Trepidation [Book 1]

Chapter 20: caught out

A once dreaded weekend became one of the best. Thanksgiving dinner was beautiful, Maria and Scar made me feel so welcome, and the conversation over dinner was even better, the topic being memories of Ethan's teenage life. It was great to hear more about him but there was also the addition some were embarrassing. I'm definitely keeping them engraved in my mind as long as I can remember them because some were treasures.

Since Thanksgiving's on Thursday, we had the whole weekend to ourselves. We spent the next day shopping, but sadly we didn't get much despite it being Black Friday. Ethan bought some new sneakers, whereas I only got a few pieces of jewelry which hardly cost anything. We were out the whole day at the mall, window shopping mostly, and it was really nice to just be out with him.

Ethan stayed with me every night, only leaving throughout the day for a few hours to use the gym and pick up some clean clothes. In that time I'd shower, and tidy around before crashing in front of Netflix. It's hilarious really how he leaves to work out, and I just lay on the sofa, the only exercising I consist of doing is grabbing the remote. He offered me to go with him, but I just could not be bothered at all.

Wednesday to Saturday night was not enough time, it went by faster than I imagined. We spent the time we were together watching television, playing the Xbox, cooking, and to point out the obvious, having sex. The days pretty much faded into one.

It's now Sunday, and Ethan went home last night since my best friends were coming back today. Even though we weren't together, we still were on FaceTime for the most of the night because I didn't at all want to be alone with my mind. He's sweet and we spent hours talking, laughing and then we fell asleep at one point in the AM.

Originally, I had expected my friends to be home much later than they were. Hanna came crashing through the front door at six in the fucking morning. I honestly thought someone was breaking in, ready to mug me because I didn't think she were going to be back for another twelve hours. But it was her, and all she said before lying down on the sofa was that she didn't want to be back at home longer than needed. I don't blame her; her family are wild. Matt came back at noon, and Lauren's plane landed at five. We're now back together and all we've been doing is lying around, catching up on the weekend.

"So, when did you guys get back?" Lauren asks, sitting down with a very full wine glass.

"This morning at five or something, I really don't have a clue. Mom was doing my head in; she came into my room at eight last night asking me to help set up the new baby's nursery. I bailed, spent the night in a motel and got on the road as soon as I could. I love my family and all, but it was getting way too much. She has eleven kids, eleven, and they're all fucking crazy. I know I'm alternative and all, but they're all off the rails. I spent, what, four days with them? And I feel like I need therapy." She rants, and we all fall into laughter. This girl and her family will never surprise me.

"All she asked was to do the nursery?" Matt asks, knowing there's some catch to this.

"At eight PM, Matt! For one, I am not a painter nor am I a fucking nursery builder or whatever they're called. I had enough. I have a younger brother, Mike, he's in senior year of high school, why the hell can't he do it? He lives there for Christ sakes! I come home after not seeing them for nearly three months, and I'm bombarded with chores. They have a maid, and the money to pay someone to paint and build the nursery, why the fuck can't they do that!?" She now takes the bottle from Lauren, gulping down the red wine.

I feel like I'm the only one who had a great weekend...

"Matt, at least tell me you had an okay trip." Lauren sighs, looking not at all hopeful as he chuckles lying back on the beanbag.