Hooked (33 page)

     “Well
,
I was going to elaborate
,
but I’d hate for your head to get any bigger,” I teased.

     He took the food off the stove and placed it on our plates.  He set them down at the table, “You love me.”

     “You’re right about that.  I love you very much, thank you.”

     After breakfast, I called Jess to see if she could take me home to keep up with our story.  “I don’t want you to go
.
”
Cash hugged me at the door.

     “I don’t want to go,” I said hugging him back, “but I need to get home before my parents get suspicious and you have to work today.”

     “I wish we were out of high school so we could have more nights like last night without us having to leave each other the next morning.”

     I pulled him closer to me after hearing his words.  “Me too,” I added softly.

     I know he meant what he said to me and so did I
,
but I couldn’t help my subconscious fearing the future a little bit.  How were we supposed to have that when he was leaving?

     When Jess dropped me off, mom was in the kitchen making her Thanksgiving list.  At our house, holidays are a big deal.  My mom always cooks huge meals and my dad even helps out with the decorating.  Well, he gets everything down from the attic and makes Eli hang the Christmas lights.  I enjoy it because we all spend time together and I’m kind of like my mom.  I like to get into the spirit with the decorating and cooking.

      “Hey
,
mom do you think it would be alright if I invited Cash and his mom over for Thanksgiving dinner Thursday?”

     “Sure
,
I think that sounds like a great idea.  I’
d love to finally
meet his mother anyway.”

     “Okay
,
great I’ll ask him this week.”

     “I guess you and Cash are getting pretty serious?”

     I grabbed an apple on the counter and started turning the stem.  I shrugged my shoulders because I didn’t really want to talk about it right now, “Yeah
,
I guess so.  We get along great and I know he really cares about me.”

     “I can tell he does
,
too.  I’m happy you are happy.  I love you
,
Mil.”

     “Love you too
,
mom.”

  
 
I was super excited for the holidays.  I couldn’t wait to spread my cheer to Cash and have him get into it as well.  I was determined to bring it out in him. 
I asked Cash at school that next week if he and his mom could come to our Thanksgiving dinner.  We were walking back to my locker so I could switch books. 

    
“Mil, I don’t know about that.”

    
“Why not?”

 
  
“You know why.  I’m not sure I want your family meeting her.”

     “Cash, that’s ridiculous.  You’re mom is a great person and she’s always nice to me. I think it will be fine
.
”
I put my books in my locker then turned to face him and put both my hands on his hips.  “I love you, you love me
.
I
f we are going to be together
,
our parents are going to have to meet at some point
.
P
lease
,
it’s Thanksgiving.”

     “Alright
,
I guess we can try it.  I just don’t know if I trust her not to drink.”

     I leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips.  “It will be fine, trust me.”

     “Fine
,
but when this blows up in your face, I’m
gonna
have to say I told you so.”

     “If it does, then you can
,
but I’m pretty sure your mom won’t drink knowing she’s coming to meet my folks.”  Famous last words…trust me.

     Cash showed up at my house at 5:30 on Thanksgiving afternoon.  My dad answered the door because I was helping mom in the kitchen.

    
“Hey, Mr.
Diamond
.”

     “Cash, come on in.  Where is your mom?”

     “She just got off work
,
so she wanted to go home and shower first.”

     “Oh, well Millie’s in the kitchen.”

     “Alright, umm, I’ll just go and see if they need any help.”

     My dad still acted unsure around Cash
,
but I could tell he liked him.  When Cash came over, which was all the time now, my dad usually talked to him
,
especially when Eli was around
.

     “Hey
,
can I help with anything?”  I smiled at hearing his voice.

 
   “Nope, mom and I have everything ready.  Where’s Mary?”

     “She’ll be here in a minute she just got off work.”

     “We will wait on her then.” 

    
“Mom
,
we will be right back.  I need to talk to Cash for a minute.
”

     “Can you bring me the cloth napkins from the linen closet when y
’
all come back?”

     “Sure.”

     I grabbed Cash’s hand and led him to my room.  When we walked into my room he asked, “What are we doing?”

