I KNOCK ON THE DOOR OF MY CHILDHOOD HOME then ring the doorbell, waiting patiently? for my mom to open it. Tonight, is our weekly family dinner with her, where me, Am, Matt, Elise and their twin daughters Addison and Avery, come over for a feast.
She doesn't answer and I begin tapping my finger on the doorbell viciously. Similar to how I would on our old Nintendo 64 control when we would play Mario Party.
The door flings open and she's standing before me, seething with her flowery apron on wiping her hands with it. Her red hair looks flawless and shiny as its draped over her right shoulder, as if she hadn't been working over a hot stove all day. Her makeup is to perfection and her wardrobe is as if she walked out of an Anne Taylor magazine.
Her piercing blue eyes do a head to toe examination and I fly my hands out in the air. "You just saw me like six hours ago. I still look the same."
"Mind your manners young lady." She says with that strict tone.
She opens the door all the way so I can step into the luxurious wallpapered house. I glance over to the left to see the dining room table already set with her fancy plates, silverware rolled up with napkins and weird pine cone looking things on the plates. The plush velvety red chairs call to me, but I walk behind her to the kitchen.
I head straight to the fridge, but she smacks it shut as soon as I open it. "No, you'll waste your appetite."
I give an exasperated sigh but she says nothing to me.
Crap, the silent treatment.
"Can I help with anything?"
She stops what she's doing and gives me a hard look. "Explain to me, what on earth were you thinking? He was a nice and very handsome young man. A perfect candidate and you... you..." She does that motherly thing where she pumps her hand up and down disapprovingly then slaps her leg. "were you."
I rip open the fridge and glare at her while doing so and grab a pop. I wish I was as beautiful as my mom. Matt inherited her bright blue eyes and creamy complexion, where as I got dad's dull dark brown eyes and plethora of freckles.
Me opening the can is the only sound in the quiet kitchen. "Sorry about that. Hard to believe that a mother wouldn't want her daughter to be herself."
She huffs, "You know what I mean Harper. He was excited to meet you and you ruined it."
I roll my eyes. "He was an accountant and so boring." I whine out. "He wasn't interested as soon as he saw me anyways. I clearly wasn't whatever image you concocted up in that cauldron of yours and fed to him or his mommy."
My mom is a huge, and I mean huge, romance fan and lives out this fantasy through my lackluster love life. She's such a romantic that she's a best-selling romance novelist. She didn't really push herself until my dad left. When he had abandoned us it took a toll on her and she had no idea what to do or how to provide for us. But she used the pain inflicted by him to become extremely successful.
She's been on a ton of talk shows.
Mom goes back to her cooking and mumbles under her breath, "I'm going to die before I see you married."
I raise my can. "I'll toast to that."
Okay, I want to get married and I want my mom to live long and prosper, but she's making me mad.
"Owen Samuels is coming for dinner, so at least be a little bit ladylike." She hisses out the last part.
I cough up some of my pop and she shakes her head at me. Owen's coming? Crap! He better not tell her about the ticket.
The doorbell rings and my hand smashes the can on the counter and I run to it. I stop and take a deep breath. I open it to see Am who stares at me weirdly. "What?"
"Oh, thank God. Wait who dropped you off?" I ask as I pull her inside.
She stumbles in, her high heels coming off from the force of my pull. "My co-worker Jerry did. What in the world Harp?"
"Who's at the door?" Mom walks up and gives a genuine smile. "Am! So good to see you. How was work."
Am smiles in return. "Good Momma Collins, busy, but good."
"And you look so lovely, as always."
My eyes are going to get sore from how much I'm rolling them. Mom loves Am. She's beautiful, girly and a lawyer. During our high school years she wasn't really fond of her, but her opinion changed over the years.
Now if only her opinion would change about me.
The doorbell rings again and I go to open it, but mom stops me. "No, I need you to go get the London broil out of the oven. At least there's some use in those arms of yours."
