Mate

Chapter 10

Right now I am sitting at the bar in the kitchen sneaking meatballs from the ginormous bowl of spaghetti my mom made for our guests tonight. I mean come on, it's not like we are feeding an army so why do we have a bowl so big I could curl up in it and still have room for a pillow.

"If you two don't keep your hands out of my food I will kill you." Mom declares with her back to both me and my dad, who is caught mid-chew and licking his fingers as she turns around.

Does she have eyes in the back of her head or something?

"Amelia, you need to be careful. We don't need you staining your dress before they even get here."

"Yeah." My dad interjects as he plucks two more from the bowl. Mom swats his hand away and grabs the bowl making her way to the table.

I playfully glare at him as he gloats at the fact that he did not get in trouble.

You see the problem here isn't just the fact that she's gone overboard and is worrying as if anybody will notice the absence of seven meatballs. It's that my mother has been cooking all afternoon and filled the house with these amazing aromas and deprived us from all of it.

"How many are coming anyways? You really think they're going to finish all of this." I motion towards the two salad bowls, parmesan shakers, two loafs of Italian bread, an array of salad dressings, two champagne bottles and the holy grail of all pasta bowls that somehow fit on our 6 seated dinner table.

I can tell my mom is anxious to meet her friends she hasn't seen in awhile and hope this goes well for her. She starts to fidget, straightening out the nonexistent wrinkles from her dress, fixing her already perfect hair and ringing her hands together. Dad notices and makes his way over to her.

"Everything is fine baby. Besides Jared has always been a fat ass, he'll love it. Plus nobody has ever complained about your cooking so we are all set." Dad says reassuringly placing his face in her neck his arms around her waist.

He's the only one who can calm her down when she gets like this.

"You two excited?"

"Yeah. I mean these were our closest friends in high school and we haven't seen them in a long time." Dad says.

"Well when we first moved when you were no older then three, they came to visit with their son. You and him really hit it off, always playing with each other and never wanting to be apart. And even throughout the years we have called and managed to keep up with each other's lives." Mom adds.

Wait they have a son? And I've met him before? Wha-

My thoughts are interrupted by our door bell ringing.

"Oh! Amelia go set the table!" My mom demands excitedly.

I swear she is crazy. She just went from panic mode to happy-go-lucky in a matter of seconds.

Never the less, I grab all the necessary utensils and lay them out at the different plates. Once that's done I straighten up and smooth out my dress and hair so I look presentable.

When I think I'm ready and hear the chatter of voices I pad my way to the door with a genuine smile on my face. I'm kind of excited for this dinner myself. No clue why, but I am.

"Hey man long time no see!" I see my dad welcome a big burly man with a hug.

"I know, it's nice to have you back." The intimidating man with the beard says.

Next to them is a petite women in a floral dress and heels hugging my mom, both close to tears. "Oh Sarah, it's been so long! I brought some dessert hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all! That's the one thing I forgot to make, so it's perfect!" Mom says with a huge grin on her face.

The two groups swap to greet each other's spouses and when they seperate into their own pairs is when I can get a good look at our guests.

The man has dark brown hair and a scruffy beard to match. He's as huge as a mountain and his presence alone demands respect. Then his wife I presume is the complete opposite. She has a short stature, maybe my height or shorter and gives off this caring motherly vibe right off the bat. But they somehow complete each other. He gives her that protection factor and she probably has him wrapped around her finger and brings out his puppy loving side.

Certain features of them both remind me of Andrew.

But then again what doesn't remind me of Andrew? Seriously, I always catch my thoughts drifting towards Andrew.

Thinking of Andrew, it was very tense between us today until I asked, casually of course, what that girl wanted at lunch and he said she wanted to go see a movie this weekend with him but he politely declined. This made me feel as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders, I didn't have to strangle that girl after all.

"Oh my goodness! Is this Amelia?" She shrieks bringing me out of the flashback.

"Hi." I make my way towards the opening with a small wave.

"This is her." My dad says proudly.

She brings me into a hug and seems to hold on for a little longer then I thought and when she lets go shes looking at me weird. Okay...

"Wow she's grown." I hear a bellowing laugh from beside me and the woman, who is still observing me with a smile.

"You weren't even walking last time I saw you." The muscley dude mentions.

"It's nice to see you again." I smile and give him a hug as well. He doesn't hold it for as long as his wife which I am grateful for. I don't even remember the first time I met them but they seem very welcoming.

"Sweetheart, this is Susan and Jared Calloff, two of our oldest friends." Dad introduces us. I nod with a smile and position myself in front of my parents.

Wait, Calloff? As in Mrs. Calloff's bookstore calloff.

"Oh where is that boy of yours?! I haven't seen him in forever!" Mom squeals.

"He's getting the dessert from the car. Oh here he is." Mrs. Calloff says with a loving smile. She seems overly excited about something and sneaks a peek at me as if gaging my reaction. I give a shy smile in return not wanting to give away my suspicion that seems to be building by the second.

I look up at the door to be met with the beautiful grey eyes I haven't been able to stop thinking about.

"Andrew?"