A Tangled Web We Weave (Completed)

20. Fogging Up the Glasses

Andy

"Ok, you know what, I am not that short."

"Any shorter and you'd probably fade out of existence."

I glowered, blushing furiously. "Stop it, Cal, I swear to God."

"And what will you do if I don't?"

"I'll turn around right now and go home. I swear I will."

He smiled, reaching for my hand. "Are you nervous?"

I nodded, biting my lip. "Please don't remind me. I'm trying to forget about it."

He tugged me closer with my hand. "It's just Kelly. She's not that bad."

"Cal, I'm meeting your mother. I'm allowed to be nervous." I pulled down my sleeves to try and shut out the cold, but the lace was doing little to help. "It's freezing."

He looked around himself. "My dad was always hot, so my mom would turn down the temperature on the entire floor for him when he visited her here. I think she assumes I'm the same way."

The architecture of the building was very open and whimsical for a law firm. Windows everywhere, colorful see-through panels for every other wall, and spiral staircases. The furniture was all modern odds and ends. As we strolled hand in hand into her large office, I took my first look at his mother.

Kelly was extremely thin. And by thin, I mean she seemed to be all joints, maybe almost unhealthy thin. Her heart shaped face was lined with worry and her brown hair was pulled back into a no-nonsense bun at her nape. Her huge glasses were perched high on her nose and when she looked up from her laptop, they slid down a little. "Callum," she cried, standing up quickly and striding over to him. They embraced tightly and the entire time he held onto my hand like a lifeline. She stepped back and greeting my with a smile. "And you must be Andrea. But, Callum, I can't believe you would lie to me about her."

When my head almost fell off snapping to look at him so fast, she chuckled, linking my arm in hers. "She's much prettier than you said."

"Mother-"

"Callum, it's alright. I think she already understands, I say nothing I mean and I mean nothing I say." She lead me over to a chair across from her desk and sat in her seat. "Now, tell me about yourself."

I flicked my gaze over to Cal, who looked like he was in intense pain. "Well, Mrs. Jackson-"

"Actually, Mom, we should head to dinner and save 20 questions for the next time you guys talk, ok?" Cal grabbed my hand, pulling me up with him.

I tripped over myself, my heel catching the edge of the rug. I went flying into Cal's back and would've hit the floor had his hand not latched onto my arm. "Thanks," I muttered and turned around to face his mother as he marched me away. "Au revoir, Mrs. Jackson."

She just grinned and waved.

We strolled to the elevator and waited in silence. The doors slid open with a ding and we stepped into the little space, standing about a foot apart. I felt him tug on the edge of my skirt and I giggled, leaning away from him. "Cal, stop it-"

Suddenly, he grabbed my waist and spun me to face him, his lips mere inches from my own. He leaned closer and closer until-

The doors opened with a ding and we jumped about a mile apart as a little old man slowly meandered in between us, his cane clicking as he went. My face was burning and Cal kept clearing his throat. The old man looked back and forth at us and chuckled. "If I was interrupting something important, by all means, carry on. I'm practically blind without my glasses anyway." He grinned, taking his glasses from off his nose and folding them before placing them in his jacket pocket.

Cal met my eyes over the white hair and smirked, clearing his throat again while fixing me with a look.

I blushed the entire way down to the first floor.