Page 9 of Yours To Keep
“Dad, this is my… umm…” Suddenly, I find it impossible to lie to my father. I’ve never been one to keep secrets from him, and I hate doing it now.
“Dalton Murphy, sir. I’m Magnolia’s boyfriend.” Iris steps up beside me, extending his hand towards my father. Silently, I thank him for stepping in.
“Thomas Monroe. It’s good to finally meet someone who my daughter shares her time with,” my dad says, shaking his hand firmly.
“Thomas, who’s at the door, dear? Aaron should be here any-” My mother comes down the stairs, stopping when she sees Dalton and I standing in the entryway with my dad. “Oh, Magnolia. You’re here.”
“Of course we’re here, mother. You invited us.” Here we go. This is just the beginning of my mother’s behavior tonight, I’m sure. “This is my mother, Patricia Monroe.”
“Ma’am, it’s lovely to meet you. I’m Dalton Murphy,” Iris says, stepping towards my mother to shake her hand as well. She looks down on him, staring at his outstretched hand like he’s offering her a raw fish. In this moment I realize, my mother absolutely thought I was lying, and she assumed I wouldn’t show up tonight at all.
“Yes, well. Let’s go into the dining room. Dinner won’t wait all night.” She walks past Iris, leaving his hand hanging in the air. When he turns to me and quirks an eyebrow, I simply roll my eyes. My mother, ladies and gentleman.
The front door opens and closes behind us. Aaron lets himself in to my parent’s house like he’s welcome here anytime. My dad gives him a confused look but doesn’t say anything.
“Oh, Aaron! There you are!” my mother says brightly, her sullen tone from moments ago gone completely. She rushes to his side, taking his arm and leading him into the dining room as we follow.
“Patricia, so nice to see you again. Sorry about my tardiness. I was on a business call,” Aaron replies, and I see Iris smirk next to me.
Suppressing my laughter, I let Iris help me into my chair at the table, wondering where he learned such formal manners. He takes the seat next to me, smiling sweetly back at me, and I silently thank him with my eyes. I could never thank him enough for the nightmare I’m sure he’s going to endure tonight. I already know I’m going to owe him big time for this bullshit.
“You hear that, Magnolia? Aaron is already working his way up the business ladder and he’s barely been graduated for a month,” she says, singing Aaron’s praises like he’s the second coming.
“Since when is internet porn considered a business?” I mumble, and Iris chokes out a laugh beside me.
“Honestly, Magnolia. It’s so unladylike to mumble the way you do. Speak clearly, if you must,” my mother says and I roll my eyes for the hundredth time tonight. “Greta, dinner please!”
“Well, I never claimed to be a lady, mother,” I reply, my tone cheery and fake.
“I like you better that way, angel,” Dalton says, giving me a look that is anything but fake.
I smile over at him, loving the way his random, small compliments always make my heart feel lighter.
“So, Dalton, what is it you do for work? You do work, don’t you?” Aaron asks, disdain clearly present in his tone. Greta makes an annoyed face behind him where only I can see and I hide my laughter.
“I do. Currently, I’m working as an apprentice for a small business owner. I’d love to take the reins from him soon, but I know I still have a lot left to learn. I also co-own a consulting company with a good friend of mine,” Iris replies, surprising me. I knew about him working in the bar, but he wants to own it someday? That’s amazing. And a consulting business? I can only assume that is the business that causes him to need to travel. I know I’ve heard Aurora and Kelsea talk before about the contracts he and Breaker work together.
“Sounds like you’re a pretty busy man,” my dad says, obviously just as impressed as I am.
“Yes, sir. It definitely keeps me going,” Iris replies, squeezing my hand under the table. So far, so good, even with my mother fawning over Aaron.
“Consulting? What kind of consulting couldyoupossibly do?” My mother asks, her tone dismissive and snotty. She waves Greta out of the room and I’m disgusted.
“Mother! Don’t be rude,” I tell her, my gaze sharp enough to slice her open where she sits.
“It’s okay, angel. She’s your mother. She’s allowed to ask questions,” Iris replies, his thumb stroking the top of my hand softly. I choose to ignore how warm the act makes me feel. I know he’s just doing all of this as a favor to me. I can’t read too much into it. “Most of the work we do is for missing persons. Once the cases go cold, there isn’t anyone looking for these people besides their families. The families reach out to people like my associate and I, and we keep the search going. We bring home the ones we can find and bring closure to the families who need it most.”
Listening to him talk about the work he does, I can tell his heart is all in. He knows he’s making a difference in people’s lives. I feel so proud of him. Even though this relationship isn’t real, Iris is still my friend. People don’t usually take him veryseriously, and it’s obvious he wishes they did. He’s working hard to overcome the reputation he earned, and that’s something to be proud of.
“That sounds like damn fine work,” my dad says, admiration clear in his voice. Iris sits a little taller in his chair, obviously pleased that he has impressed my father.
“It’s not always a happy ending. But I think it makes a difference in people’s lives, so I’m proud to do it,” he says.
Dinner goes on in relative silence for the next half hour. For once in her life, I’m glad my mother is keeping her mouth shut. I wonder momentarily if my dad told her to behave herself tonight. I’d be shocked she actually listened. Dinner and desert end without World War III unfolding. Just as I think I may actually leave this house unscathed tonight, my mother opens her fucking mouth.
“Well, I think it’s time to end this charade. It was kind of you to come here, but I think we all know what this is,” my mother says, standing and clasping her hands in front of her.
“What are you talking about, Patricia?” My dad asks, and I’m wondering the same thing.
