Page 179 of Kiss Me in the Dark
“Hi, Mom,” I say, letting myself be enveloped in her warmth.
“Why didn’t you call to tell me you were coming?”she asks as we head upstairs to the apartment.
“I wanted to surprise you,” I say.She glances over her shoulder, grinning, and I can’t help but smile back.
“You look good, son,” she says, her voice full of pride.
Inside the apartment, everything looks the same yet slightly different.The faint scent of honey and pancakes wafts from the kitchen.
“Where’s Dad?”I ask.
“Here!”Dad’s voice booms from the kitchen.A moment later, he emerges, wearing an apron and holding a spatula.
“My son!”he exclaims, pulling me into a bear hug.
I lean into him, savoring the moment.For now, I’m just Cameron, their son, the one they love.Tomorrow, everything might change, but for now, I let myself enjoy this embrace.
“Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?”Dad asks, ruffling my hair.
“Surprise?”I say with a small chuckle.
“Well, go get settled.Pancakes will be ready soon,” he says, patting my back.
“Thanks, Dad.”
As I head to my room, the familiar warmth of home soothes me.But the weight of tomorrow’s conversation presses down on my chest.Still, I remind myself of Fox’s words:I’ll always be here.
“So how’s college?How is everything?”Dad asks as we sit at the dinner table.His tone is casual, but I can feel their eyes on me, searching for any sign that something’s wrong.
“Fine.Everything is fine, really,” I say, keeping my voice steady.
“And your work at the diner?Is today your day off?”Mom asks, her voice light but inquisitive.
“Not exactly.I asked a coworker to cover my shift for me.I’ll be heading back on Sunday.”I try to keep my answers short and to the point, hoping to avoid any deeper conversations.They nod in unison.
“And Fox?”Mom asks, her tone suddenly curious.
The fork in my hand freezes mid-air.“Fox?What about him?”I ask, narrowing my eyes slightly.
“Your mom talks about him a lot,” Dad cuts in.“She says he’s a good kid and your roommate.How’s he treating you?”
“Good.We’re friends now.Mom knows that,” I reply cautiously, unsure where this is heading.
“Yeah.Lila, Fox’s mother, and I have been keeping in touch,” Mom adds, smiling warmly.“When we’re less busy with work and family, we grab coffee sometimes.”
“You do?So you’re friends now?”I ask, caught off guard.Is this the moment?Should I just tell them?
“Of course!She’s a good person,” Mom says with a fond smile.
“That’s… good to hear,” I say, my heart racing.My mind starts to imagine scenarios—somewhere between relief and disaster—depending on how the rest of this conversation goes.
“You remember Bryson, right?That kid…” Mom begins, her tone dripping with distaste.
“I know who Bryson is, Mom,” I interrupt, my stomach twisting at the mention of his name.
“Good.Heard his dad is sick, and the poor kid couldn’t even go to college.”
“So I heard.He told me,” I say, trying to keep my tone neutral.
