Breathing Water

CHAPTER 43

"Why were you waiting for me outside?" Shelly turns into a neighbor hood.
"My mom finally decided to accept who I am. Where are we going?" I crease my eyebrows.
She looks at me for a second and the refocuses on the road. "Isn't that a good thing. I'm not telling you where we are going. Its a surprise."
"It would be great news if she hadn't told me right in front of my dad who decided to walk back into our lives this afternoon."
"What? Your dad is back?"
"Yeah, and he didn't seem to take kindly to the fact that I like girls." Shelly makes another turn and slows to a stop in front of a large house. "Is this your house?"
"Sort of. My parents own it and I live in it but my parents are never home so..." She trails off as she steps out of the car, and then her mood shifts slightly. "Apparently not today. I guess its time for you to meet my parents," she adds as she opens my door.
"What? No. I'm not ready. Do I look ok? Do you think they'll like me?"
"If they know anything about me and what I like, they should love you." She smiles at me before taking my hand and helps me out of the car. I tentatively get out and give her a nervous smile.
We walk up to a huge wooden door with windows surrounding it decoratively. Shelly pulls me inside. "Mom, Dad, whoever else is here I have a guest." I jump a little at the surprising volume of her voice.
I hear some bustling around a near by corner before a woman pokes her head out with disheveled hair. "Hello, honey. We thought you would be out tonight, sorry for the misunderstanding." The woman's black rimmed eyes focus on me and she pulls her head back around the corner. A second later she steps out and walks toward me and Shelly. Her previously imperfectly red lips are now perfect as she says "Hi. I am Shelly's mother. You may call me Mrs. Flotsam." A man walks up behind her adjusting his tie. "And this is Mr. Flotsam. Shelly's father, and my husband. What is you name?"
"I'm... I'm Oyster Estuary. Its nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Flotsam."
"Oh! The pleasure is all ours, Oyster." The man has a very deep voice, but I can tell Shelly gets her's from her mother.
"That's a very interesting and unique name, I like it." Mrs. Flotsam turns to look at the corner. "We were just making dinner. Would you care to join us?"
"Sure, that would be very nice." The four of walk down the hall and round the corner into a very large kitchen and dining room. The table is set for two but Shelly quickly adds two more settings. A beeping sounds from the double over and Mr. Flotsam exclaims "Oh! The bread is done. We were just waiting on that, so I guess its time to eat." Shelly pulls open a chair and motions for me to take it. I gladly oblige and look at the serving platters sitting in front of me. We are eating spaghetti. Yum! We prepare our plates and then the questions start. "So, Oyster how do you know Shelly?"
"Um, well..." I look to Shelly, who took the seat to my right. She takes my hand and smiles. "She saved my life when I almost drowned. Then we started hanging out and we really likes each other so now we are dating." I scoop a forkful of spaghetti into my mouth to hopefully help my nerves.
"Oh, really. What do you plan to do after high school?"
I swallow the forkful and respond. "Well my plan had been to become a marine biologist, but recent events have made me rethink that idea." Shelly's parents keep asking me questions but don't really seem to pay attention. They keep smiling at each other. When we are done eating, Shelly takes my hand and guides me up the stairs and through the house into a room that I assume is her's.