Family Connections
Xander
"Xander, I can't."
I pulled Avery's arm as we walked up the steps. When we'd woken this morning and I told her I wanted her to come to my mother's place with me, she'd almost bolted. It was Sunday, and the only way to get her to spend an entire day with me was to bring her to dinner at my mother's house. Five weeks and I was already introducing her to my mother. I was screwed.
"Trust me, she'll love you."
She shook her head. "You don't understand. I've never done anything like this."
"Meet someone's mother?" I raised an eyebrow at her because it really wasn't that big of a deal.
"Met someone I'm dating's mother. I don't know how to do the whole parent thing."
I pulled her into me, wrapping my arms around her. "We'll tell her you're my friend. No pressure."
Avery began to relax, but she heard my mother open the door behind her, and she stiffened again. At least it was too late for her to escape. She pulled back and spun around.
"Mom, this is Avery. This is my mother-"
"Susan." Avery finished. That was when I noticed the shock on both of their faces, my mother recovering a lot quicker.
"Xander, you didn't tell me you knew Avery." She stepped out, hugging Avery like a long-lost friend.
"Neither did you."
When she released her, Avery just stared at her and stuttered. "How … ? You never told me-you're … ?" She shook her head and seemed to give up on trying to make sense of it all.
"I've missed you, dear. How have you been?"
"I'm all right." Avery still looked a bit shocked as my mother pulled her into the house.
"Come in, come in. Dinner will be ready in an hour." I watched my mother as she guided Avery into the living room and promised they'd catch up later. She was nervous, and the way she rushed off to the kitchen made me certain she was hiding something.
I sat across from Avery, and she looked confused. "How do you know my mother?"
"She's a family friend … or at least that's what she told me."
"When did she tell you this?"
"Years ago. After my parents died. There was no one that ever came to see me, but your mom showed up at the foster home one day, and she said she was a friend of my parents. She didn't like where I was staying so she got me moved to a safer place, and she came to visit me every month." She looked at me, worrying her lip. "Xander, your mom is the only person who's ever been there for me, and now … I realize I don't know anything about her."
I got up and joined her on the other couch. I sat back, and she leaned her head against my chest.
"I mean, how horrible am I that she's been there for me for over eleven years and I never knew who she was married to or who her kids were?"
"Or maybe she purposely kept it from you?"
She sat up and stared at me. "You think she didn't want anyone to know about me?"
Shit. I shouldn't have said that out loud. I didn't know why Avery was this big secret for my mother, but the look on her face proved to me she didn't ever expect any of us to know about Avery and whatever her connection to her was.
"No, I don't think that. Come here." I pulled her back against me and held her there. "I'm glad you had her in your corner. She's pretty amazing when she's on your side."
"I know." She sighed. "But something's off here, Xander. She told me her last name was Reynolds and she kept all the details about you and your brother to a minimum."
"Reynolds is her maiden name." My suspicion grew, because now I was sure she was hiding something, but I didn't want Avery over thinking anything until I knew what it was. "Let me give you a tour. We'll clear everything up later." I pulled her up off the couch and led her through the house that seemed so empty now that my father was gone.
*~*~*
The awkward tension didn't improve by dinnertime. We all sat down to eat, and an eerie silence fell over the table. As we finished up, I got tired of waiting for my mother to speak up and broke the silence.
"So, Mom, how did you know Avery's parents?"
She froze with her fork halfway to her mouth and stared at me. "We were friends … when we were younger." She continued to eat, but her vague response only made me more suspicious.
"How come no one in the family's ever met her?"
She dropped her fork and started to rise. "Well, you know you boys are always busy. You haven't been home in years." She gathered a few dishes and scurried off into the kitchen. I looked at Avery, and she gave me a puzzled look that expressed exactly how I felt.
"I'll be right back." I pushed back my chair, dropped my napkin on the table, and followed my mother into the kitchen. She busied herself with loading the dishwasher, and then she pulled a pie out of the oven, all along pretending she didn't see me watching her.
"What was that, Mom?"
"What are you talking about, dear?" I caught her arm as she tried to leave the room and spun her to face me.
"You've been quiet and nervous ever since Avery arrived here. I know you, Mom. Something's going on."
She sighed and dropped her head. When she looked back up, her demeanor was less shuttered, but the worried look remained. "Just be careful, Xander. She's been through so much … Don't-don't hurt her."
I dropped my hand from her arm and stepped back. "Do you actually think I'd hurt her?"
"No. No." She stepped forward, trying to reach out to me, but I deflected her touch. "I know you'd never purposely hurt her … I just … " She sighed again.
"Wow. Maybe we should leave." She was the only person who stood by me, and I didn't like the feeling I was getting from this conversation.
"No, at least stay for dessert."
"I don't know, Ma."
"Come on." She picked up the pie and walked out. I followed, but I barely looked at dessert as Mom and Avery talked about work and her roommate Ellie. My mom obviously knew everything about Avery's life.
Avery was a few bites away from finishing her dessert. I was planning a quick escape in my head when the worst thing happened … Ian walked in.
"No one invited me to dinner." A nervous chill spread across my skin. Shit was about to go from bad to straight destruction. Ian had been making himself scare around the house since I came to town. Mom said he was crashing with some women who worked at the club where he was a bouncer. Ian showing up was just the kind of karma I should've expected.
He cut a piece of pie and slowly took a seat at the head of the table, right next to Avery. He looked at her, narrowed his eyes, and said, "Who are you?"
"This is Avery, sweetie. She's a doctor. Has a practice in town." My mom responded quicker than I did, and I was sure she did it because she knew Ian was a loose cannon.
He ate a forkful of his pie but continued to stare at Avery.
"We should-" I began, but Ian cut me off.
"What kind of doctor are you?"
"Ian," my mother warned.
"What? I can't ask her any questions?" His arms flailing out, palms up.
"I'm warning-"
Avery put her hand on my thigh and gave me a reassuring look.
"It fine," she said to me before turning to Ian. "I'm a psychiatrist."
He lifted his eyebrows, paused, then threw back his head and laughed. "If you think you can save my brother … " He nodded his head toward me. "It's not possible. He's been lost for years."
"Shut the fuck up, Ian!" I jumped out of my seat and almost went at him from across the table. "You're not blameless so back the fuck off!" I jabbed a finger his way before grabbing Avery's arm and pulling her up.
"We're leaving." I dragged Avery behind me without looking at her expression. I knew she'd be curious about what was going on, and I had to figure out what I'd be willing to tell her.
"Goodnight, Susan. Thanks for dinner," she shouted before we made it out the door. I couldn't get us out of there fast enough.
The silence stifled the air in the car, filled it with dread. After ten minutes, Avery spoke. "Xander-"
"Don't!" I anticipated her asking questions, so I shut her down quickly. She clenched her hands, turning to gaze out her window.
I ran a hand through my hair, yanking on the strands. I didn't mean to shout at her. I just didn't know what to tell her. I reached out, taking her tightened fist into my hand and forcing her to loosen it. She looked at me, an angry fire in her eyes. She'd been trying to get me to open up since we first met, and at this point, I didn't want her to give up on me.