How Much We Changed

26

"My dad will be here any minute now"

Kris stepped out of the kitchen, wiping her hands with a napkin. It was just about an hour later, around 5:30pm.

The girls had spent the whole time in the kitchen, making dinner while Luka just waited in the living room, not quite sure what to do. Now, dinner was almost ready and their dad had texted he was almost home.

"Good" Luka smiled, finally getting up from his seat on the couch. "Cuz I'm done coming up with my whole backstory, it's pretty amazing, you're gonna love it" he assured her. "You know, this is really fun, coming up with lies..." He was trying his best not to laugh.

"Your neck tattoos are peeking out" Kris pointed out, cutting him short.

"Oh, shit" he mumbled, adjusting the collar of his jacket.

Kris was literally shaking with excitement, she couldn't stand still. Ever since her mum broke the news, she couldn't stop smiling. Whenever her dad came home, she always got to tell him everything. Things she wouldn't share with her mum. He was super nice, ever smiling and always ready to listen. His family was everything to him.

"Not to pressure you or anything..." Kris began. "...but if you screw this up, and somehow give my dad a chance to find out who you really are..." She continued, lowering her voice. "... You're going to completely ruin this amazing day for my family " she concluded with a smile.

That drained a good amount of Luka's excitement.
"Jeez Kris, I don't think you understand what the statement 'not to pressure you' means" he sighed, resting his hands on his waist.

He wasn't actually pressured before but Kris reminding him he could actually ruin the day for her family got him a little nervous. He saw how happy they all were and he couldn't imagine ruining that.

"Sorry, I'm just really excited " Kris rocked backwards on her heels. "So, let's hear the backstory" she clasped her hands in front of her.

"Ok, so get this..." His excitement resurfaced, ready to tell Kris what he had come up with.

He had way too much fun coming up with lies to dish Kris' parents in case they threw him any questions.

"He just pulled up in the driveway!" Kendra literally screeched, dashing down the stairs two steps at a time.

Angela sprinted out of the kitchen, yanking off her apron and adjusting her hair all at the same time. Kris's smile grew wider, if that was even possible.

The three of them stood side by side, facing the door, trying to contain their excitement while Luka just stood behind them, his hands clasped in front of him, silently praying things went well.

After about a minute of silence (minus the squeaking due to excitement from the girls), the door slowly creaked open and a tall figure stepped into the house.

You would never guess he had two adult daughters. He was forty five but he didn't look a day over thirty. He had on a simple black shirt over a pair of deep blue jeans and a small brown suitcase in his right hand.

Luka gulped and wiped off the sweat that had formed on his forehead. He didn't quite remember Kris' dad. Gary Harris definitely looked like the kind of dad who would stalk any guy that got close to his daughter and then mess him up if he tried anything. He couldn't imagine what would happen if Gary found out he wasn't who he was pretending to be.

"Wow, something smells amazing in here" he took in a whiff of the aroma escaping from the kitchen almost as soon as he entered.

"Dad!" Kendra and Kris yelled in unison as they sprinted towards their dad to hug him.