Just Pucking Money [COMPLETED]

Chapter 51 - Awkward silence

Ethan

I'm supposed to be with Lily.

I get out of my car and for the first time I see the house I grew up in for what it is. A mansion. It's big. If I didn't know it so well, it would be intimidating.

The door opens as I get closer, and Hattie greets me. Hattie has been with us for years. She's the one who makes sure all of my mom's plans happen. The one who really takes care of the house. She hires plumbers and handymen. And she's, no doubt, the one who's organized the catering for the Thanksgiving dinner I'm about to attend.

I greet her with a smile and she informs me my parents are waiting for me in the music parlor. Music parlor. As opposed to all the other parlors we have. I walk across the marble floor in the foyer and down a hallway. This house is too big. It's the exact opposite of the hockey house and feels more like an institution than a home.

Piano music guides me the last of the way into the room where my parents are. Dad is sitting in his favorite chair with his eyes closed and his head tilted back.

Mom is playing. Piano is one of her passions. She wanted to go to Juilliard and learn how to be great. Her parents refused and then she got married and had me.

Throughout the years, everyone who is anyone when it comes to piano has been invited here to teach her. I know she one summer paid one of the professors from Julliard a million dollars to spend two months here.

"Ethan, dear." She looks up and smiles at me, but doesn't stop playing.

"Mom, dad." I throw myself into one of the other armchairs.

"Can I trust you will answer your phone from now on?" mom asks.

"If this is your way of asking if Lily and I broke up, then you'll be happy to know we did." I eye the side table with an array of bottles and glasses, wondering how bad it would be to get drunk before the Pierces get here.

"It's all for the best." Mom is more focused on her playing than on me.

"I was supposed to have until graduation," I complain. "I agreed to that. And then, it was Christmas. And I didn't like it, but I understood. But in no way was I ok with them just showing up on campus like that."

"Ethan," mom scolds. "Don't be rude. We'll be related to them. And it doesn't make sense that you get engaged to someone you've barely met. There needs to be a sense of decorum in these situations."

"Listen to your mother." Dad finally sits up and pays attention to me.

At the same moment, footsteps approach in the hallway and Hattie opens the door for Antonia and her parents

"Antonia, don't you look lovely." Mom gets up and greets them.

I remember my manners and stand up to shake hands with Mr. and Mrs. Pierce. Shaking hands with Antonia feels odd. So I just nod at her, and she seems content with that.

"Was that your car out front?" Mr. Pierce asks me.

"It was, sir. A gift from dad."

"Oh, call me Karl. We're practically related. Karl and Aubrey."

Mrs. Pierce smiles and nods. "Please."

"Thank you, Karl. Aubrey."

"It's a good-looking car. I've been thinking of getting something new for Antonia. Maybe something similar?" He raises an eyebrow at his daughter.

"I like my car, dad. It's small enough that I can park it anywhere and it has everything I need."

Karl sighs heavily. "She could be driving around in any old clunker and not complain."