After The Storm ♡ Thunderstorms Spin-Off

28. Family Dinner

Work passes quickly for the rest of the day which is good considering I have so much to talk to my mom about. I knew that I couldn't help Dylan without my parent's help and so as much as it was going to kill me, I knew I had to suck it up and talk to them. 

We walk into the house that evening and I find my mom shelling money out of her wallet while my dad is staring at his laptop. "You're not pizza" she comments and I laugh, shaking my head as I close the door behind us and walk further into the house. 

"Not last time I checked" I reply with a chuckle and my dad groans, pointing to the screen on his computer. 

"I don't get it! It says that the pizza is at our doorstep yet-." His complaint is cut off by the doorbell ringing and my mom takes off towards the door while my dad shuts his computer and looks up to me and my boyfriend. "I hope pizza is okay, we just weren't really up to cooking tonight" he explains and I shrug nonchalantly. I was a teenager, when did we ever get upset abut pizza? 

"It's fine dad" I assure him as my mom walks into the room with two pizzas stacked on top of one another and a small box of what I was sure was some sort of garlic, cheesy bread resting at the top of the stack. "Is everything okay though?" I ask worriedly and my mom sighs, dropping the food onto the counter. 

"Noah's just being a little finicky lately" my mom explains and it's then that I notice the obvious circles under her eyes from sleepless nights and the dozens of empty coffee mugs strewn around the counter. When my mom realized she was pregnant just a couple years ago she and my dad were shocked but excited to be expanding our family...of course they weren't exactly used to having babies around the house anymore though given that I was fourteen and the twins were nine. 

"I'm sure it's just a phase" I suggest hopefully as my dad grabs down a stack of plates and begins handing them out as he calls down the hallway for the twins. 

"I hope so" my mom groans, collapsing onto a bar stool and dropping her head into her hands. "I just don't remember the terrible twos being that terrible with any of the rest of you" she says as my brother and sister walk into the room. Caden laughs, grabbing a plate from dad. 

"I heard that I was a nightmare."

"Who told you that?" my dad demands and Caden looks towards me causing my mom's eyes to widen. 

"Emma" she exclaims and I laugh, putting my hands up in defense. 

"They're my younger siblings, they're supposed to drive me crazy" I reply defensively and everyone laughs, including my boyfriend who is helping himself to two slices of cheese pizza beside me. 

"Well he's taking a nap for now so let's enjoy a little peace and quiet" my dad suggests, kissing my mom's cheek and my heart swells. I look over at Dylan and allow myself a bit of hope that someday we would end up like this, albeit we had a lot of hurdles to get over in the meantime but thinking of the life we could have someday filled me up with loads of excitement. 

We all dig into our food and we discuss all things summer, camp, the twins' endless days at the lake, and finally what we're all excited about as it comes to an end. "Are you excited to be starting school up again?" my mom asks Dylan and he shrugs, picking apart the crust that he hasn't eaten. 

"I guess I haven't thought about it much" he admits. "If I were to end back up with my mom-." 

I put my hand over his and shake my head adamantly. "That's not going to happen Dyl." 

He shrugs, dropping the crust onto his plate and scooting back in his seat. "I appreciate the sentiment babe but you don't know that for sure" he argues, standing up. "I'm sorry. Can I be excused?" he asks politely and my mom gives him an apologetic smile as she nods her head.