I clench my teeth and give a quick prayer that it isn't Owen. I rush to the kitchen and look for the potholders. I hear mom's voice, "Matt, Elise and my girls! Come in." I throw open drawers and curse at this woman's constant need to reorganize her kitchen. "Oh! And if it isn't Owen! My you get handsomer every time I see you."
My heart thunders and I grab the dish towel and open the oven door so quickly it smashes back closed. I open it again and take the London broil out.
"Owen! I didn't know you were coming." I cringe at Am's flirty voice. Seriously, aren't you my best friend? Stop flirting with him dang it!
I place the heavy pan down and go to throw the rag on the counter like a basketball player when Am's voice makes me freeze. "I was late to work because of you pulling Harp over and giving her a ticket."
"What?!" Mom's voice rings out. "Harper Louise Collins!"
Her heels storm towards me and I run out of the kitchen taking the backway. I circle around the staircase and almost run into a very pregnant Elise. If there's one person my mom loves more than Am, it's Elise. She is the debutante and perfect woman. What's worse is how sweet she is. I love her like crazy. She's one of the kindest people I know. She's always in a pretty modest dress with her sandy hair curled and makeup done just right to make her blue eyes pop... even pregnant.
Yeah, guarantee when I'm pregnant it will be sweatpants and my husband's t-shirts.
Elise is my moral defender. She claims that she wishes she could be more open and honest like me. Her parents controlled her every move like she was a puppet and came from a very strict home. Once she became my friend and then my brother's wife she was able to escape and breathe for the first time in her life.
Which is why she understands the issues I have with my mom.
Everyone looks at me and I put my finger to my pursed lips. I go around Elise and lightly place my hands on her very round belly and whisper, "Hello, little nephew."
She giggles and I open the coat closet and hide in it.
"She still does that?" Owen questions seemingly amused.
Matt laughs, "Yep."
The door opens and Am bites her bottom lip and crunches her face looking like Michael Scott from the Office. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" I whisper hotly. "I was worried about Owen dropping the bomb, but you..."
She comes inside and shuts the door. "I just assumed you told her?"
"And why would I do that?" I say in a deadpan tone.
She winces and we keep our voices hushed in case anyone is listening, while I try to conjure up a plan to get out of here. "Okay. How about this. What if I stay in here, you tell her I didn't feel good and left, then when no one is paying attention I sneak out."
Am gives me the dead stare. "She made London Broil. You aren't going anywhere."
I bite my lip. "True."
She huffs, "Gosh Harp, stop acting like your fifteen and got caught at a make-out party."
"Interesting analogy seeing as how we're in a coat closet." I bite out. She gives me a stern look. "Ugh, fine!" I lower my voice even more, "But will you stop flirting with him already."
I smack her arm hard and she fiddles with her blonde hair. "I'm sorry he's just so sexy. You're lucky you're my best and most amazing friend because I would've pounced by now."
"You don't date." I hiss out.
"I would for him." She widens her eyes innocently even though her comment is anything but.
I hit her again and open the closet door to see Owen standing there raising a brow with his arms crossed. Oh no! Please tell me he didn't hear that last part. He says nothing and holds a bag up in the air.
I look at him skeptically.
He smirks. "I was able to get your mom to calm down by telling her we'd fix that taillight of yours while Matt cuts the meat and your mom and Elise play with the girls. Want to join Am?"
She gives a shake of her head and points her manicured finger at the bag. "No, I pay someone to do that."
Owen grabs me by the wrist yanking me out of the closet pulling me out the door and to my car. I marvel at how strong he is. And I'm a strong woman. But he's manly strong. I take a moment to appreciate his chiseled body and broad shoulders that's being hugged by a black t-shirt that's tucked into grey shorts. Holy calves. He's definitely more muscular than he was in high school, but his skin is still the same golden bronze, looking as if he always baths in the sun.
I glance up at his face and see his strong, prominent nose, those defined cheek bones and solid lips. My eyes flick to his hazel ones and he smirks. "Like what you see Firecracker?"
