Homecoming - Paul Lahote

Chapter 31: Family Dinner

      "Emily, have you met his dad?", I turned around from my closet to Emily who was sitting on my bed. She looked up from her phone, like she was trying to gather the words about the topic. 

      "Yeah I met him once, he was polite to me but he was terrible to Paul. He was so rude and he just snapped on him, Sam made me leave so that he could calm both of them down", I nodded. This made my fears even worse, if his father snapped at Paul in front of Sam and Emily, then he could snap on him with me there. 

      "I'm nervous, Em", she put her phone down on the bed and stood. She leaned into the closet next to me and grabbed a green and white flannel. She laid it on the bed and then tossed a plain white shirt at me, I pulled it over my head and tied one side of it before pulling the flannel over it. 

      "You look great and Paul is probably more nervous than you", I nodded and then there was a knock on the bedroom door. "Come on in Paul, she is ready", Paul entered the room and Emily snuck out, closing the door behind her. I stood in front of the mirror, brushing my hair and adjusting the necklace that Paul gave me for my birthday. 

      He sat down on the bed behind me, "You look great baby. Stop worrying about how you look", I adjusted the flannel again and Paul grabbed my hand to turn me around. I was standing right in front of him, "Stop messing with your shirt and don't stress yourself out. Emily thinks you're too stressed and I agree". 

      I shook my head, "I'm only a month pregnant, I think being a little nervous is okay. We should get going, I don't want to be late". I pulled him off of the bed and grabbed my phone, slipping it in my pocket before we walked down the stairs together. The entire pack was sitting around the table, eating the spaghetti and meatballs that Emily made for dinner. 

      I quickly gave Emily and hug, she whispered "Everything will be fine. No matter what happens you'll always have us. See you after dinner". Paul and I made our way out to his truck, he opened the door for me and then he started the truck and we made the drive to the other side of the reservation. 

      The drive was filled with the chatter from the radio, nervousness radiating off of Paul, while I began staring out of the window at the passing trees. We pulled up to the same house that I remember from the years that we spent together as children, it looked the same just a little worn down now. The tan siding looks like it is covered in a layer of dirt with the vines growing up the sides of the home. Paul jumped out of the truck, coming over to the passenger side of the truck to open the door for me. 

      We walked up to the door, before Paul opened it he let out a huge side. He pushed the door opened and stepped inside, "Dad? We're here". A man poked his head out of the kitchen, a small smile across his face. 

      "Son, why don't you introduce you're girlfriend to me. I'm just finishing up dinner", we followed him into the kitchen. I took a seat at the table in the kitchen, Paul stood behind me, his hands resting on my shoulders. 

     "Dad, this is Matt's daughter, Cammy. We were really close when we were younger". His father nodded, pulling what looked like a mac and cheese out of the oven and finishing the chicken on the stove. 

      Once everything was turned off, his father turned around, "I remember. You grew up to be a very beautiful girl Cammy. I also want to say that Katie called me, that is how I found out about your little situation". I looked up to Paul, he gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze and looked back to his father. 

      "I was going to tell you, I just started to be there for Cammy. I was terrible to her when I first found out, I blamed her and it isn't her fault". His father grabbed three plates, placing them on the table. Paul took the seat on the side of the table, between his father and I.