I was unnerved. It was a trial to eat with my parents on a normal day and this was anything but a normal day. As evidenced by both of them looking in my direction and speaking to me as though I was actually there.
"Mr. Thompson was wondering how you are doing. Isn't that nice of them to think of you like that? They sent over a fruit hamper. I think the fruit salad was made from it." My mother was droning on. I glanced at her as she poked at the strawberries in her bowl.
"More importantly, what do you think of Jessica?" My father was watching me for a response and I shrugged my shoulders. It was true though. I had no idea what I thought of her because I didn't even know her. "Clear answer Lukas. You know I hate when you just shrug me off."
"I don't know her too well, Father. I only spent a couple hours with her in a group before." I mumbled into my plate of crepes with fresh cream.
"And? Please dear. Don't tell me you couldn't get an impression of her." My mother was staring at me like I was strange specimen in a petri dish.
"Okay. I guess she was... kind of quiet?" I made a face and then tried to cover my expression by yawning. My father frowned.
"That's probably a good thing. Did she seem interested in you? It would be good for us if you could take her out when you are feeling a little better." He commented with a bland look. I wanted to roll my eyes but refrained. Sasha had eyes everywhere in this house.
"I don't know. I don't want to lead her on." I told him, then shoved a mouthful of fruit in to keep from having to say more.
"It wouldn't be leading her on dear. We were hoping you'd have a bit of a go with her." My mother said flippantly. I coughed on the bite I was eating and shook my head.
"Please tell me you are joking." I said quietly after I recovered.
"We never joke. It will only be a few months if it all goes well. It's not like we're asking you to marry her." My father sneered as he stabbed a piece of fruit.
"It's just until this deal goes through for your father. Make sure you keep up with your whole hurt routine too, love." She was grinning at me and it took everything I had in me not to walk over and smack the smirk off her face.
"No. I'm not leading her on so you can make a deal. Figure something else out. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to be getting to my physiotherapy." I got up awkwardly from the table in my haste and made my way out the door on my crutches.
Sasha was waiting for me in the hall and we didn't speak a word between us until we were in a car and on our way to the therapy centre. I looked over at him and then looked up at Mike in the driver's seat. He was the face of discretion.
"I think you made the right decision Lukas. I am very happy that you made up your mind and are sticking to your morals." He said in a low voice. I nodded.
"I just did what I thought you might do in the same situation, Sir." I replied with a small smile. He looked over at me and nodded.
"Good." He looked pleased and a warm feeling floated in my chest. I knew I had made him happy at that moment, and it felt fantastic.
*
If I knew there was something worse than being primped up in a suit for a party, I would have avoided it at all costs. There is one thing I knew for certain was worse now. It was being stuffed into a suit with a leg cast by her beauty team.
They were terrible at dressing an injured person. I was subjected to rude jostling of my leg, inelegant positions as they tried to get my pants on, and when they were done I was about ready to jump off a bridge rather than live another moment looking like I did.
"Honey, you look so cute! You guys have done wonders with my baby again." My mother was looking at her team with a pride and joy that I hated with a deep passion. I nearly growled at the woman who ran a brush over my coat one last time.
"Let's just get this over with." I murmured as I stuck my crutches under the tight sleeves of the jacket, probably ruining the lines if the look I was getting from the designer was anything to go by, and hobbled my way out of the room to the stairs.
"Don't worry dearest, I chose a restaurant without a lot of stairs for you." My mother commented as I huffed and puffed my way down the stairway to the front hall. I was sweating. I was cramped. I was really pissed off that they were parading me around on my crutches now.
"Thank you mother." Was what I said though. My teeth gritting as I smiled insincerely. Their driver had the door open for her and she slid into the seat with grace. I hopped around to sit down and then pulled the sticks in after me.
"Your father is meeting us there. He is coming from the meeting with the Thompson Corporation." She droned as the limo pulled out. I grunted in response.
"If this happens for us it will be a huge wave of business from their subsidiary branches. You really need to reconsider being friends with their daughter Jessica." She was looking at me expectantly.
"If both you and Jessica only wanted me to be friends, I wouldn't be against it. I know she wants more and I can't do it mother." I refused yet again. I wasn't sure if she was just trying to wear me down or piss me off.
"Well be nice tonight at least." She demanded with a shake of her head. I sighed.
"I'm always nice." She rolled her eyes at me. I reviewed my statement and said instead, "or at least I can be quiet."
"Fine. Let your father do all the talking." She mumbled as she stared at her phone. Her manicured nails tapping on the back as she managed to type with her thumbs.
I sat and endured the ride. Then I followed her obediently into the restaurant. It was a setup. I had a feeling it was going to be, but the disappointment I felt when I saw Jessica and her family at the table was rather large. I held in my annoyance and nodded at everyone.
Jessica was all dressed up and they sat me next to her. Her mother was like an older version of the girl, nearly right down to the designer dresses they wore. I thought they looked like over dressed Barbie dolls.
"Is that a Carolina Herrera?" My mother asked with a smile.
"Yes of course. Do you like her?" The mother replied. They chatted back and forth about people I didn't know nor cared about. I was bored. The older dudes were talking about business.
"How are you feeling?" Jessica was looking at me with sympathy but I was having troubles even being polite. It wasn't her fault, but at the same time... it was all her fault. My leg, this dinner, and the awful feeling that was bubbling up in my chest was all her fault.
"Not so good. Thanks for asking though." I told her. The waiter saved my ass when he came to take our orders. I was going to tell him what I wanted, but my mother interjected and ordered me a fucking soup. I sighed at the move while Jessica's father looked at me like I was broken.
I counted to ten in my head. I made small talk with Jessica, who was eyeing me up like I was on the menu. I ate the damn soup even though it tasted like my sweaty socks smelled. I wasn't sure of anything, except that I deserved a fucking reward when this night was over with.
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