Page 52 of Powerless

“I know,” her voice deceives her. She’s nervous and unsure. “Maybe we can just head back to our apartment and let them know via a phone call, or better still, an email.”

I chuckle and shake my head. “Too late, because we’re here.” I pull into the driveway and turn the car off. “This is nothing. We can get through this.”

“Uh-huh.” She nibbles on her lower lip and looks up at the house. “Or, you could start the car, back out of the driveway and we can go back to Cali.”

“No.” I snicker at her nervousness. “We need to face this.”

“Ugh,” Kathryn scoffs and rolls her head back. “Can’t we just pretend we didn’t make it and leave?”

“Nope.” I open my door, exit the car, and walk around to her side. When I try the handle, she’s locked it. “Open up.” She shakes her head through the glass and smiles. “Let’s go.”

“I can’t hear you,” she says.

“Open the damn door, Kathryn.”

“The handle is broken. I can’t. But I still can’t hear you.”

I take the fob out of my pocket and press it once to lock the car, then again to unlock it. She locks it before I have a chance to open the door. Cheeky. I do it again, but this time I’m successful in flinging the door open. “Seeing as the handle was broken, I thought I’d help.” I hold my hand out to her.

“I think I have a contagious disease and I shouldn’t give it to your parents.” She fake coughs into her elbow. “See, really sick.” I push my hand in further, waiting for her to take it. “Damn it, my seat belt won’t come undone. Too bad, we’ll just have to leave.” She reclines in the seat and lifts her shoulders. “Oh well.”

“Get out of the damn car, Kathryn,” I say in a dark tone while holding my hand out to her.

Kathryn grumbles, clicks the release of the seat belt, and half-heartedly slides out of the car. “Happy?” she snaps.

“Very. Now, let’s go tell my father.”

Kathryn looks up at the house and takes a faltering step backward. “Are you sure?”

I push my hand into hers, linking our fingers together. “Let’s go.” I damned near have to tug her up to the front door because she’s dragging her feet. She loops her arm through mine and holds onto me with a death grip. I knock and wait.

Mom opens the door and instantly drags me in for a hug. “Bennett,” she nearly squeals in her excitement to see me.

“Hey, Mom,” I manage to say beyond the hard choke hold.

Mom pulls back and looks to Kathryn. She steps forward and drags Kathryn into a massive hug. “Thank you,” she whispers to Kathryn.

“What for?” Kathryn asks when they break apart.

“Because you make my son happy.”

Kathryn beams with bliss. Her shoulders relax and she glows from Mom’s one compliment. “It’s easy to do when he does the same thing for me.”

Mom kisses me on the cheek and holds her hand out for me to take. “Well, let’s get this over with.”

“You haven’t told Dad?” I ask as we hover in the foyer.

“Oh no, darling, that’s up to you to do. I made myself clear when you were last here.”

I look to Kathryn who’s again become an emotional mess. “You ready?”

“I can wait in the car.”

Mom chuckles and shakes her head. “If you two want this, then you best get in there.” Mom knocks on Dad’s office door and steps back.

“Thanks, Mom,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Rip the Band-Aid off.” She smiles broadly when Dad calls for us to enter.

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