Chapter 14
“ A re you there?”
Fiona nodded, then realized he couldn’t see her. “Yep.”
“So, will tomorrow night work for you?” Tomas asked.
She placed a hand over her chest to keep her heart in place.
“Sure.” It came out as a croak. She cleared her throat. “I’m looking forward to it.”
They arranged the time and ended the call. Bending over, she banged her head slowly against her desk. She’d just agreed to have dinner with his family. Holy crap!
Sitting back, she stared around her office.
“Give your head a shake.” She was the executive director of a non-profit agency.
She lunched with local politicians and spoke at fundraisers.
She could do this. She knew Louisa Santiago.
She was a wonderful person. But Tomas’s stepfather and sisters? Yikes!
Meeting Eddie’s parents was the only experience she had. And it had been a disaster.
Walking down the stairs from her bedroom in her parents’ house, she’d found Eddie and her mother in a hushed conversation. They drew apart at her approach, Eddie looking smug. He kissed her on the cheek in greeting while her mother gave her appearance the once-over and wished them a good evening.
Outside the house, Fiona hurried to follow Eddie as he strode down the driveway. He beeped the locks on a new bright red Audi and was ensconced in the driver’s seat, revving the engine when she got in the car. She’d barely buckled the seat belt before they were off.
“Here,” he said, thrusting a folded piece of paper at her.
Bewildered, she scanned it as he drove through the winding streets of her neighborhood. It was a two-column list, one labeled DO and the other labeled DON’T.
“I want my parents to accept you. So I made a list of things you can and can’t talk about.”
Fiona looked between the list and the man beside her, ice trickling down her spine.
It had been a dull gray day, typical of fall in the Seattle area. She was one month into dating Eddie and three months into her new job.
Supported by local churches and the town council, Keeney Works had been formed to combat joblessness.
Their clients were those who struggled to find and maintain steady employment.
Some battled addiction, some had multiple brushes with the law, while others dealt with health issues.
Fiona was the youngest person to apply for the role of executive director.
She worried that she’d only gotten the job because of her mother’s influence, so she was determined to excel at her work.
Eddie’s attention overwhelmed and flattered her.
She’d expected him to be aggressive after his drunken behavior at the fundraising luncheon.
Instead, his kisses, while nice, never led to fiery make-out sessions with roaming hands.
On the days when they didn’t see each other, he texted, making her laugh at silly memes.
Exactly what she needed after busy, stress-filled days at work.
She’d been looking forward to this evening; Iris and Darryl McLeod were respected in the community, and she wanted to make a good impression.
But the words Eddie said made her stomach sink.
She studied the list. “Speak only in English. Why wouldn’t I?
” Her parents had immigrated from Vietnam as small children and spoke English fluently.
She was raised speaking Vietnamese and English, had learned Spanish and French, and was now studying Tagalog.
Eddie thinned his lips and raised his eyebrows in response.
Was he implying his parents were bigots or racist?
She looked back at the list. Make minimal eye contact and avoid touching.
“My mother will try to hug you but don’t let her. That will annoy my father, and we don’t want that.”
“Okay,” she murmured, subsiding into her seat. Looking at the profile of the handsome man beside her, she wondered what she was getting into. Yet, her mother approved of Eddie and was pleased about the dinner. Fiona was determined to be open and positive despite the churning in her belly.
The evening limped along at the expensive seafood restaurant in Kirkland.
Fiona sipped wine sparingly, answered questions politely, and watched the tension escalate around the table.
Eddie directed the conversation, at one point cutting off Fiona as she was explaining the funding behind Keeney Works when Iris asked about it.
No one wanted dessert, and soon, they were heading back home in Eddie’s car.
“Sorry, babe.” Eddie squeezed her knee, then placed his hand back on the steering wheel. “You were getting into the weeds there. Mom wouldn’t have understood, and Dad would have thought you were boasting.”
“How was that boasting? I was explaining?—”
“That’s just it. Dad doesn’t like…” he flicked his gaze over Fiona, then back at the road, “women explaining things to him. He’s old-fashioned.”
Misogynistic was more like it . She didn’t speak during the rest of the drive. She’d sleep on it but was pretty certain she wanted nothing more to do with the McLeod family.
Entering the house, she followed the sound of the TV to the family room, where her parents sat watching a cooking show.
“How did it go?” her mother asked, muting the sound.
“Not,” she said, slumping into a chair and rubbing her temples. “They were polite. I don’t know if it was because I wasn’t white or because I’m Vietnamese, but they don’t like me.”
