Ties (Book 1)

8. A Little More

I drove home after the long practice. My upper body and head ached. When I pulled up on the long driveway, I saw my parents' car parked at the front of the house. I was not in the brightest mood to deal with them. I tried to avoid them seeing me, but my mother was in the living room sipping a cup of tea on the teal, regal sofa that was embroidered with bronze accents. Since I was not capable of camouflaging into the walls, I entered the living room. I threw my backpack on the ground, tossed my shoes off of my feet, and shut my eyes as I laid on the sofa next to her.

Mother eyed me up and down in a perplexed and displeased manner. "I take it you had a rough day?" She insinuated.

I placed my arm over my eyes as if that could shut my mother out or erase her from being there. "Only a bit. I got knocked down in practice, no big deal."

"What," she exclaimed.

I told her what happened with the accident out in the field and how Levi helped me. She was silently listening at my explanation. I sat up to better explain myself. Her expression started to change from attentive to amused to blissful. I stopped talking because her change in character was disconcerting and ceased the words that formed in my throat.

"Levi Ellison?"

My eyebrows formed an alliance as they formed a scowl on my forehead. "Yeah we just went to their charity event. You know, the ones who came down from New York. Where were y'all yesterday and this morning by the way?"

"We went to a little get together in Dallas, and they offered us a room. We barely drove back this morning." She removed the book she had been reading from her lap and put it on the console table beside her. "You should invite the boy over to dinner one night." She smiled like the Cheshire.

I laid back down. The conversation was making me weary. "But you're never even home," I sassed.

"Are we not here now," she retorted.

"Yes, but I never know when you leave or when you are coming back."

"We will be here for the rest of the month so invite him. Oh and this is not up for discussion." She stood to leave to her bedroom. Obviously it's not up for discussion; you left before I even had time to blink.

As much as I enjoyed Levi's company, I did not want him to meet my family. He would probably take a look, get upset with my mother's behavior, say that he cannot handle my family and distance himself from me. It definitely felt like a walking nightmare stepping on the back of my heels.

Rising from the sofa, I picked up my items on the floor and slowly walked up the stairs. I took a shower and changed into a plain, cotton, gray pajama dress. No matter how annoyed I felt, I was starving. I pulled my wet hair up in a bun and walked barefooted downstairs. I was about to turn left to go to the kitchen when I heard voices in the dining room.

I peeked a little inside the room and what I saw made my jaw drop to the floor. Levi was sitting at my dining table having a conversation with my parents. I made myself visible which caused my mother to look my way, slightly grimacing at my attire, only to quickly recover and show her audience her pearly whites.

"Darling! So glad you came down, take a seat and join us. C'mon sit down so we may continue our chatter with this lovely boy of yours."

What the hell was wrong with her! He was not my boy. She definitely knew how to make my face go through a million colors in record time. I could have punched her right then and there to stop her from saying any other nonsense. Levi smiled at me as we made eye contact, and I just gave him a sheepish smile that probably did not do much. We had a hearty dinner consisting of chicken cordon bleu, mashed potatoes and a spinach side salad. All the food was delicious thanks to Maryanne's talented cooking abilities, and of course my mother's abilities to choose great employees.