Pirouette

12: Gibberish

Fiona had been anxious.

After everything, Adam still insisted to come home with her and eat dinner with her and her mother. He kept to his promise of helping her, even though the day had been beyond hectic. Fiona didn't know how he found the energy, but it was admirable.

– But that now also led to a very terrifying upcoming evening.

They had taken the bus and then walked to her home, and Fiona had been absolutely freaking out the whole way while Adam had chuckled at her. He had wrapped his arm around her and told her it would all be okay, just as they walked inside her house.

Her mom was in the kitchen with the dinner on the stove as Fiona walked in first. Her mom turned towards her and smiled, but then immediately froze up when she noticed Adam standing behind her. Her face went from loving to alarmed in a split second. Great start.

"Mom, this is Adam," Fiona quickly blurted and felt Adam give a wave behind her, probably followed by one of his megawatt grins. "Is it okay if he joins us for dinner?"

Her mom gave a deep and furrowed frown as Adam stepped forward to extend his hand. Politely, her mom shook it, but with a very guarded stare. "Adam? And how do you know my daughter?"

"We dance and study together," Adam prompted, and Fiona cringed at the flash of surprise that rolled over her mom's face. "I'm from the DanceDec. You have a really talented daughter, Mrs Torrence."

Now Fiona was the one who blinked up in surprise; Had he lurked their last name off the mailbox or something? He really was good.

"Thank you," Her mom replied, still giving him a slight skeptical glare. "You look a little old to still be in school. How old are you, Adam?"

"I'm 19, ma'am," He replied, giving a smile while her mom hummed quietly. "I'm in my senior year."

"Mm-hm," She looked him over thoroughly, doing the regular probing mom-stare. Fiona groaned internally.

"Please, mom?" She said, drawing the attention to herself. "We're just going to be studying and then he's going home himself. It's a school night."

Her mom gave one last long glare at Adam who smiled back. She then finally sighed. "Alright. But I want the door to stay open, that's not up for discussion. Now go wash your hands and help set the table."

"Thank you, ma'am," Adam grinned and then did as Fiona, following her lead. They both washed their hands and then set the table for the three of them, whereafter her mom came over with the food. Chicken breast with rice and curry sauce.

"Do you mind if I say grace?" Adam asked as they all sat down and placed their napkins in their laps. Fiona's mom raised a sharp brow, clearly not expecting that from him. "My grams would whip me if I didn't," He grinned.

Pursing her lips, Fiona saw her mom try and hide her smile, but she knew he had just earned a bucketful of points in her mom's book. With a nod, they therefore all joined hands and let Adam say grace.

Dinner went surprisingly smooth after that. Her mom eased off when Adam answered all of her grilling questions without pause and laughed when he told her about his grandmother. Fiona noticed that the more he told about himself, the more her mom started smiling. Adam had been right; he really was great with parents.