"Relax, both of you. I'm not going to scold you or anything. It's fine." Mom said with a light laugh, waving her hand gently.
"Really?" Lily and I spoke in unison, both of us surprised, eyes wide as we stared at her.
"Sit down properly. I'm in a good mood today." Mom said, still smiling as she gestured to our chairs.
We exchanged a quick, confused glance before sinking back into our seats.
"Did something good happen, Mom?" Lily asked cautiously, her big eyes sparkling with innocent curiosity as she tilted her head.
"It's your dad. He's coming home tomorrow." Mom's smile widened, soft and radiant.
I remembered Mom mentioning Dad's business trip earlier, that he would be coming this week.
He was always away that it almost made it feel like he was the one visiting home rather than leaving it. Mom always got quiet and a little sad whenever he left for weeks at a time. She never complained out loud, but I could see how much it hurt her, she always wanted for everyone to stay together. Yet the moment he was coming back, her whole face would light up like this, brighter and happier than anything else could make her.
"I don't know how many days he'll be able to stay this time." Mom continued, her voice soft with quiet excitement. Her lips curled upward into a beautiful, genuine smile as she looked at us.
"So tomorrow we'll have a small welcome party. It'll be nice." A party just like everytime, it had already become normal to have a small feast on the day dad comes.
"Yeahhh!" Lily jumped up from her chair with pure excitement, her eyes sparkling as she clapped her hands together the moment she heard the word party.
"It's a shame Lisa won't be here for it." Mom said, her expression softening with a touch of sadness.
"But... I invited someone else for tomorrow." She added, brightening again.
"Huh? I thought it was just going to be family. Who did you invite?" I blinked, genuinely confused.
"You know him already. Mike, your friend from school." Mom said, her smile returning warm and easy as she spooned more onto her plate.
I felt my heartbeat skip hard at the sound of his name, a cold knot twisting tight in my stomach. The food in my mouth suddenly tasted like ash.
"Why did you invite him?" I asked, my voice coming out sharper than I intended, my spoon frozen again halfway to my mouth.
"He's a good boy, Alex." Mom blinked at my tone but kept her gentle expression.
"I met him today He helped me a lot today during workout and as we talked more, I thought of inviting him." She continued to tell more about him and I could only grit my teeth annoyance.
"Don't invite him," I said quickly, the words slipping out before I could soften them.
"Why not? He's your friend, isn't he?" Mom tilted her head, looking genuinely puzzled.
"It's not that… it's just…" I trailed off, my throat tightening. I couldn't tell her the truth. That I'd seen what he was capable of, what kind of man he is. That I didn't want him anywhere near my family.
"Just tell him not to come." I said more directly, my voice firmer this time even as my pulse hammered in my ears. I leaned forward slightly in my chair, desperate for her to listen, to understand without me having to explain everything.
"No… I already invited him. It will be rude to uninvite him, sweetie." Mom shook her head slowly, still calm but unmistakably firm, her warm eyes meeting mine with quiet resolve.
"So then… then tell him the party is cancelled." I pleaded, my voice rising slightly as panic crept into my chest, squeezing tight. My hands gripped the edge of the table, knuckles turning white. I couldn't let him step foot in our home. Not after everything.
Mom set her spoon down gently, her expression patient but tinged with confusion and a hint of disappointment.
"I'm not lying to him, Alex." she said softly, her tone steady and final, the kind of voice she used when she'd made up her mind.
"That wouldn't be right. He helped me today, and it's only fair to welcome him properly. Why are you so against this? He's your friend."
Her words hung heavy in the air between us, warm yet unyielding, while my stomach twisted into knots I couldn't untangle.
"Then… then…" I stammered, desperately searching for any excuse, but nothing came to mind. My thoughts were a mess of fear and frustration.
"Enough..." Mom said gently but decisively. She looked at me with quiet confusion and a hint of disappointment.
"I don't know why you don't want him here. He helped me so much today. He's well-mannered, respectful, and he seems like a responsible young man. I think it'll be good for all of us to have some company." Her words hung in the air, warm and final, while my chest felt like it was caving in.
Lily stayed quiet beside me, eyes flicking nervously between us, the earlier excitement gone from her face.
"But…" I tried to speak, my voice cracking with frustration, but Mom had already stood up, ignoring my words completely.
She quietly gathered the plates and bowls from the table with practiced grace, her tight yoga top stretching across her massive breasts as she leaned forward. Her wide hips swayed gently as she carried everything toward the kitchen, leaving a heavy silence in her wake.
To be continued...
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