Page 86 of Loved By The Bad Boy

“You’re nervous,” he says. “I don’t like that you’re nervous. None of these is your fault.”

It isn’t. But I need to talk to my parents without the source of their anger hovering around me.

“Just go. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

The worst they will do is give me the silent treatment. Mom will do that. Dad will give a lecture. I ring the doorbell. We hear footsteps from the other side of the door, and I give him a look. This is his last chance to leave. But my loving boyfriend stays put beside me, daring to wink at me.

Matt honks. Ben and I turn in unison to him and wave our middle fingers. He doesn’t like to be kept waiting, but he did the same to us. The door opens to reveal Mom. She is too stunned to act, and I take advantage of her shock to hug her. Pushing the door wide open, she steps out to carry my suitcase but falters when she spots Ben. The next few minutes are awkward. Ben waves shyly.

“Benjamin,” Mom greets.

Ben’s smile quickly fades at Mom’s blank stare. “Hi, Mrs. Mower.” Mom hums a noncommittal reply. She heaves my bag inside and ushers me into the house, blocking my view of my boyfriend. “I’m sorry for keeping Gracie away for such a long time. It’s not her fault. It’s all mine.”

“Okay,” Mom replies and shuts the door in his face.

“Mom!” I whine.

She swishes past me with my luggage, and a voice from the kitchen stops me from rushing after her. Her welcome is more cordial than I anticipated. Maybe it’s Ben or the overall shock of seeing me.

“Honey, who’s there?” Dad walks out of the kitchen, holding a stained spatula. He goes through the same motion of shock Mom went through but recovers faster. “Theresa? Is that really you?”

I am lifted off the ground in a hug. Dad pats my cheeks as if to confirm I’m the one. Mom stands akimbo on the last stair with my suitcase at her feet. She might be the one to give the lecture this time.

“Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?” he says as he guides me to the living room.

“Wanted it to be a surprise.” His chest falls. I stretch out my arms and say, “Surprise!”

“That’s a horrible surprise,” he replies. He looks behind. “Where’s Ben?”

“He left.”

I follow Dad to the kitchen so he can return the spatula. Mom is on the single sofa on our return. We occupy the other couch, and I cling to him. Her frown deepens as she watches the interaction between a father and his rebellious daughter. I nestle my head in his chest. He’s so chill about this.

“Are you… are you pregnant?” Mom asks.

My head rears back. I look to Dad for support, but he has the same expression as his wife.

“What? No. No, I’m not. There’s no baby, I swear.” Mom’s gaze doesn’t waver. Dad’s arms no longer bring me comfort. I edge away from him. “I know I was wrong. It was silly and fucked up—”

Mom snorts. “That’s an understatement.” Dad must have sent her a look. She releases her breath and balls her hands into fists. Placating him with a chilly smile, she mutters, “I’m trying, okay?”

“I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad at Ben.”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it, Theresa,” Mom snaps. Whatever resolve she had cracks, and a tear drops to her cheek. “I don’t think you understand the gravity of what you have done. You extended your one-week trip without our permission. No one knew where you were, and you hardly returned our calls. What if something happened to you? How were we supposed to know you were okay? And you tell us you are sorry? Don’t be mad at Ben? Benjamin is the reason this happened!”

“Sweetheart,” Dad says, already on his feet.

Dad envelopes my mom in a hug, and each sob from her tears at my heart. I stand, afraid to go to them as my eyes water. Dad kisses her on her temple and pulls her down on his lap. She hides her face from me, an action I’m convinced is deliberate. I sit on the floor to feel closer to them.

“You can ground me,” I offer. I procure my phone from my pocket and toss it at their feet. Dad frowns at it, then at me. I don’t like seeing my mother cry, and it’s my fault. “You can take it. Ground me.”

Mom’s head peeks from Dad’s chest. “You are grounded for eternity.”

“For eternity,” I say. My head bobs so fast that I feel dizzy. “I agree. Eternity.”

Dad laughs. His palm lands on Mom’s lower back, and she raises her head to kiss his jaw. “What happened, Tessa?” I thought the one-word reply and update I was giving them would suffice, but it only escalated the issue. “Your mom was worried. You freaked all of us out with your silence.”

Ben already gave me permission to tell them the truth, but I need seconds to gather my thoughts. Mom blatantly ignores me. I don’t like being on her bad side. I think I prefer Dad’s, maybe none.

---