Temporary Bliss [boyxboy]

15: Family

Caleb's parents were coming over. This scared me - I'd known them since forever just like Caleb, but they weren't particularly the nicest people.
They were quite judgemental and... I liked to say that they had a gigantic stick up their ass.

Even Caleb seemed nervous about this visit. We were both up and running around all morning to clean the house.

Mr. and Mrs. Winter were...
Well, they existed. Most people weren't too happy about that, and despite knowing them for most of my life, that included myself.

It was around dinner time that the doorbell rang, making both Caleb and I jump. He swallowed and took a deep breath before opening the door. I waited in the living room awkwardly. I heard them speak a few words before they all came walking into the living room area.

"Hello, Finn, dear," Mrs. Winter said stiffly and I smiled at her.
"Hello," I replied politely, "How are you?"

"Same old, same old," Caleb's father said gruffly, sitting down on the couch next to his wife and I nodded.

Caleb shot me a look and I remembered what we'd discussed earlier. Right.
I got up and asked, "Can I get you two anything to drink?"

"Tea will do," said Caleb's mother and his father nodded in agreement.
I went into the kitchen to prepare the tea. It wasn't long until Caleb followed, a guilty look on his face.

"I'm sorry, you know what they're like..." he started but I shook my head.
"It's whatever. Let's just hope they leave soon," I smiled, finishing the tea and picking it up.

I carried it into the living room, setting the two cups down on the coffee table, not receiving any acknowledgement, let alone a thank you. Not that it surprised me.

"So, what have you been up to recently?" Caleb's father asked, turning to his son.

"Nothing much, dad," he said.

"You know, Caleb, I don't approve of your laziness. We've been over this. You are an adult now, you can't just keep doing nothing. Some work is in order. Besides, now you have a friend living here, too. Does he even go to work?" she said, looking over to me.
Then she added, "No offense to you of course, dear."

I didn't answer. I hated how she always spoke about me like she didn't even know me.

"Yes he does, mom," Caleb simply answered.

"Really, now? Where does he work?" she asked.

"I'm a bartender," I explained, already bracing myself for the derogatory comment that was bound to come.

"Oh," she paused, "Don't you feel like you're disappointing your parents in some way? Your mother a nurse, your father a firefighter. Big careers, very honorable. And their son is a... bartender? What would your father say if he was still alive? And what about your mother?"

I stared at her in disbelief. How could she speak about my father like that, like she had any right? Who did she think she was? I was absolutely fuming and about to say something... not too friendly, but luckily Caleb cut me off.

"Mom!" he scolded.

"What?" she retorted as if she was completely oblivious to how incredibly rude she was, "I'm just telling the truth, dear. It was a simple question."

Of course I felt like I'd let my parents down. I hadn't been able to get any scholarship money and my family really couldn't afford to send me to college, so what was I supposed to do?
I'd never been so angry at Caleb's mother. She'd always been shitty, but this was on a new level. I didn't say anything, though. I just wanted it to be done and over with.