"Galeanthropy!"
"What's happened? Are you ok?"
"No! I'm using our emergency word, Soph, so clearly, I am not ok."
"Daniel, what's up?"
"Your mother rang. Me. Your mother rang me."
"And that was worthy of you breaking out the emergency word?"
"Says the woman who used it in the middle of the night because there was a spider in her room."
"That was genuine!"
"As is this. Your mother, Sophie. She rang me! This is way worse than spiders."
"Explain."
"She invited me to dinner."
"And?"
"Well, it was more like inviting us to dinner."
"Again, and?"
"Your mother and I, in the same room, having dinner. The problem should be obvious."
"I thought you and Mum were getting along now? You've been ok for months. What's the issue with this?"
"I don't know!"
"You've lost me."
"It's hard to explain."
"You don't say."
"Please refrain with the sarcasm. I am in the midst of a crisis and you're not helping at all."
"It is just dinner with my mother-"
"And your father."
"It is just dinner with my parents. You've met them plenty of times before and you've survived. They probably just want to ask a ton of questions about our wedding."
"Ok, and what do we tell them about that? So far, we have zero of it planned. This alone is reason enough not to go to dinner with them."
"Then maybe it's time we started planning. I know a great events planner."
"As do I."
"You do? Who?"
"Some woman that works for your mother. She's the one that's done most of the planning for the Courtenay Foundation fundraiser. Can't remember her name, though."
"Penny?"
"That rings a bell. Lady Penelope."
"She's not a Lady."
"No, but that's what I mentally call her because I can't remember Penny."
"Well, Penny was the woman I was thinking of. I'll give her a call later and see if she's busy over New Year's."
"Fine. In the meantime, what do I tell your parents? Are we going to dinner with them or not?"
"Yes, we're going."
"Ok, I'll put your mother off hold and tell her."
"You put my mum on hold?"
"Mhm."
"Good grief. Well, off you go and tell her that we would be delighted to join her and my father."
"I wouldn't go that far, Soph. I'll just tell her that we accept her invitation."
"Or say that, I guess. Tell her I said hello."
"Will do. See you later, 'gator."
"See you soon, baboon. I love you."
"I love you, too. Bye!"