Page 69 of Missing Pieces
“Well Frank, it’s a pleasure to meet you. And you as well Mrs. Evans.”
My mom has been quiet the entire time. I fear she realizes why I was so breathless earlier, so I try to dodge her thoughts. “Mom, this is my boyfriend, Easton.” I am hoping the boyfriend comment will cool Easton’s hidden anger. “East, this is my mother, Catherine.”
“Nice to meet you, Catherine. Please come in.” Easton gestures with a welcoming arm as my mom hands him a tin can.
“Here, I brought some cookies. I know Harper loves her cookies,” she says as she walks through the door, no doubt sizing me up to see how much weight I may or may not have gained.
“That she does,” Easton replies.
My nerves are building, and I am afraid I’m going to have an all-out panic attack at any moment. I glance toward the clock in the kitchen wondering if it’s too early to have a drink. I show my mom to the living room and offer her a seat. My dad sits next to her. I look at Easton and cock my head toward the kitchen, but he’s staring at the floor right by my mom’s foot.
The souvenir I told Easton to keep yesterday in his office must have fallen out of his pants and ended up near the couch. My eyes bug out of my head as my mom sees us both staring, and she glances down to see what we’re staring at. I jump next to her and stand on the panties.
“Can I get you something to drink?” I spill out.
“Iced tea is fine, dear.” She glances back up and I pray that she did not see the torn panties on the ground. Once again, I’m saved by Poe as he jumps on the couch between my parents. I kick the underwear back toward Easton and see him bend down and scoop them up.
We both rush into the kitchen and I collapse against the counter. “Oh my god.”
Easton just chuckles and then takes my panties and sniffs them. My jaw drops open as he shoves them into his pocket. I go to smack him, but he pulls me into a hug and kisses me on the top of my head. “Let’s just get through this okay?”
I nod and turn around to grab some drinks for my parents. I hear a choking sound and turn to see Easton choking on one of my mom’s cookies. “Shit. I am so sorry. I should have told you not to eat those.”
“What the hell are these?”
“My mom is a terrible baker,” I laugh. “And she barely puts any sugar into anything she bakes because she doesn’t think anyone needs the extra calories.”
“This is the worst thing I have ever tasted.” He leans over the trash and spits before pretending to dry heave. “They’re as hard as rocks.”
I hand him a glass of water and he chugs it down. I rip the rest of the cookie out of his hand and throw them in the trash. “That’s why we don’t eat the cookies.”
We both walk back out with iced teas for my parents and sit on the couch across from them. An awkward silence descends as I try to figure out what to say to them. Luckily Easton saves me. “Was awful nice of y’all to come up here and surprise us.”
“We came to surprise Harper. You seem to be a consolation prize,” my mom answers coldly.
My dad looks at her with disdain. “What Catherine is trying to say is it was a pleasant surprise that you happened to be here when we showed up. We might not know much about you, but Harper has sounded happy the last few weeks on the phone. I have no doubt that is because of you.”
A flush hits Easton’s cheeks. I have never seen him look uncomfortable before. I can’t help my smile as I grab his hand.
My mother ruins the moment. “That was not what I meant,” she half-whispers to my father.
“Me and Easton were just about to make breakfast when you called so I guess we can make enough for all of us.”
“Breakfast?!” my mother shrieks. “I ate breakfast hours ago.”
“We can make lunch then. You two must be starving,” I say as I get up to move toward the kitchen.
Easton grabs me by the arm. “I can make lunch. Why don’t you catch up with your parents?”
I glare at him for his ruse to leave me alone with my mother but realize it’s probably better than her grilling him on everything.
“Sure, right.” I turn toward my parents. “How about we go outside. It’s cooled down a bit from yesterday, it will be the perfect place to eat. Besides the kitchen is a bit of a mess right now.”
I’m thankful that the kitchen update isn’t finished yet, making it easier to steer my mother away from Easton. I show them outside and sit down on one of the Adirondack chairs.
“You all didn’t get up super early to come here, did you? That’s got to be at least an eight-hour drive.”
“No, no.” My dad shakes his head. “We were in Atlanta for a golf thing and decided that we should stop and see you before heading back to Florida. It was only a few hours drive.”