Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
“I have…umm…cares to give,” I tell him, my eyes stinging. “So many cares.”
“I’m sorry that I hate your wallpaper,” Mom sniffs.
I laugh and pat her hand. “It’s okay. You don’t have to like it. We just have different styles.”
“I’m sorry that I’ve tried to sway your decisions. I’m sorry if you’ve felt that I dictated to you or talked at you or down to you.”
“Mom.” I crane my head back so I can see her properly and make good eye contact. “In your life, if you’re not giving orders, people could die. You’ve had that responsibility for so long that it just naturally bleeds into the rest of your life. Maybe. It would make sense. I have felt that way, but I know you weren’t doing it to hurt me or make my life worse.”
Dad gets up and rests his hand on my other shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay, Bellatrix? If you say you are, we’ll trust your judgment. You’re an adult, and that’s only right, but you’re still our daughter. Worrying is our job, as you said.”
I smile up at both of them. “I’m okay. I promise.” I motion to the food. “I know the conversation probably put us off of it, but let’s eat. This is way too much to keep for leftovers.”
They do sit down, and they do eat. They even help themselves to corn, though they both shave it. I smile all the way through without having to force a second of it.
My parents aren’t going to change who they fundamentally are, and that’s okay. That was the whole point of this conversation. I can’t do that either. We just need to learn how to appreciate that about each other.
They both decline dessert, but they help me clean up. Dad even inspects the wallpaper in the living room and the bear from hell while my mom helps me with dishes. As they’re leaving, they each give me another hug. I consider that a huge leap for our family.
“Let us know when you’re going to be playing,” Mom says. “We’ll come and hear you. I’ll take time off.”
Whoa. Now, that’s a mega gigantic leap.
“I’ll let you know as soon as I know. I’d love to have you both there. I think I’ll be playing several nights a week, so something will work with your schedules, even if it’s not the first night.”
Dad pauses at the door. “What was your ex-boyfriend’s name and address again?”
I shake my head rapidly. “Oh, nope. No way. I’m not letting you go after him legally. Just let it be. He’s not worth the effort.”
He doesn’t like that, but he reluctantly dips his chin in agreement. “What’s the new one’s name? Just so I can do my fatherly duty by sending him a warning that he had better treat you right.”
“You can talk to him when you come and see me play. He’ll probably be bartending.”
“Is that how he got you the job?”
“Something like that.”
My parents haven’t put it together that Rowleigh is rich. Super rich. I don’t want them to worry, but I also want them to meet him and know him for just him. Not that the money would make a difference, except they’d worry about me more because of the age difference and the economic disparity that could lead to an imbalance of power that leaves me at a disadvantage.
I also don’t want to give them fuel for the sugar daddy theory because it’s absolutely not correct.
“Have you used the printer yet?” Mom looks hopeful, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings.
“I have. It’s pretty fun and weirdly addictive. Maybe I’ll be able to start printing things for sale soon, but if not, you’ll both get some very interesting Christmas presents this year.”
They leave with smiles, but the big difference is that I’m smiling too. I wave from the doorway as I watch them go to their car, and after they’re gone, I take a deep breath. I feared the worst in the form of a family apocalypse, but it never happened.
I want to share this wonderful news with one person first. We still haven’t had our official first date since I wanted to talk to my family before it happened. That might be old-fashioned or weird, but it was important to me.
I’ve missed Rowleigh like crazy. More than just like crazy. It’s all the crazy with a side helping of crazy. A crazy order of fries that’s not complete without crazy gravy.
The only good thing about having a few days to miss him was that the absence definitely made the aching in my lady bits grow stronger, and I had time to go out and buy something special just for him.
I’m not sure if he wants to eat leftover ham and ice cream cake or if he’s even free tonight or tomorrow, but I’m not going to wait another minute to call him. At the very least, I can tell him that things with my parents are going to be okay. I know he was anxiously awaiting this dinner as much as I was.