Eyes narrowed, her mother leaned toward her. “What did you do?” Even in a bathrobe and slippers, Linh Han was intimidating.
Fiona’s eyebrows drew together. She hadn’t expected her mother’s vehemence. “Nothing. I was polite. Asked questions?—”
“Did you talk too much? No one likes a girl who talks all the time. Or giggles. You giggled, didn’t you?”
“I did not giggle!” She looked over to her father, not expecting him to participate, but it would be nice if he supported her against her mother for once.
“There must have been something. I hope you haven’t messed this up.”
“I don’t know how I could possibly mess things up. But it doesn’t matter. I’m going to break it off with Eddie. I don’t want to date a guy whose parents can’t accept me.” She made to rise from the chair, but her mother’s words had her frozen in place.
“You will not. You will send a note to the McLeods thanking them for dinner. You will make them accept you. This is a good match.”
Dumbfounded, Fiona sank back into the chair. “You can’t be serious. Eddie gave me a list of things I shouldn’t say or do around his parents. I don’t want to be with someone when I have to walk on eggshells.”
Her father leaned forward, mouth open to say something, when Linh Han shot him a look and shook her head. He sent a regretful look to Fiona and shifted back into his chair.
“You are a smart girl. You can figure this out. But you will not be breaking up with Eddie. Now, goodnight.” Her mother raised the remote and turned up the sound on the TV.
Fiona and her father stood at the same time. He patted her on the shoulder and spoke softly, “Your mother has your best interests at heart.” Then he headed out the door leading to his greenhouse.
Should she have brought wine? Standing on the front porch of the Santiago home, Fiona had her third freakout of the day.
The first was about what to wear: a knee-length yellow sundress with white flowers, wedged sandals, and her hair in a side ponytail hanging over her shoulder.
The second was about what to talk about.
She wrote out six notecards and stuffed them in her purse.
Now she stood with the flower arrangement her father made for her, wondering if it was the right gift.
The Uber driver had already gone, and before she could call for another, the door flew open, and a beautiful woman smiled at her.
“Hi, I’m Cara.” She held out her hand. “You must be Fiona.”
Fiona took her hand and released it quickly, worried her palms were soaked with sweat.
Slightly taller than Fiona, Cara was curvaceous.
Dressed in a bright blue sundress, her makeup was understated, and she wore her black hair cut in an angled bob that curled around her face.
She smiled easily. “I love your shoes,” she said, stepping back to allow Fiona to enter.
“Did you get those at the boutique on Main Street?” At Fiona’s nod, she carried on.
“They have the most divine stuff. It’s like the mother ship calling me home every time I go near. ”
Cara chatted away while leading Fiona into the sprawling rambler.
What had Fiona expected? She knew Tomas’s parents were successful businesspeople, like her own parents.
However, unlike her home, which was so formal, the living room was off-limits unless there were guests, the Santiago residence was warm and welcoming.
Big windows let in the evening sun. The walls were painted a soft yellow and hung with bright artwork that drew the eye.
The furniture was a mixed collection of comfortable chairs and couches, perfect for relaxing. This was a room meant to be lived in.
“Fiona!” Arms outstretched, Louisa Santiago rushed toward her. Spotting the flowers, she shifted her hug to a side embrace. “Those are lovely. Cara, put those on the table so I can give this girl a proper hug.”
Cara winked at Fiona as she took the flowers. “Sorry,” she mouthed.
And then she was wrapped in a hug. Louisa’s perfume filled her nose as she rocked Fiona back and forth in her warm embrace.
“You can let her go now, Mom.”
Over Louisa’s shoulder, Fiona spotted Tomas. Propped against the entry to the dining room, he stood with his arms crossed, grinning at her. “I should have warned you about Mom’s hugs. They can be intense.”
Releasing Fiona, Louisa glared at her son.
“She is the first girl you’ve ever brought home for dinner.
Of course, I’m going to hug her.” Turning to Fiona, she patted her on the arm and said, “Put your purse anywhere. Tomas will get you a glass of wine, and we’ll go out to the back deck.
Carlos and Sylvie are arguing over the barbecue.
I need to referee.” With that, she hurried off, leaving Fiona and Tomas alone.
He pushed off from the wall and moved toward her. “Hey.” His eyes dancing, he kissed her softly, tugging on a lock of her hair with one hand, while circling her waist with the other. “You look great. Thanks for coming.”
Leaning into him, she was finally able to breathe. “Your family is….”
“They are that.” His dimple came out with his smile. “But you’ll survive.”
Taking her hand, he tugged her toward the back of the house. “Come meet the others. They’re going to love you.”