Mom called me later that week, asking me out to dinner to hand over the money. Aria was with me at the time. When I told her about it, she insisted on coming along. Figured if things went south, she could help smooth things over.
My parents were already waiting in the private room when we arrived. Most of the cold appetizers had been served.
The moment Mom spotted Aria, her demeanor flipped like a switch. Excessive warmth poured out of her. "Aria! We haven't seen you in ages. Are your parents in good health?"
Aria linked arms with her, sat down, engaged in polite small talk. They shifted from household topics to recent gossip. On the surface, it looked harmonious—a happy family dinner.
Under the table, my hands were clenched so tight my knuckles ached. Dad and I sat in stiff, stony silence.
When the hot dishes arrived, Mom started piling food onto Aria's plate. Halfway through the meal, she dropped the bomb.
"Aria, I heard you and Gabriel are planning to get married soon? Is that true?"
"Yes, Mrs. Fox. We're hoping to have the ceremony this year."
Mom glanced at Dad. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. She probably hadn't expected us to move this fast.
"Regarding the marital home... Gabriel told you the situation, right?"
Aria nodded. Mom kept her smile plastered on.
"Look, could you two use our place as the marital home for now? If you're not used to living there after the wedding, we can always move out."
My chair scraped loudly against the floor as I stood. I was done.
Aria grabbed my arm, pulled me back down. Her eyes pleaded with me to stay calm. Then she turned to my mother.
"Mrs. Fox, honestly, I don't mind where we live. The main issue is that it's hard to explain to my parents."
"What's hard to explain?" Mom waved her hand dismissively. "It's just a house. Isn't living anywhere the same?"
Dad's indifferent tone sparked something volatile in my chest. Anger. Absurdity. Both swirling together.
"Have you ever cared about our feelings?"
"Have you ever cared about mine or your mother's?" His face darkened.
That sentence snapped the last thread of my patience.
I stood. My voice came out steady. Cold.
"When I was three, you dumped me on Grandpa and Grandma so you wouldn't have to deal with me. Back then, I didn't understand. I thought you were just busy." A bitter laugh escaped me. "It wasn't until I got older that I realized you simply wanted your 'space.'"