'You and Colin will be married by the time you graduate university,' my mother says calmly. I choke on my food and start coughing. Matt pats my back. 'What?!' I yell in disbelieve. 'You heard what I said,' my mother says. 'Yeah, that's why I react like that,' I say.

I look around the table. My father looks at his plate, ashamed. Tom and Anna don't look at me either. Colin just looks from my mother to me. Patrick is whispering something to Juliette. James and Matt give each other a confused look.

'Why?' I ask eventually, breaking the uncomfortable silence. 'You will never find anyone more capable as a partner than Colin. And he clearly loves you more than anything. I can't see why it wouldn't work,' my mother says like it's nothing. Like I don't have anything to say in it, like I don't have feelings, like she doesn't care about me. 'No,' I say.

'Renée, think about it. It's still two years before you graduate, you can at least try,' my mother says. I stand up and hover over the table. The whole restaurant is looking at me. 'No,' I repeat and start walking past the table. 'Renée Marie Moons! Tu reste ici!,' my mother yells after me. 'Non!' I run outside, gasping for air.

I breath a few times and go back inside the restaurant. They all look at me. Their calmness is making me nervous. 'Did you know?' I ask and look around the table. Everyone is quiet and looks at their plate. 'You are all mental! Real fucking mental!' I say and go back outside.

Footsteps follow me. 'Ren,' James says. 'I'm going back home,' I say and start walking to the house. 'I'll come with you!' James says and hurries after me. 'No, I want to be alone,' I say and start walking faster. James doesn't follow. Once I enter the house I start crying. I run inside my room and start packing.

***

'One ticket to London please,' I say. I pay and check in my suitcase. I call Sophia. 'Hi, it's the middle of the night. Is everything okay?' she asks with her kind – and sleepy – voice. 'I'm coming home early,' I say, trying not to cry. 'Oh, okay. You have my address. Don't forget to buy a train ticket.' 'I won't. I'll call when I'm at the nearest train station.' 'Okay, see you later then,' she says. I can hear her smile. I hang up the phone.

I go to security, then to the gate and leave. On the plane I listen to some music and try to sleep a little bit when I'm not crying. The older woman next to me looks at me and smiles sadly. 'You'll see them again,' she says with her Scottish accent. 'I don't want to see them again,' I say and look out of the window.

***

I get my suitcase and walk out of the airport. The sun's up and I smile shortly at the sky. I take the bus to university first, then to the train station, then the train to her hometown. When the hour is more appropriate, I call Sophia again. 'I'm almost at the station,' I say. 'Okay. I will pick you up,' she says happy. I smile hearing her voice. 'Okay,' I say. She hangs up the phone.

I only had to wait five minutes before Sophia arrives. She parks the car and gets out. I almost run to her and hug her. She hugs me back more tightly. I start crying again. 'What's wrong?' she asks worried and tries to comfort me. 'My mother and her oh so wonderful ideas,' I mutter.

Sophia releases me from the hug, wipes away my tears, gives me a little smile, tucks my hair behind my ears and gives me a kiss on the lips. She takes the suitcase and guides me to the car. We get in the car, but we don't drive away.

'Do you want to talk about it?' she asks carefully. 'Later, not now,' I say and look at my hands. Sophia takes my hands in hers. I look at her. 'You can talk to me whenever you want,' she says. 'Thank you.' I give her a kiss on her cheek and lean with my forehead against her for a while. 'Are your parents okay with me coming earlier?' I ask. 'Yes,' she says and starts the car.

When we get out of the car, I get a little nervous. Sophia takes my hand and my suitcase. 'Do I look okay?' I ask. She looks at me and smiles with so much warmth and love I've never seen before. 'Yes, you look okay. You look beautiful,' she says. I smile.

Sophia forgot her keys, so I ring the doorbell. Not soon after the door opens. A gorgeous older version of Sophia opens the door. Her mom radiates the same warmth as Sophia. 'Renée, welcome,' she says, opens her arms and gives me the most loving hug a mother can give. 'Thank you for having me,' I say and hug her back. 'No problem at all! It's so nice to meet you!' she says with a big welcoming smile. 'Nice to meet you too,' I say and smile at her.

Sophia gives me another warm smile and squeezes my hand gently. 'Jack! Come here! Renée arrived!' Sophia's mom Antonella shouts. A man with black hair turning grey, big green eyes smiles at me. 'Nice to meet you. I'm Jack, Sophia's father,' he says and shakes my hand. 'Renée, Sophia's girlfriend,' I say. Mr. and Mrs. Appleton-Botticelli chuckle and share a smile. 'Come in, the cold is getting inside,' Antonella says.

We walk inside the house, the beautiful cosy house. 'Sophia, why don't you get Renée settled while your mother and I make some tea?' Mr. Appleton asks kindly. 'Sure,' Sophia says and guides me upstairs to her room.

