Moonlight House (Book 2, Lonstino & Greenwood Series)

Chapter 34 - Truth

MATT

With Christmas almost around the corner, the moment I've been dreading has arrived, the obligatory visit to my parents. Since I bought my place, I've spent Christmas at Greenwood and only go to Oakheart when my mom calls to ask when I'm coming. This year I get to spend it with Erin and I'm looking forward to the get-together they have planned at Noah's house. She wanted to come with me and meet my parents, but I really want to land with them first the idea that I have a girlfriend. I'm sure that will cause a big enough disturbance so the news of our engagement will have to be shared at a later stage. My mother hates surprises so I called her a week ago to let them know I'm coming over. That should have given her enough time to scrub the house clean from top to bottom.

I know the front door is open, but I ring the bell and wait anyway. Their TV is on and the volume is deafening and I'm sure the neighbors can hear it, and it's probably to compete with what sounds like a vacuum cleaner. I ring the bell once more and knock, but no one comes to the door. It leaves me no other option than to call the house, but even standing at the front I can't hear the phone ringing. Without success, I pound on the door until the vacuuming noise stops and I ring the bell again.

"YOU AND YOUR DAMNNED TELEVISION!" My mother yells. "Someone's at the door! If you didn't have that blasting you could hear the bell!"

"IF YOU STOPPED WITH YOUR FUCKING CLEANING YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD IT TOO!" My father yells back at her.

I haven't set a foot inside and I already want to leave. The only thing that stops me is the four-hour drive from Oakheart back to Greenwood. The TV volume lowers to a proper level and I hear steps approaching the door. I try to put my best smile on and hope they can't see how irritated I already feel.

"Hi, Mom," I say the moment she opens the door.

"Matthew, I'm still working on the house," she blocks my way before I can enter. "You said you were coming around four. It is only twelve."

"Yeah, sure. I'll come back later," I turn to leave and figure that I can be back to Greenwood at the time I said I would be here.

"Just stay out of my way in the kitchen or in the living room."

Figuring that's the only greeting I'll get, I get in the house and walk into the living room. My father flips through the channels with one hand while the other holds a beer. He's probably been drinking since he woke up. His outfit consists on a pair of briefs and slippers, and it's another reason why bringing Erin here isn't a good idea.

"Hey, Dad," I say as I sit opposite him and he answers my greeting with a grunt.

He settles on a news channel and I'm glad that I brought my laptop. At least I can have some work done instead of enduring the pointless political discussions he enjoys watching. When I'm fed up with editing some photos, I open a document and make a list of things I would like to fix in my apartment before Erin moves in with me.

"Your bedroom is ready. We eat at six," my mother announces from the living room opening and leaves.

I look at the clock and shake my head at the realization that she's spent four hours cleaning since I got here instead of spending time with me. I walk upstairs and what she calls my bedroom looks more like a sterile hotel room since all my childhood memories are gone. It's immaculately clean and there a faint smell of bleach in the air, and further it's only a double bed, a nightstand with a lamp and a chest of drawers. With nothing better to do, I lie on the bed and close my eyes. Erin offered to spend the night with me last night because she knows how much energy it takes for me to deal with my parents. I love the way she spoons me and how her hand moves under my t-shirt to caress my shirt. Only this time it didn't move up, but down my stomach until it reached the edge of my boxers. I panicked slightly because nothing like this had happened before.