This is the twenty-third part in a series, so if you have not already done so, you might want to read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, Part VIII, Part IX, Part X, Part XI, Part XII, Part XIII, Part XIV, Part XV, Part XVI, Part XVII, Part XVIII, Part XIX, Part XX, Part XXI, and Part XXII before continuing.
A few weeks later, I was walking into Owen’s dorm room after my last class of the day. He was on the phone, so I just waved, not wanting to interrupt. He surprised me by moving the microphone end of the phone away from his mouth and saying to me, “Want to go to dinner with my family this Saturday?”
“Um, sure,” I said, too surprised to think of anything else to say.
“Yeah, she’s coming,” he said into the phone. Then, “Kay. Love you, too. Bye.”
“Was that your mom?”
“Yeah.”
I thought it was so cute that he tells his mom he loves her so casually. That did bode well for me.
“Where are we going to dinner?”
“This seafood place my dad really likes. Oh, I should tell you this is for my dad’s birthday.”
“Oh. Does he … want me there?”
Owen shrugged. “I want you there.”
“So, did you even ask him if it’s OK if I come along?”
“All he needs to know is that I want you there.”
I was unsure how to feel about this. On the one hand, this was working in my favor. On the other, if Owen had a habit of acting like it was his way or the highway, that could work against me at any point in the future. I would have to tread very carefully.
Instead, I decided to put those concerns to one side. Surely anyone who grew up with his privileges was bound to be used to getting his own way. Maybe one day I would have the same expectation of getting my own way.
“Do I have to bring a present?”
“No. My dad doesn’t care about presents.”
Of course he doesn’t. Why let other people buy you crap when you can buy yourself whatever you want?
“I’ll get him a card.”
“Sure.”
“Are you getting him something?”
“Honestly, I kind of forgot his birthday was coming up.” Owen made an “oops” face at me and I couldn’t help laughing.
“Do you want me to get him a card for you?” I didn’t think we were at the level of couples who buy one gift for someone and say it’s from both of us.
“Nah, I’ll take care of it. My family’s sense of humor is … different.”
I snorted. “That’s for sure.”
Owen turned away from his computer and really looked at me for the first time since I had walked in. “Do you want to go?”
“Yeah,” I said. I had meant it to sound genuine, but as soon as the word made it out of my mouth in a high-pitched squeak I knew I had blown it.
“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”
“I want to.” Honestly, I wanted to try real seafood! But I knew I couldn’t say that out loud, so instead I fell back on my persona. The girlfriend who’s oh-so eager to please. “Your family is important to you, and I want to spend more time with them.”
“It’s just that I know your first dinner with them didn’t go so great.”
“No. But they just need to get to know me.”
Owen smiled. “They will. And then they’ll love you as much as I do.”
To be continued…