Meet the Parents

"I'd like to meet your parents."

They were the words I dreaded hearing the most. After all, what could I tell him? I could always try to say that they were dead, but he'd found out eventually. Aaron would let it slip eventually, and then that would cause an onslaught of more questions. It wasn't worth the hassle!

Clicking on Aaron's name on my phone with a trembling finger, I waited for him to answer.

One ring. Two rings. Three rings. He picked up!

"What's up, sis?" he asked through a yawn.

I ran a hand through my hair. "Skylar wants to meet my parents," I groaned.

He hummed. "And you want me to be the point of contact, like normal." I could almost hear the eye roll.

"Aaron, you know why I don't talk to them. He doesn't," I tried to explain.

Huffing, he retorted, "Then tell him!"

I shook my head as I massaged my temples. "Please, just this once, do this for me," I begged, hoping whatever forces were in the world would somehow convince him.

Finally, he let out a resigned sigh. "Fine. I'll call them. But only this once." I punched my fist into the air. "Though, if it all goes square-shaped, I won't say I told you so."

The line went dead and Aaron's disembodied voice was no more. I was alone again, but at least I wouldn't be alone in facing my parents!

It wasn't too long until I received a message from Aaron with the date and time our parents could fit our appointment into their busy lives. Unfortunately, they also invited Aaron for some reason—I guess he was the favourite child. Although, it shouldn't have surprised me that they would treat the whole 'hey, meet my parents' situation as a family affair. This wasn't the first time they'd done this!

Maybe I was the problem.

The words rang in the silence of my head as I drove to the address I once lived at. Skylar sat beside me, silent. Something told me he could sense my uneasiness towards this situation and wanted me to focus my attention on the well-lit roads towards the large house at the top of the hill.

Glimmering gates of obsidian black opened for my dingey little Fiat. The road swerved around towards the front steps of the manor home, the grey stone with the tapestry of forest-green leaves climbing up the walls glared back at me. Unwelcome home!

"Your parents have a lovely home," Skylar said conversationally whilst we climbed the steps.

I shook my head. "Yeah," I muttered.

The doors opened, revealing the large entrance hall. A crystal chandelier glimmered in the golden light, illuminating the staircase that spiralled around in opposite directions to the western and eastern wings of the house. Standing at the bottom of the stairs were my parents—Melinda George and Harold George. They looked exactly the same as the day I left.

"Eliza!" Melinda greeted, her arms open wide as she glided towards me.

I forced a smile as she embraced me, planting a kiss in the air by my cheek before doing the same with Skylar.

Melinda turned back to me. "It has been so long," she said.

"Too long," I agreed.

"How nice of you to join us, Skylar!" Harold chimed in. "We have heard a lot of good things about your family."

"Of course you have," I mumbled under my breath.

"Now, now, Eliza," Melinda chided.

Skylar reached for my finger, entwining it with my own. I glanced at him, finding him smiling at me, as though pushing some encouragement my way.

"How have you been?" she asked, ushering me further into the house.

I never let go of Skylar's finger, making sure to drag him with me.

"She's still building that silly studio of hers," Harold said, unable to keep the disdain from his voice.

Mother dropped her arm from my shoulder. "Now, Harold—"

"Do you realise what we've had to tell people?" he continued, ignoring mother's pleas. "That you died! It was easier than telling them the truth." Harold took one of his cigars out of his pockets and lit it, blowing the grey smoke into the perfumed air. "How you ended up with this fine fellow, I'll never understand!"

I bowed my head, hearing an incessant ringing in my head. It wasn't long before my feet dragged me towards the doors and out into the night. I could hear someone calling for me. Then they were in front of me, their face swimming in my vision. He stopped me from walking any further. Without saying anything, Skylar glanced between my eyes before wrapping his arms around me tightly. He held me there for some time, never letting me go, not even when Aaron turned up.