Yours Truly

27. The Dinner

Soft Jazz music could be heard playing from inside the house. Sera and Rowan stood next to each other in front of the front door after Sera had rang the bell. As nervous as she was, She forced herself to focus on the muffled sound of music seeping from the door. She furrowed her brows at the thought of it being too loud. 

Since when did we listen to freaking Jazz music at the house?

She sneaked a glance at Rowan to find him already looking at her. She pursed her lips together in an attempt to suppress a smile but it broke free anyway. Her head turned so quickly at the sound of footsteps and chatter coming closer to the door, and just as it was about to open, she felt Rowan's hand intertwine with hers swiftly yet smoothly. Before she could say anything, the door opened to reveal Elena. 

There was a moment of silence. A slow pause that would have been unnoticeable if it had been anybody else, but Sera knew her sister all too well. She saw her eyes hastily moving to Rowan and then their intertwined hands, she saw the judgment in them before she wiped it away with a smile. 

"Welcome." Elena opened the door wider for them to come in. 

"Mom, Sera is here!" She yelled while Sera and Rowan were still taking their coats off. The sisters shared a knowing glance. Elena had deliberately omitted the announcement of Sera having her boyfriend with her. What the purpose of it was, Sera might never know.

"I don't believe we have properly met yet." Elena put on one of her dazzling smiles, flipping her pin-straight hair behind her back. "I'm Elena, Sera's older sister." She extended her hand toward Rowan while Sera watched with anxiety. 

"Rowan Reed." He shook her hand. 

"Sera!" Loud footsteps were heard before Sera was engulfed in a big hug. 

"Mom." As much as she wanted to protest and move away, Sera had been denied a mother's warm embrace for far too long. Her body instinctively relaxed in her mother's arms. 

She could see her eldest sister, Madison, standing in the kitchen's entrance while Sera was hugging her mom. As they made eye contact, Madison gave Sera a tiny smile. 

"My baby, how have you been?" Her mother asked as she leaned away, still close enough to caress her daughter's hair.

"I've been good, Mom. How have you been?" Her hands went to grab her mother's lovingly. 

No matter what they did or even might do in the future, Sera knew she could never hate her family. As sad as it is and as pathetic as it may sound. She could be a pushover, but she didn't care. They humiliated her. Yet, she knew she could never truly hate them.

This is why she was scared, Apart from them meeting Rowan, she knew her heart was going to warm back to them once she was close again. That's why she protected herself in the distance. Out of sight, out of mind. 

"I'm good, sweetie." 

"I want you to meet Rowan, my boyfriend." Sera looked back at him, she leaned away from her mother's embrace to stand closer to him, hugging his arm to give him some of her comfort.

"It's wonderful to meet you, ma'am." Rowan extended his hand to Sera's mother politely, but her mother was in complete shock. Eyes wide open and lips parted in surprise. 

When she took too long to shake it back, Elena hissed at her quietly, "Mom." 

We could hear you, you know. Sera thought.

"I-It's nice to meet you, Rowan." Sera couldn't explain her mother's hesitation and surprise. 

Did she think she wasn't serious?

"Rowan, that's my eldest sister, Madison." Sera pointed at her. 

To her surprise, Madison didn't come closer to where they were standing. She only nodded her head in greeting. So Rowan did the same. 

"Okay, come on, the men are in the living room." Elena said, leading the way. 

Rowan and Sera shared another look before Sera started following Elena. She noticed her mother looking at Madison, but she passed by them too quickly to understand. 

The Jazz music was lower now, and as they all entered the living room, Sera realized it was definitely not coming from in here. The room was thick in silence and the air heavy with smoke. The three men all sat together, Tristan and her dad on one side and Killian on the other. Three heads turned to look at them as they entered and Sera shared a quick glance with all of them one at a time. 

She was going to throw up.

Silence was all that could be heard once they all gathered in the room. No one said a thing. Only the low soft music, which didn't really fit the vibe at all in Sera's opinion, could be heard coming from the kitchen. Whoever chose it must have been badly attempting to lighten up the mood in preparation for this dinner. 

Her father was looking at her, but almost as if he was looking through her. His face was completely blank of any emotion. She thought that Rowan might think that he was glaring at her, but he didn't know that this was his version of a resting bitch face. His glare wasn't aimed at anyone, that was his neutral face. When Ronald Wynn was glaring at you, he would leave no room for doubt, you would be sure of it. 

When the silence remained, Sera decided to compromise and break it first.

"Hello, father." 

There was a slow up-and-down look, scrutinizing her with his eyes from head to toe. A harsh look on his face. 

His eyes landed on Rowan next as he disregarded her greeting. 

He leaned back on the couch, one hand resting on the couch arm and the other on his thigh as he raised his leg to place his left ankle on his right thigh in a clear move of disrespect and then spoke for the first time, "Is this your man?" His voice was a gravelly and hoarse one from years of heavy smoking. 

Sera looked away as she answered, "Yes, father." 

She expected Rowan to politely introduce himself as he did with her mother. It was a perfect cue to break the awkwardness. But Rowan remained silent. His eyes were stuck on her father's as they both stared at each other in harsh glares. 

The sisters shared looks with their mother for the millionth time, not knowing what to do. To Sera's relief, Tristan and Killian came to the rescue. 

"It's nice meeting you, I'm Killian." He got up from his seat to shake hands, "Madison's husband." 

"Pleasure's mine." Rowan said, but Sera could feel that he was still stiff. 

"Tristan, we've met before." Tristan said, a slight glare present in his gaze. 

Sera was about to commit foul disgusting sins if the glaring resumed. Regardless, Rowan only shook his hand without saying anything. 

Before there was a chance for another staring contest, Elena immediately introduced Rowan to her father. 

"Dad, this is Rowan Reed, Sera's boyfriend." 

None of them said a thing. She wanted the ground to swallow her whole. 

After a few heavy and slow seconds, Ronald hummed, still looking at Rowan as Rowan did the same. 

"Welcome to my house, Rowan." 

"Thank you, Ronald." 

The girls' eyes went wide while Tristan and Killian only stiffened beside Ronald. 

This was a bad, bad idea.

Just as Sera was about to start freaking out, to start thinking of the worst possible reaction to the disrespect. 

Ronald only smiled, amusement evident in his eyes.