My Deaf World

Ch6- My girl

Happy New years!

Parent.  The word has many definitions.  A father or mother for example or an origin of the offspring.

I have my own parents, I met Chace’s parents and yet I’m nervous to meet Fritzs.  I blame Chace.

I wanted to stop Fritz as he walked me to his door but I couldn’t.  I needed to meet them and as I took a step closer I saw a curtain on the front window move.  So I knew I had been spotted.

“Don’t be nervous.  I’ll be right next to you the whole time.” Fritz told me right before he pulled me in his mansion.  Not literally but it was a huge house with a beautiful flower bed in front of a big porch.

Inside was even more impressive but cold.  Not temperature cold but emotional.  There were no pictures of anybody and the living room looked like no one has been in it for a long time.  Before I could ask anything there was a thin looking woman before me.  By how fast she got to me I knew she was the one at the curtain.  One look at her eyes and I also knew that this was Fritzs mom.  But other than the eye color that was it.  Which means Fritz must look more like his dad.

“Hello Mrs. Duncan.” I said politely.

She gave me a small smile. “You may call me Anna.  I have heard about you Val.”

Her sign language was perfect just as her voice was gentle and soft.  At the last bit I turned to Fritz who gave me a little shrug, looking a little sheepish.

“I’m glad you’re home son.”  Anna was telling Fritz, “You know how I worry when you drive.”

“I’m fine.” Fritz replied, but his shoulders sagged like he was annoyed at having the same conversation over and over.

“Well dinner is ready and your father is already sitting down.  Let’s not keep him waiting.”

With that she led us to the dining room. It was an elegant glass table.  A chair at both ends of the table and two chairs on each side.  I didn’t have time to admire the room because at the end of the table sat an intimidating man, scrutinizing me, from my hair to my shoes I was wearing.  Fritz looked just like him.  He gestured for us to sit.  Mrs. Duncan-it was too weird to start calling her Anna- automatically sat across him at the other end of the table.  Fritz started moving to sit at his right.  I followed until I stopped moving and paused, I wasn’t going to let this guy think I was scared of him and sit in between his wife and son.  So I walked around and sat at his left.  I met Mr. Duncan’s intense stare, while Fritz was shocked.

“Hmph” He looked away and started putting food on his plate.

Mrs. Duncan let out a breath of air and the rest of us started filling our plates also.  I could tell how hard Mrs. Duncan was trying to start a conversation but Mr. Duncan kept shooting it down.  Fritz didn’t really talk and when he did his mother translated.  Vice versa when Mr. Duncan talked.  Fritzs dad didn’t even learn sign language to converse with his son.

I didn’t dare say anything about this situation.  I just sat and ate.

Suddenly Mr. Duncan starts talking about our economy. The way he said it sounded like he was mostly talking to himself, like he didn’t expect a reply.

But I replied to him and immediately his interest was piqued.  Our conversation went everywhere, from the topic of supply and demand to our government system.  I knew everything he was talking about.  I kept up with him and I could tell he appreciated that.  Mrs. Duncan had a smile on her face and so did Fritz but I could tell that he was proud.  So far I didn’t think the dinner was terrible, until it took a turn for the worse.