael and I alone in the kitchen. He walks over to me, putting his arm around my waist ant giving me a confused look.
"What was that about?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said, deciding not to ask him about Melody at the moment. "We were just bonding."
He laughs. "Yeah, I could tell my mum already adores you. I think she's getting into the obsessive zone, but I don't blame her. I'm pretty obsessed with you."
He presses me into his chest and gives me a tight hug. I joked, "Maybe it's the green eyes?"
"Could be," he replies, snuggling his head into the crook of my neck.
I wanted to know about the Melody girl his mother mentioned - my curiosity was getting the better of me. Had she been his past girlfriend? I thought I was the only girl he's ever dated, though.
Michael pulls away from me but keeps his hand steady on my waist, just as his father, Daryl, pokes his head into the doorway. "We decided to go out for pizza instead of cooking, you guys coming?"
Michael looks at me as if silently asking if I was okay with the plans, and I nodded. "Sure, we'll go," he tells his dad.
The two of us sit in the backseat of his parents' car, and he places his hand on my thigh. I raised my eyebrow at him and he smirked. I rolled my eyes but placed my hand over his.
"I'm surprised Mikey here hasn't shown Mia his man cave in the house," Daryl says just as we pull into the parking of a pizza parlor.
"You have a man cave?" I asked my boyfriend amusingly.
Michael smiles proudly. "Yes, I do."
"And he hardly ever left it when he still lived with us," Karen laughed.
"Why am I not surprised?" I giggled. "I have to see this man cave for myself."
"Will do," Michael said. "It's glorious."
I smirked at him. "I'll be the judge of that."
He smiles fondly at his lap and we all get out of the car as soon as we're parked. Michael intertwines my fingers with his and I embrace the warmth of his hand. Karen notices us holding hands and smiles to herself.
We sit down at a booth near the back of the restaurant, Karen and Daryl sat together across from Michael and I. We still hold hands under the table, even when looking through the menu. After we order, Michael clears his throat.
"I'm sorry I haven't talked with you guys since I moved out," he tells his parents genuinely, catching him off guard.
"It's quite all right Michael, we forgive you," his dad smiles. "You are our only son after all and we love you."
"I love you, too," Michael tells them kindly, then looks at me. "And I love you."
I smile at him as Karen says excitedly, "Aw, you two are so cute together!"
