A full day of shopping with my mother tired me out but I had fun. She told me stories about work and gave me more advice about Lori, even after she helped me out. I just hoped it worked.

“Haven’t you given her enough books?” She commented on my choice of gift for Lori.

“No. Trust me. And she said she really wanted them, so.”

My mom had to pull a lot of strings but I managed to get every James Patterson book ever published, everything but the YA ones. Took up two packing boxes but I had it wrapped up nicely at the gift shop in Macy’s.

“That’s sweet.” She hugged me and I rolled my eyes again.

We unloaded all the gifts in the house and put them under the tree--the massive tree that took up the center of the foyer. I glanced at the clock, it was almost six.

“I should get going.” My mom slumped.

“Honey, you don’t have to.” I nodded.

“Yes, I do. I’ll see you tomorrow, alright?” She took off her thick wool coat.

“I’m making dinner though.” The sad look on her face stabbed me right in the heart.

“O...kay. Fine.” She smiled brightly and leapt over to me.

“You can invite Lori. You should.” She squeezed my cheek and then left me standing there.

Lori didn’t tell me she was doing anything today so I texted her to see if she was free.

Can you please save me and have dinner with my parents and me?

Sure.

She replied in seconds. I was sure she was probably doing something else at the time but she dropped it for me.

Thanks.

No worries, see you in a few minutes.

I met my mom back in the kitchen to try and help, but she was a control freak, so all she trusted me to do was wash the dishes and set the table. Mom had a whole Christmas theme going. The dining room was decorated with poinsettias, the table dressed in red cloth and chargers. Interior designer, remember? Everything flowed.

Lori arrived early like she said. I wasn’t prepared for her to look the way she did. I was paused in the doorway and she stared back at me. She curled her hair and it laid loosely around her face. Her eyes were lined with eyeliner, making her big blue eyes bluer and brighter. And she wore the dress, her mother’s dress. With white ballet flats.

“Dillon? It’s freezing, let me in.” She brushed past me and I caught a whiff of her scent.

“Hey, Cheesecake.” She rolled her eyes but smiled a bit. She rubbed her bare arms, the dress had short sleeves.

“Is your dad coming?” I nodded. “That’s why you want me here?” I nodded again. She gave me a somber look and reached out to hug me. Of course I took her up on her offer.

Even through my sweater I felt the heat of her hands on my back and the softness of her breasts pressed against my chest. I could hold her here forever. I rested my chin against her head and ran my hands up her back. This was platonic, right?

“You’re a good friend.” I whispered. She giggled, it made her rub against me.

“I know. Where’s your mom? I want to thank her in person for the dress.” She pulled away. My arms ached at her absence.

“It looks beautiful on you.” I murmured. She smiled and squeezed my hand.

“Thanks.” She reached up, way up and I still had to bend, to kiss my cheek before setting off to find my mom. She meant nothing by it but the sensation she left behind on my cheek meant everything.

I found them in the kitchen, laughing and smiling. I leaned against the wall, watching my mom hug her and hold her arms. I’m sure my mom wishes she had a daughter to do stuff like this with—I could only humor her for so long. Like when we were shopping today, more times than not I wanted to pull my hair out.

“Don’t just stand there Dillon.” My mom scolded me. She shot me a knowing look and got back to tending the roast.

“Sorry.”

“You guys should wait in the living room, I’m almost finished.”

We obeyed her and sat in one of the living rooms. Lori talked me to death about the new book she was reading but I just enjoyed listening to her talk about anything. It made me more excited to give her the books tomorrow.

“You aren’t listening.” She flicked my thigh pretty hard.

“Ouch! Yes I am.” She scowled.

“What have I been talking about?” She tested me.

“How Sergeant Lindsay Boxer is getting married to Joe and it makes you mad because of all the happy endings you’ve been reading lately.” I passed.

“Fine, you’re off the hook.”

The footsteps I heard were no doubt my dad’s. I took a deep breath. Here we go.             

“Dillon, you’re home.” He greeted me with a warm smile. As he always does, of course. The man isn’t evil, just controlling and doesn’t take no for an answer. Sorry for making it seem like he was.

“Yeah, hey dad.” I stood up.

In the steps it took me to get to him he had already dropped his briefcase, loosened his tie and removed his jacket. He slung his arm around my shoulder and shook me senseless.

“We’ve missed you around here. How you been?” He looked at me with his old green eyes and smiled warmly. For a second, I had missed him too.

There was a time in my life when he was just my dad and not a raging control freak. Before football, maybe until my junior year when he noticed I was good and college coaches noticed too, things were normal. We played golf on Sundays, bonded over pool, I could talk to him and confide in him. I hadn’t been able to do that since I went to college and he started dangling football over my head. Controlling me with it.

“I’ve been fine…you look old.” I joked with him, his booming laughter filled the foyer.

My dad, just like my mom, didn’t look anything like their age. Sure, my dad had wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, and permanent frown lines on his forehead, but his dark hair still looked like mine, if not better. He conditions more.

“Oh, Lori. I didn’t notice you there, how are…you?” His voice trailed off when she stood up, I assumed it was because of the dress.

He smiled softly, like a proud father or something. Not in a creepy old guy way, I mean. He must have seen mom in it before, her letter implied they wore it enough back then.

“I’m great.” She met us where we stood and they hugged briefly.

“We wanted to come to your graduation, how was it?” He asked her.

“It was good. You didn’t really miss anything.” She giggled.

