AFTER #3
“Oh dear,” my mom said, putting her hand to her mouth. “We should’ve brought you a gift.”
It was funny how they mirrored each other, the gifts, the cologne. Elias might not have been from the Midwest, but he sure had the pleasantries down.
“Let us pay for your meal, son,” my father said, reaching for our check.
“Please don’t,” Elias said. “I’d prefer to pay for yours, as you're our guests here, but paying for our own will be fine. I can live with that.”
My father huffed, but left our check alone. Men and their pride. When Elias unhooked his arm from my chair to reach into his jacket, my father’s eyes lit up.
“That’s a nice watch there, Elias,” he said, a little slack jawed. “Rose, he can afford to pay for his own meal, and he certainly doesn’t need a gift from us.”
“What’s so special about this watch?” My mom asked.
My father must have really become interested in watches since I was a kid because he started listing off all the things the watch could do. “Rose, it’s like three grand.”
“Hey, now,” Elias said, holding up his hands in defense. “I didn’t wear this to show off, that’s what my car is for. The watch is for work. Also,” he said through gritted teeth. “My birthday was supposed to be a secret.” He glared at me.
“Nonsense, Elias. We’re excited to be able to celebrate your birthday with you,” my mom said, reaching her hand toward him. “If the birthday boy doesn’t want any gifts, then we won’t bother with the gifts, but I will be making you dinner tomorrow, if that’s alright.”
“That would be great,” Elias conceded.
“Frank, can you see on the GPS if there is a Meijers around here?” she asked.
“Mom,” I said. “We are in Virginia. There are no Meijers.” I shook my head. “There’s an Aldi, or a Kroger.”
“I don’t trust the produce at Aldis,” she sneered. “Krogers will have to do this time.”
My dad didn’t let us know he was excited to see Elias’s car, but it was clear he was looking forward to it, and was quick to get up after our bills were paid. A step out the door and he turned to Elias.
“Where’s this car?” He asked.
Elias looked at me. “Uh, I’m not sure. Cassie drove it here to meet me. I uber’d.”
“Over here,” I said, rolling my eyes. There weren’t many cars in the parking lot, and none of them were particularly impressive.
The rain had subsided, so we were able to walk outside without being too uncomfortable. Of course, now the car was glistening, making it look like it drove right out of a magazine. I hit the unlock button on the remote, and the headlights flashed, and my dad all but ran over to it.
“Jesus, you let Cassie drive this?” he asked.
“Sometimes,” he shrugged.
“You know, she totaled the first car she had. I’d be careful letting her behind the wheel.”
“Dad, come on,” I said, exasperated. “I hit a deer.”
Elias wrapped his arm around me, pulling me to him, chuckling. A bright flash came from where my mother was standing. I looked over to see her phone high in the air, pointed right at us.
“Sorry, I was trying to get a candid,” she said. “I’m just not as sneaky as I think I am.”
My dad interrogated Elias about every aspect of the car. How quickly it got to sixty, how much it could tow, how deep of water it could handle. We let them gush for a minute, but it was too cold out for that.
“I love you guys, and I’m really happy you’re here, but I’m freezing, and I’m getting in the car,” I announced.
“Can you text me your address?” my mom asked.
“Wait a minute,” Elias said, pulling out his wallet. He pulled out a pass for the neighborhood. “Do you have a pen, Rose?”
“Honey, we aren’t that old, you can text it to us,” my mom said.
He smiled. “We live in a gated community, I need to make sure you have a pass to get through.”
“Oh,” she said, and she and my dad exchanged looks. She rummaged through her purse to find Elias a pen. He scribbled on the pass in his hand, signing it, and handed it to my mother.
“We’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” I said, my hand on the car handle.
“You don’t want to hug your parents goodbye?” Elias asked, stepping forward to give my mom a hug. She held him there for a moment, saying something I couldn’t hear.
“I’ve hugged them plenty of times.” I got in the car, and watched Elias and my dad shake hands, before waving goodbye to both of them.
He got in the driver’s seat and sighed. “I like them,” he said. “They’re really nice people. Your mom’s worried about you, though.”
“She always is,” I muttered. “Ready to go home?”
“Oh, yes. I’m ready to unwrap my gift,” he smirked.
My phone buzzed. It was a text from my mother.
A gated community? How much money do you guys make?
I laughed out loud, and Elias looked at me quizzically. I held up the phone so he could see. He smiled, shaking his head, but then it buzzed again. He looked at the phone a moment before looking at me. “That’s a nice picture.”
He grabbed my free hand and kissed it, then held it between us as he started the car. I looked at my phone to see the photo. It was a really nice photo, Elias and I were both smiling, his arm holding me close. She left a caption underneath.
I told you, he loves you.