The Truths We See

Chapter 7

"Where have you been?" was the first thing I heard when I returned home near dinner time. I'd been sitting in my spot all morning, rode around the park to warm up, and then went back. It was far later than I normally came home during the week without a reason. Lilly being worried wasn't surprising at all.

I sighed as I propped my board against the wall and began taking off my layers. "Out. I went to my spot."

She glanced at me as she stirred something on the stove. "You've been there all day?" Alarm was beginning to make its way into her voice. 

"Not all day," I said. "I also rode around for a while." I picked up my board and tried to head to my room, but Lilly stopped me.

"Come taste this," she called. I went into the kitchen and tasted the sauce she was holding out to me on a wooden spoon. It was delicious. I smiled and nodded my approval. "Glad you like it. Now, set that thing down and set the table for four."

I took one step towards my room and stopped. "Four?"

She nodded. "For some reason, your brother chose to be absent. He's off somewhere on his board and said to eat without him."

"Why four? Who's coming over?"

She frowned at me. "I told you a long time ago - my parents are coming over. Go clean up and then set the table. Hurry! They're going to be here any minute."

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Dinner was mostly silent with looks cast at the only empty chair at the table. Ben wasn't in the house, and I had no idea where he could be. Neither did Lilly. Though that was one of the first things her mother asked when she walked inside and glanced around. It seemed like it was an offense to them that he didn't show up for dinner. 

Lilly's dad simply stared at his plate. He didn't seem like he wanted to eat the food, even though I knew it was quite delicious. I'd already cleaned my plate. Twice. 

To be honest, I'd only ever met her parents once besides the wedding, but that was years ago. I wasn't familiar with anything about them besides the fact they were very conventional and they believed in a stiff upper lip at all times. They weren't exactly cheap, but they definitely spent as little as possible even though they were quite well-off. I knew they didn't exactly approve of her marrying Ben, but they didn't object too strongly, either. I also knew her mother was addicted to cleaning. 

Which would account for why I could barely smell the food over the scent of furniture polish. I would never understand why Lilly went nuts cleaning before her parents visited.

Dinner was over by seven, and I had lost all the peace I'd gained from sitting alone in my spot all day. I was pretty tense even as I watched her parents walk out the door. The door through which Ben was yet to appear. I kind of wanted to turn on the TV to see if he'd been arrested, but I quickly dismissed the thought, wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt more than make my worry for him go away.

I went to my room, mumbling an excuse for wanting to care for my board. It wasn't a lie, but I mostly wanted to just be alone. I wasn't a loner, but sometimes being alone helped me feel just a little more sane, which I needed after the stress of the day.

When there was a timid knock on my door fifteen minutes later, I was just finishing drying my board. "Come in."

The door eased open and Lilly stepped into my room. "I'm sorry about how tense tonight was."

I nodded. "That's okay. Why are they so upset?"

She sighed and sank onto the edge of my bed next to me. "They feel like it's a disgrace to their good name for Ben to have been arrested and all this, and tonight was supposed to be them trying to make amends with him, extend a little forgiveness."