Epilogue
Lights shone from the windows of the house in front of them. Derek”s family house. He”d promised that his family would like her, but what if he was wrong? For the fifth time since leaving her apartment, she pulled out her phone and checked her makeup.
”You look great,” Derek whispered into her ear. ”Better than great. But if you want, we can leave and go somewhere else. You can meet them another time.”
”They really want to meet me?”
He nodded.
She tucked her phone back into her purse and grabbed his hand. The way he stood, so confident and sure, made her relax. If he could be so calm about introducing her to his family, then she had no reason to worry. People met their boyfriend”s family all the time, right? It was a normal part of dating. She could handle this.
The doorbell chimed at the press of the button, but Derek didn”t wait for someone to answer. Instead, he pushed the door open and led Theresa into the entry. His parents had a large historic home, the type that only belonged in movies or stories. Derek never mentioned that his parents were wealthy, but this house spoke for itself. Dark hardwood floors, large entryway, and high ceilings.
”Um, I think I forgot something in the car,” Theresa whispered to Derek. The entryway to this house gave her enough information to know that she was out of her league. No one who grew up like she did, moving from one run-down apartment to the next, sometimes living in trailers, sometimes living in places that should have been condemned, would be accepted by people who lived in a house like Derek”s. His parents would see right through her, see that she didn”t belong with Derek.
”Welcome!” A short woman with auburn hair and the same eyes and nose as Derek stepped into the entry, wrapping Derek in a hug before turning to Theresa and embracing her. ”I”m so excited to meet you, Theresa. Come in.”
”Give the woman some space,” a male voice said. A man who looked like an older version of Derek stepped up, holding out his hand to shake Theresa”s. ”I”m Steve. Nice to meet you. Want a drink? Beer? Wine?”
Theresa hesitated, looking to Derek and not wanting to make the wrong impression on his parents.
”Water for both of us, Dad,” Derek said, tugging Theresa”s hand so that they both followed his parents towards the back of the house. ”Jake and Kayce here yet?”
”Back here,” Kayce”s voice came from the back of the house.
Theresa stepped into the large kitchen, the smell of pasta and tomato sauce filling the air.
”Kayce and Jake, this is Theresa,” Derek said, while Theresa smiled at them. They were vaguely familiar.
His brother reached out his hand to shake hers. ”Nice to meet the woman who stands up to my brother.”
”Did you really call the police on him?” Kayce asked, laughing as she spoke.
Theresa”s face grew hot, not wanting her first official time meeting Derek”s family to include the story of her calling the police to break up his party. She wanted his parents to like her, not think she was as cold and icy as people at work used to think of her. ”I, um . . .”
His father let out a loud laugh. ”It”s about time that Derek met someone who stands up to him. Not that I didn”t like Mel,” he added, with a glance toward Kayce. ”But, well, um?—”
”It”s fine,” Kayce said, turning to Theresa. ”Mel”s my sister, but even I have to admit that Mel and Derek both seem happier apart. Really, I haven”t seen Derek this happy in years.”
”It”s true. Derek”s been talking about you so much, and his face lights up whenever he mentions you.” His mother added, giving her husband a look to quiet him, ”Steve is a bit nervous about meeting you. We both are, actually. But Derek said you like lasagna? I made this from scratch. It”s an old family recipe.”
It was Jake”s turn to let out a loud laugh, almost identical to his father”s. ”You made her lasagna?” He raised his hands in the air. ”Consider yourself lucky, Theresa. She only makes lasagna from scratch once every year or two, and it has to be a really special occasion.”
”I don”t think Stacy”s ever made lasagna for me,” Kayce added, crossing her arms at Derek”s mom as if she were mad, but the smile on her face said otherwise.
”I”m sure I have, you just don”t remember,” Stacy said with a shrug.
”She hasn”t,” Jake said. ”She makes everything from scratch. The noodles, the sauce, it”s all homemade. Takes her hours. I ask for it at least once a month, and she says that it takes too long, too much time and effort and that I haven”t earned it.”
”It”s not that hard, really,” Stacy said, turning to the cabinet and removing some plates.
”Then you”ll make it again next weekend?” Kayce asked.
”Absolutely not. Do you have any idea how long it takes to make?” his mother said automatically like she”d answered that question with that same phrase countless times.
Everyone laughed, and Theresa used that opportunity to look to Derek. ”If it”s such a big deal to make that, why did she make it for me?” she whispered.
”She”s excited to meet you,” Derek whispered back.
”Why?” She narrowed her eyes, confused.
”Tell me, Theresa, does your family live nearby? Derek hasn”t told us much about them.” Derek”s dad asked as his mom took a large salad bowl from the fridge and carried it to the dining room, which was open to the kitchen.
”Um, yes. No. I mean . . .” Theresa looked down. She was so used to lying about her family, but it didn”t feel right to lie.
”Her sister lives nearby, but her mom isn”t local,” Derek said, not lying but not telling the entire truth.
”Oh? Where”s your mom?” his mother asked, returning to the cabinets for more dishes to place on the table.
”She, um . . .” Theresa looked around the room at everyone staring back at her while Derek squeezed her hand. Then she decided that she needed to take a chance. She took a deep breath, then let it out. ”Actually, I don”t know. My mother and I aren”t close. She”s had a problem with addiction in the past and isn”t part of my life now.” She braced herself for the judging looks, but all she saw in the faces around her was acceptance.
”I”m sorry to hear that, honey,” his mother said softly. ”It”s so nice that your sister lives nearby. At least you have each other. You should bring her by sometime.”
”She”s my twin, actually,” Theresa said, still not wanting to lie. Val”s trial occurred a few weeks ago, and she was found guilty on several charges. ”Unfortunately, we aren”t close either. She”s in prison for the next few years.”
Theresa regretted telling the truth when the words came out of her mouth. Kayce”s jaw dropped open, and his mother winced slightly before recovering. They”d never approve of her as Derek”s girlfriend now. Emily had been wrong to encourage her to be more open. If she”d lied, like she”d done countless times before, there wouldn”t be the awkward silence. They wouldn”t all be standing there, trying to figure out how to end this evening early and avoid her in the future.
Theresa opened her mouth to apologize and make an excuse to leave, when Derek”s mom surprised her by marching up to her and wrapping her into a hug.
”Well, you”re officially part of our family now. And if you like the lasagna and like cooking, I”ll teach you how to make it next weekend.”
Kayce let out another gasp. ”That”s not fair! She didn”t give me the recipe until after Jake and I had been married for a year!”
The tension in the room broke and everyone started talking at once, jokingly arguing over the lasagna recipe.
Theresa froze as Derek wrapped his arm around her waist, and then melted into his side. ”What just happened?”
”I love you, Theresa. And they love you too. You”re part of the family now.”