My Fake Fiancé

Chapter 15

~Adriana~

When I pull up to my parent's house, I idle in the driveway, debating if I should ditch tonight. I look up at the house and I can see my mother inside preparing the table and my dad sitting on the edge of his seat, probably watching some game. I smile and get out of the car, turning it off then locking it and walking up to the front door. I have a key but I open the screen door and knock on the front door to be polite. I know my mother will be busy so she'll ask my dad to answer it. He does.

"Ana!" He says, happy to see me.

"Hi, daddy." I say and forward to embrace my dad. He hugs me back tightly then lets me into the house, shutting and locking the door behind me.

"How are you?" He asks as we make our way into the living room. He sits back in his chair, the tv on mute but I can see him check the scores before he turns back to me. I smile at him, I love him very much. He's always been the quieter one in my family. Supporting me through everything. Although I may have done some things he did not like, he has always been there for me.

I sit back on the couch and sigh. "I'm okay. How have you been?" I ask, redirecting the conversation to him. "How has work been?" My dad works at a private school as the Director of Technology, overseeing the technology usage and problems of the students, staff/faculty, and the houseparents. His job keeps him busy.

"I had a busy day today. A lot of meetings. I had to give two presentations today and we were the only groups who used PowerPoint to present." I laugh, finding it funny that the tech group was the only group to use technology while presenting. The other presentations must have been very boring, I think to myself, but I guess it's good the tech group knew what they were doing.

We talk for a little while longer then he pauses and pats my arm. "You should go talk to your mother." I sigh and nod then stand up and make my way into the kitchen.

"Hello, mother." I say, guarding myself and standing at the edge of the kitchen. She has her back to me but I know she heard me.

"Adriana," she says, formally. "It's good to see you. I've almost finished dinner. Would you please cut up the celery and tomatoes?" She asks but it's more of a request. I set down my things at the breakfast table then wash my hands before grabbing a smaller knife and cutting the celery first then slicing the tomato after I wash the knife.

My mother is quiet for a few minutes but I want to get this over with so I bring it up first. "Mom," I say. "about Kurt..." I begin then pause and wait for her to react.

"Yes, I was waiting for you to mention that. How come you didn't tell me sooner?" She turns on me and comes at me asking a million questions and not giving me any time to answer a single one. I continue slicing the tomato while she asks questions till her heart's content. Once I finish slicing the tomato, I wash off the knife and put it in the dishwasher. I then dump the tomatoes into the salad bowl and cut the celery in the bowl with the chicken. All while my mother is still asking questions.

Finally, when she stops for a moment to breath, I take my chance and answer a few of her many questions. "Yes, Kurt and I are engaged. I hadn't had the chance to tell you yet and wanted to tell you in person but then you kept calling before I could come see you and daddy and so I am sorry you heard about it over the phone. Well, you heard it from Callum first, which mother is completely disturbing. He had no right to contact you." I stop and calm myself before I explode. I begin mixing the celery into the chicken and mayonnaise to give myself something to do. "Kurt's mother has arranged for us to have an engagement party tomorrow night at their lake house. You and daddy are of course invited."

She brightens at all of the news and is suddenly happy once again. "Well, I am just so excited for the two of you. I was very hurt to hear it from your ex but I have always adored Kurt. He is so polite. His family is quite proper, you know. You'll have to shape up if you expect them to accept you into their family."

"Gee mom, thanks so much for that." I roll my eyes and brush the insult away. I grab the salad bowl and the bowl of chicken salad and make my way to the table. My mother follows behind me with potato salad and fruit salad. I smile thinking about our "Salads Nights". We try to make every salad imaginable. Well, the one's we will eat. Which includes; chicken salad, potato salad, fruit salad, and plain lettuce and dressing salad. I always found it funny.

We set the food on the table then I go into the living room. "Dad? Dinner's ready." He nods and gets up, his eyes still on the game then he mutes it and pulls his eyes away and follows me into the dining room.

Once we sit down and fill our plates, my dad begins the conversations. "Oh hey, your mother told me about you and Kurt, congratulations. Are you happy?" He looks at me, searching my face to find my real emotions. I smile.

"Yeah, I am. He's a great guy." I say and start to eat so I don't have to say much else. My dad watches me for a second but then starts eating and to keep the conversation civil, he tells us more about his presentation.

Honestly, I missed having home cooked meals and eating with my parents. I was glad that, no matter how screwed up the circumstances, it led me back to my parents. But halfway through dinner, my mother brought up the party tomorrow and suddenly, I was nervous again.

Luckily, I made it through dinner without too many more questions and I left my parent's house in one piece. As I drove back to my apartment, I realized how exhausted I was and knew I would sleep like a rock when my head hit the pillow.