I feel heat on my neck and rip my arm out of his hand when we stop at my car. He chuckles and points to his cheeks. "You're actually blushing, so it must be true."
I scoff. "Still as arrogant as ever."
His hazel eyes soften. I would like to say he has the most beautiful eyes in the world, but he doesn't, I've seen prettier. But it's not the color that pulls me in and makes me melt into a puddle, it's the light-heartedness, the teasing, and honesty I see in them.
He pulls out the stuff in the yellow plastic bag and hands them to me. "Wait, you're not going to fix it?"
He crosses his arms over that amazingly broad chest. "Aren't you miss independent?"
My eyes narrow and I bend down fiddling with the bulb and plastic covering. He chuckles and crouches down next to me, then instructs me on what to do. I'm surprised by how easy it is and soon we're done.
He pats my back. "See not so hard."
"How much do I owe you for the parts?"
He shrugs. "Well, you can either pay me three hundred or we can do what we did as kids and you pay me with a kiss on the cheek."
His finger taps on his right cheek, and I give him a bored look, despite my racing heart. "I'd rather pay you three hundred."
His smirk widens. "Do you even have that?"
I say nothing and chew on my cheek. My body leans over to him my fingers touching the cement driveway as I give him a small peck on the cheek. I pull away, hoping I'm masking the blush I'm fighting. My heart stops when he snatches my wrist and stares straight at me. His eyes no longer playful, but intense. He gives a very... and I mean very... arrogant smirk. He brings my fingers to his mouth, and he kisses my knuckles.
Every hair on my body sticks up as I jump out of his reach, and he just continues to gaze at me. Say something Harp.... anything, just talk. I give a shaky breath. "I'll seriously pay you though."
The intensity vanishes as that genuine bold smile of his takes over. "It was ninety bucks."
My eyes widen and he jogs away as I throw the broken plastic cover at him. "You liar!" He laughs and I stomp over pointing in his face. "Let's get one thing straight Owen, I'm not a girl you can just mess around with."
His eyes flash teasingly at me. "No, your definitely not a girl anymore Harp."
I flush and quickly stride away, but he's hot on my heels. "Tell me, how many boyfriends have you had now?"
I stop and spin around before we reach the porch. "None of your business bro."
"My guess..." He leans in putting his hand on the porch post. "One maybe two, and they didn't last long."
I snap. "I said none of your business, didn't I."
"So, I hit the mark." He chuckles out.
I spin back around and throw open the door.
What's it to him? So, what if he's right! I've only had two boyfriends, and each lasted barely a month.
I go right for the table, and everyone looks at me curiously. Owen slowly walks in with a huge heart-stopping smile plastered on that stupid handsome face of his. He sits down while I plop. Mom comes gliding in, not looking at me.
"Go wash your hands." My teeth clench, but I get up and go because no matter what I still love her. I squirt a heaping of orange soap on my hands and scrub away. The sound of heavy footsteps come next to me, and Owen squeezes out a smaller dose and washes his hands with me. I flick water in his face, and he does the same to me. It's like we've traveled back in time when we were twelve.
My smile and laughter come easily, but then anger fills me again when he pushes my head down into the sink, soaking some of my hair. "Owen!"
He jumps away vanishing to the dining room. Luckily, my hair is in a ponytail, but still the front part is drenched with the once frizzy strands now glued to my face. I stomp back to the calming aroma of beef and potatoes.
Mom disappears for a second as Matt starts laughing when he sees me. "What happened to you?"
"Your stupid friend." I point at the culprit as he sits there looking innocent.
"I was just trying to save a drowning woman." I throw my napkin in his face and Am nudges me with her elbow. I know what she's thinking. If you keep this up, you'll forever be in the sister zone. Here's my problem, I don't know how to act anyway but this way with him. It's like going against the forces of nature. I look around and see everyone's plates are full and I'm about to grab mine when I notice it's gone.
"What the?"
Mom comes back with a plate full of salad and what's worse... when she puts it down there is zero dressing.
"Seriously?!" I gawk at her.