'My parents are okay with us sleeping in one bed. My father said: "You are both adults and can't get each other pregnant." But if you want to sleep in the guest room, that's okay too,' she says and puts down my suitcase. 'Here's fine,' I say and smile at her. Sophia smiles to. 'It's a typical dad joke your father made,' I say and take of my coat. Sophia shrugs.

I'm starting to unpack some things. Sophia cleared a shelve in her closet for my stuff. She's downstairs looking for an extra towel. I sit on her bed and look around. The walls are light orange – like the sunset -, the bed is in put in a corner, the closet comes straight out of the series Downton Abbey, there's a desk with a laptop on it. The last item of furniture is the big bookshelf with a lot of books about History and Mythology. I smile, typical Sophia.

Sophia enters the room. 'The green towel is yours, it's in the bathroom,' she says and comes sit next to me. 'Thank you,' I say and take her hand. Sophia lays her head on my shoulder. 'You're welcome,' she says in a whisper. It's silent for a moment, I look at my different socks. I had to take of my shoes. To quote Sophia: "If I'm not allowed to wear shoes upstairs, then nor are you."

'My parents are waiting for the tea,' Sophia says. 'Oh, I already forgot about that,' I say and stand up. Sophia laughs and walks out of her room, downstairs, to the dining table. I follow her and am stunned by the beautiful creature I see sitting on the couch. 'Oh my, Molly who has allowed you to be this cute?' I say to the fluffy cat purring while I pet her.

The Appleton family stands there, smiling at me. 'You can pick her up,' Mrs. Appleton-Botticelli says. I pick up the fluffy cloud and hug her. 'Renée, which tea would you like?' Sophia asks. 'Do you have rosehip?' I ask and gently put the landcloud back on the couch. 'Yes, we do.' 'Then I would like that one,' I say and join the family on the table.

We take a sip from our teas. I'm glad that they don't ask why I came seven days earlier. 'Do you mind coming along to my side of the family for Christmas?' Mr. Appleton asks. 'No, not at all. I hope you don't mind?' 'Not at all!' Antonella says with a smile. 'What's it with you two being so polite?' Sophia laughs. 'It's the first time you have a girlfriend, we want to make a good impression,' Antonella says. I can hear the Italian accent when she speaks, but mine is worse.

After that, it's a normal conversation. 'Sophia told me you are a vegetarian, so I have an alternative for every dish with meat,' Antonella says. 'Oh, that's very kind,' I say. 'It's the least I could do,' she says. I feel guilty that they already do so much for me, and my family hasn't been kind to Sophia once (okay, Matt and James not included).

'Sophia also told that you study Biology and Art?' Mr. Appleton asks. 'Yes,' I say. 'What do you plan to do after you graduate?' He asks. It's the question my father asked Patrick. 'I want to work with animals, if possible, turtles and otters,' I say. They all smile. 'Otters are my favourite animal,' Sophia says. 'Oh wow, my second favourite,' I say.

***

Later that night I'm waiting in my pyjamas in bed. Sophia enters the room. 'I should have brought pyjamas with long sleeves, I'm cold,' I say. Sophia studies me. 'I've never seen you with short sleeves,' she says. 'Oh, well it was autumn and then fa-' 'Is that a tattoo?' she asks surprised and comes closer. I look at my arm, the elegant turtle tattoo just under the crease of my arm and look at Sophia. 'Yes.' She looks at me.

'So, you are a badass,' she laughs, climbs over me, and lies under the covers. 'So, a turtle tattoo makes me a badass?' I ask surprised and laugh. 'And you play the bass and drums,' she says and snuggles against me. I wrap an arm around her.

'Do you want to talk about it?' We all know what she means by "it." 'My mother...,' I start and look at the closet. 'My mother said Colin and I should be married by the time we graduate,' I say. 'What?' Sophia asks stunned. 'She's crazy. And the most annoying thing is that everybody at that table knew she was going to say that. I hate her,' I say. Sophia is silent.

'You're only eighteen, but an adult. She can't force you,' she says and tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. 'I was just so mad and wanted to leave,' I say. 'I understand,' she says and lays her head on my shoulder. 'Did you hear form anyone?' she asks. 'Mathieu, James, and Juliette tried to call me, I didn't answer. Then they texted me, also didn't answer.' 'What about Colin?' 'The klootzak knows well enough I don't have feelings for him,' I say. 'Klootzak?' 'Asshole.'

I turn off the light on the nightstand. 'Goodnight,' I say and give her a kiss on her head. 'Goodnight,' she says and kisses my cheek.

The translations in order:

'You stay here!'

Meaning landcloud: The word landcloud is often used to refer to a white fluffy dog. In this case it refers to the fluffy white cat with a few dark spots.

Wordcount: 1892