"Story About the Message in the Bottle"

Chapter 9

Shane invited me to his house the next night. He wanted me to meet his dad and family and stepmom. I was really flattered when he asked me as Shane apparently doesn't usually take girls home for dinner as it never got that far. We also planned to use it as a research method, to see if there was any records that had to do with his mom that could help us figure out anything. I decided to go with a simple black cocktail dress that night. I knew Shane was pretty wealthy and I wanted to impress them.

"You look perfectly fine." Shane said in the car. "No scratch that, you look great. Don't worry."

"I just want your family to like me though."

"They will. At least my dad will, but that's the only one that matters."

"Your stepmom?"

"I can't stand the bitch."

"Oh. I'm sorry, why?"

"Because she doesn't like me."

"Shane there's got to be more to it than that."

"Well that's it really." We stopped in front of the house and I realized there would be no more discussion about it.

The house was really nice, it was definitely one of the more high end ones in this part of Maine. Shane opened the door for me and I teased him about being a gentleman and then we went into the house.

"Hey dad." Shane said as we walked into the kitchen.

"Hey son." The man, who must've been Shane's father said. He looked a lot like Shane. "And you must be Cate."

"Yes. It's very nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. Where are you from?"

Then came along a series of question and answers back and fourth until then a woman came downstairs.

"Hi Shane." She said coming to kiss him on the cheek.

"Hi Bridget." He said looking very uncomfortable.

"And you must be Shane's new sweetheart." She said. "I'm Bridget."

"Cate. Nice to meet you."

"It really is." Shane doesn't bring home girls for dinner often." Shane gave her a look.

"Well then I guess I should be so lucky."

The rest of dinner was really great. The food was good and Shane's family was very welcoming. His dad was cool and I didn't really understand why he hated Bridget.

"I think we're gonna go hang upstairs." Shane said when we were finished.

"Alright but keep the doors open." His dad teased.

"Thank you for everything." I said. "It was really great."

"You're welcome sweetheart." Bridget said.

Shane and I then proceeded to head upstairs to his room. "So this is your infamous room." I said.

"Yup. Impressed?"

"I don't know what I was expecting to be honest."

"Well here's my man cave in all it's glory."

"So I have to ask, why do you hate Bridget? She seemed so sweet at dinner."

Shane sighed. "You saw how she kissed me on the cheek, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well she tends to do that a little too much, let's just say."

"What do you mean?"

"She used to touch me, like I'm not kidding, in bad ways. She walked in on me in the shower one time." He said slowly, and stuttering.