Precious Secret

17. Admit.

Stephen

*Thursday afternoon, 1 day earlier*

"Hellooo. Anyone home?" Loud knocking on my front door abruptly jars me from my nap.

Who the hell is at my door.

The knocking persists, waking me fully. "I hear you, alright! I'm coming!" I bellow while walking into the foyer.

Opening the door, a smile makes its way onto my face as soon as I see who's on the other side.

"There he is. My darling son." She says as she reaches up and out to grab my face.

"Mom." I try to say while she grips my jaw and examines me.

"Look at you. Tisk tisk. It's just as I thought. You haven't been eating properly. Look at how thin you've gotten." She continues to prod, giving me s disapproving look.

I reach our and grab her hands, stopping her from any more fussing. "It's great to see you too, mom." I prompt.

"Oh. Of course, of course. It's wonderful to see you, dear. Come, give mommy a hug." I pull her into my arms and relish in the comfort it brings.

Only then do I notice the other person behind her.

"Father." I greet him briskly.

"Stephen." He replies, in the same tone.

I loosen my grip around my mother and usher her into the penthouse. My father, unfortunately, follows.

"What are you guys doing here?" I ask as I fetch everyone a bottle of water.

"What kind of question is that? You're our son, and we haven't seen you in months. Is that not reason enough?" My mother retorts.

"Ah. I guess it is."

I take a seat on the couch.

"So, how have you been?" She asks once she gets settled.

"I've been fine. A bit busy with work, but nothing out of the usual." I tell her.

"Really?" She asks with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Uhh. Yes?" I reply, unsure where this is going.

She continues "Nothing interesting has happened lately?"

"No?"

"Are you sure? You haven't made any new friends? Binge watch a new show on Netflix? Run into an old girlfriend, perhaps?" She smirks.

How did she find out about that?

"Who told you about that?" I question a little too quickly.

Her smirk grows wider. "Oh. So it's true then?" She laughs.
"I actually ran into Krystina on the way here. She was at the grocery story when I stopped to get dinner. She told me that the two of you are actually kinda working together."

My father stiffens at the sound of her name, reminding me of the talk we definitely need to have.

"Yeah, it's true. She works for an advertisement company, and she just so happens to be working on a project with us."

"How wonderfully coincidental. Do you know if she has any children? I thought I saw her talking to the most adorable little boy."

"Uhh. No. I-I'm not sure. We haven't talked about our personal lives." I stammer out, floored by the knowledge.

A kid. She has a kid? Does that mean she's married as well?

"I see." She puts down her water. "Darling, could you show me to the guest bedroom? I'm beat, and I'd like to take a nap before starting on dinner." My mother breaks me out of my internal conversation.