“Oh, good. I have a gift for you too, follow me.” He tugged her along before I could blink. Lori turned her head and smiled over her shoulder with a small wave. He was leading her off in the direction of the den. I went to meet my mom back in the kitchen.

“Was that your dad?” She asked me.

Everything was off and she was dressing a few platters. She prepared a spread of green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes (we really like potatoes), creamed spinach, and roast beef.

“Yeah, you just did all this?” She gave me a funny look.

“No, silly. I’ve been slow cooking the roast all day and I prepped the casseroles last night. Now don’t just stand there, help.” She slapped my arm playfully and grabbed a plate.

I followed her with plates until everything was on the table. Just in time, my dad appeared with Lori. He stepped back into the kitchen with my mother and Lori came over to me.

“Look.” She held up a necklace around her neck. It was a platinum silver with a keyboard pendant. No, it resembled an actual keyboard. Everyone knew her so well. Why couldn’t my dad get me medical school type gifts like this? It didn’t make any sense.

“It’s beautiful.” She smiled down at it, then looked up at me, eyes gleaming.

“I know. Your parents are so sweet.” I laughed.

“Yeah, they are.” She giggled a bit. I picked up the necklace, an excuse to touch her smooth chest. It worked.

“I need to go check my phone. I might have heard from the editor.” I nodded and watched her waltz back into the living room where we were sitting.

My mom reappeared with red wine and a carafe.

“Where is Lorraine?” My dad asked.

“Checking her phone.” I felt mom shoot me a look, I met her eyes with equal uncertainty. I knew this would come and bite me in the ass later, if it is what I think it is, but I was prepared for that. The smile Lori wore on the way back into the dining room was enough from me.

She pulled me off to the side, gripping my forearm softly.

“I just heard from Ryley…the editor.” My eyes widened in mock surprise.

“What did she say?”

“He. Anyways, I got the internship!” She squealed. I smiled brightly, matching her enthusiasm.

“I’m so proud of you!” I hugged her tightly, relishing in the feel of her body against mine. I still had that icky feeling, but her smile and her laugh, it just made it evaporate. For now.

“What are you two smiling about?” Mom asked.

“Lori got her internship.” We communicated with our eyes, sharing the same uncertainty but knowing we did the right thing. The best, right thing we could think of.

“Oh honey, that’s great! Go get another bottle of wine from the cellar, Matthew.” She instructed my dad.

“Congrats.” He smiled at Lori and left.

We took our seats at the table. When my dad returned we started off the dinner with a toast to Lori. I wasn’t jealous of her, she’s my best friend. But it didn’t make sense that my dad could say, ‘I’m so proud of you for following you dreams,’ when he won’t let me do just that.

My parents talked amongst themselves as we ate, mostly about work and boring stuff. Meanwhile I couldn’t stop staring at Lori, hell even the way she chews is mesmerizing. I barely finished my dinner because I was working myself up too much. I figured another glass of wine would help.

“What happens after the internship, Lori?” Mom asked.

“I hope for a permanent job with them or just look for one elsewhere.” She explained with an easy tone.

“What about the writing, is that just a hobby?” Lori giggled a bit.

“I hope to craft a best seller one day but not anytime in the near future.”

“I see, well as long as you have a plan. It seems like you do.” Dad says. Lori looks at me, a strange look in her eye before she speaks again.

“I do, but not as much as Dillon does, he already has a seven-year plan.” I froze in my seat, gaging my dad’s reaction.

“He’s always been overly efficient.” My mom smiled at me, her eyes gleaming.

“Thanks, ma.” I blushed a little bit.

“Well, you’re both very smart. I have no doubt things will work out for both of you.” Dad said, but I couldn’t tell if he was being sincere or foreboding. I still think it would have been fine if Lori hadn’t said anything else.

“Thank you...but Dillon is way smarter. I just read and write, he got a 508 on his MCAT. It’s the new score that’s closest to perfect.” I fumed. Her eyes met mine as I glared softly, I hadn’t told my dad about the MCAT yet.

He shifted in his seat and his face grew into a tight grimace. The air shifted too, it was cold and lifeless. It was like my dad sucked all the good spirit out himself.

“I didn’t know that.” He feigned a smile, a humorless smile.

“Well, it’s true.” Lori smiled and giggled like she had done nothing wrong. She winked at me discreetly and sipped her wine again. I smiled back at her, she knew exactly what she was doing. She scared the shit out of me but she knew what she was doing.

Easily, my mom changed the subject and got the conversation going again. I felt my dad stealing glances at me the whole time, Lori had gotten him thinking, I guess. Maybe I should have told him about my impressive MCAT score before. I don’t know, it didn’t make any real sense to me at the time.

We helped mom clean up after dinner. She was always opposed to having a housekeeper, said it made her feel like less of a wife or something. I wasn’t really listening, but I do remember her saying it made her feel more like she was running a home and not just living in a house when she was cleaning or cooking.

“That was quite the stunt you pulled.” I murmured to Lori as we wiped the dishes.

“I know. I wasn’t sure if it was the best idea…why didn’t you tell him about your MCATs? When you were so happy about them?” I nodded. I remembered the day I called her when I got my results. I was squealing like a school girl.

“I don’t know, I thought he would just get angrier.” I shrugged. She sighed and shook her head. She really cared about me, I could see it. Maybe not the way I care about her, but she cares.

“You should have. You need to talk to him again. Before he shuts down again, he’s just like you in that area.” She shot me a stern look and I couldn’t help but smile. She was cute, putting her foot down.

“So?” She pressed. I nodded.

“I’ll talk to him.”