     “I just wanted to do this,” I say as I pulled him close to me and gave him a kiss.  Our kiss gradually started getting deeper and Cash broke the kiss.

     “Hang on
,
sweetheart, your parents are just down stairs and if Eli is in his room, I’m pretty sure he can hear everything we are saying…and doing
.
”
H
e smirked at me.

     “Fine
,
be that way
.
”
I pouted.

     He hugged me and said, “As we both know from previous experience, you can stop on a dime
.
I,
on the other hand, get so wrapped up in my beautiful girlfriend that I can’t see or think about anything else.  You make me crazy with need and I have a sneaking suspicion that I’m not your dad’s favorite person, no need to give him a reason to actually kick my butt.”

     I giggled at his reference to our previous experience.  He didn’t understand it was hard for me too.  I guess I just had better control or something.  I sat down on my bed and he stood in front of me.  “Before we go back down stairs, tell me what you want for Christmas.”

     “Mil, it’s only just now Thanksgiving today.”

     “I know
,
but we will put our tree up tomorrow and I want your present wrapped and under it so you have to look at it every time you’re here
.
”
I smirked at my witty comeback.

     “Oh
,
well in that case…
s
weetheart
,
I don’t want you to get me anything, I have everything I need right here.”

     “Oh no, you don’t, I’m getting you something and I want it to be something you want.”

     “Baby
,
I’m sorry
,
but I honestly can’t think of anything.  I have everything I
want and need.”

     “Gosh, why are you so difficult?  I’ll just have to think about this on my own
,
I guess.” I play punch him on the leg.

     “We’d better get down
there,
I think I just heard the door bell.”

     We went downstairs and Cash’s mom was standing in the living room with my mom.  “It’s so nice to meet you
,
Mary.  I’m Charlotte
,
and this is my husband
,
James.”

     “You have a lovely home.  You know Cash and I could never have you guys over to our apartment, it’s not near this size.”

    
Dang.
  I guess now would be the time to look at Cash so he could tell me he told me so because even I can tell his mother is lit.  I walk over to her thinking maybe I could make this better. 

    
“Hey
,
Mary it’s so good to see you,” I say as I hug her.

     “Millie
,
you look beautiful as always.  Honey
,
I think you may have left a shirt at our house.  I was doing laundry the other day and—
”

    
“Alright mom
,
I think it’s time we go home
,
” Cash interrupted
her. 

    
He was so angry right now and I was kind of getting there myself because I actually did leave a shirt there
,
but I didn’t really need my parents knowin
g
that.  I’m sure my dad was going to have a few things to say about that.

     “We need to go…right now,” he said turning to my parents, “Thank you for inviting us, I’m sorry about this.”

     “Cash wait—
”

    
“No.”  I looked down when he raised his voice.  He ran a hand through his hair and said, “Look
,
I’m sorry
,
but I need to get her home.”

     I nodded an understanding and turned to look at my parents.  My dad had his arm around my mom’s shoulders and my mom looked so sorry for Cash.

     “Oh Cash, I’m fine, everything’s fine
.  R
ight
,
Millie?”  His mom asked with slurred speech peeking around his shoulder.

     “No, don’t talk to her.  We are leaving
,
”
Cash said to his mom as he turned her around towards the front door.

     “Honey
,
we were having a good time, everything was going good.”
  Mary tried to convince him.

     “No! 
It is not g
o
od.  You are drunk as usual and not only did you embarrass me
,
you drove drunk…to my girlfriend’s house to meet her dad
,
who happens to be a police officer.”

     I backed up to my parents and Eli had come up behind them.  We all stood there and watched this sad display unfold.  I felt so bad for Cash in this moment.  My heart broke for him that he had all of this responsibility.  I didn’t know how he was so strong.  I looked up at my dad.  I could see the confusion and sadness in his eyes.

     “I’m sorry, I only had just a few sips because I was so nervous,” Mary said to my mom.

     “It’s alright, let Cash take you home and we can talk later
,
okay?”

     I was so thankful for my mom at that moment.  I walked over to the door where Cash was leading his mom out.  I knew he wasn’t going to want to talk to me
,
but an idea had just occurred to me and I wasn’t letting him off the hook.