She gracefully sits in her chair. "It's your punishment."
"For getting a ticket?" I ask in shock. What am I sixteen again?"
She snaps at me. "No, for eating ribs like a horse on your date. Also, you need to lose weight, you're getting chubby."
Owen's deep chuckle gets my attention and he's eyeing me with a heart-stopping smirk. "I don't know Momma Collins some men prefer a woman with meat on their bones."
My face turns fifty shades of red. I open my mouth to retort, but his mischievous hazels are too powerful. Instead, I turn to mom... "The punishment fits the crime."
We all begin eating and mom finally starts talking again. "I simply don't get it. I set you up on a nice date with a nice, attractive young man and you order the most atrocious thing on the menu. Honestly, Mariam called me up and told me every intricate detail. This is like the debutante luncheon all over again."
Owen raises a brow. "What happened there?"
Am jumps in, "Harp got kicked out."
"Why's that?" He gives Am a flirty look, while drinking some tea.
Everyone says in unison, "For eating ribs."
He chokes on his drink, and I kick him from under the table. "If they don't want you to eat something like that, they shouldn't have it on the menu."
Dear sweet Elise comes to my defense. "I agree with Harp. It was unfair and not reason enough to kick her out of the group."
Mom smiles sweetly at Elise then scowls at me. "I have to go make some more tea. Water and salad only."
She leaves and I take my fork to Am's food, but she scoots away. "No way. You know your mom's homecooked meals are the only time I indulge myself. Whatever happened to punishment fits the crime."
"It does." I whisper. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to happily accept it.
Elise holds her plate out. "You can have some of mine."
I melt a little, but shake my head no. "I'd feel wrong taking food from a pregnant woman."
She puts her plate back, mumbling, "Thank God."
Matt's already done with his and the girls are too far away in their highchairs that are empty of all its contents. I glance at the London Broil and know mom would notice if I took some from there. My eyes fall on Owen's almost finished plate. He immediately notices and gives a wide Cheshire cat grin.
"Want something Harp?"
The way he says it makes my skin crawl all over. It's so rough and enthralling.
My eyes narrow, stop it Harp, and I lean into bargain. "What's your price Chicken Butt."
He glances at the kitchen, and I look back and watch as mom prepares the tea. He leans his elbows on the table and Matt chuckles, "Make it count man."
Owen smiles in victory. "You have to perform your old dance routine your mom forced you to do for the school talent show."
"Yes!" Matt whispers excitedly.
I glare at him. "No."
He leans over. "Too bad it's her best yet."
My mouth waters a little and I raise my fork stretching across the table to his plate. He swipes my fork away with his. For a second I think we're about to have an ultimate lightsaber battle like we used to in the backyard, but his gravely melting-me-like-butter-in-a-microwave-voice stops it from happening. "Not until you agree."
I growl, "I thought my action would confirm that."
The sound of his fork scraping away from mine fills the silent, anticipating room. He holds the plate inches from my fork. "You have to say it."
"I'll. Do. It." He cups his hand around his ear, and I growl out, "I'll do the stupid dance."
He holds out his plate and I stab a piece of meat shoving it in my mouth followed by some salad. Just in case she wants to check... it's happened before.
Am bounces up and down in excitement. "The routine is making a comeback. I'm recording this." She adds some dramatic effect by taking out her phone and wiggling it in front of me.
Elise looks around confused and Matt pats her hand. "You'll understand soon sweetheart."
I glare at Owen who sits back in his chair smiling devilishly at me. With a smile like that he could have probably convinced me to do the routine a hundred times. I'm like freaking putty in his hands and he doesn't even know it, but I am a master of disguise if I do say so myself. The guy never contacted me once during his life in Alabama, so I doubt I mean that much to him. I'm just the annoying sister. He winks at me and my shoulder's sag wishing it was flirty.
Why did you have to come back?
I have to say Harp has been one of the easiest characters I have ever written. Not sure why, but she has just comes to life so easily. Thanks for reading and remember to comment & vote!