MATT

With Christmas almost around the corner, the moment I've been dreading has arrived, the obligatory visit to my parents. Since I bought my place, I've spent Christmas at Greenwood and only go to Oakheart when my mom calls to ask when I'm coming. This year I get to spend it with Erin and I'm looking forward to the get-together they have planned at Noah's house. She wanted to come with me and meet my parents, but I really want to land with them first the idea that I have a girlfriend. I'm sure that will cause a big enough disturbance so the news of our engagement will have to be shared at a later stage. My mother hates surprises so I called her a week ago to let them know I'm coming over. That should have given her enough time to scrub the house clean from top to bottom.

I know the front door is open, but I ring the bell and wait anyway. Their TV is on and the volume is deafening and I'm sure the neighbors can hear it, and it's probably to compete with what sounds like a vacuum cleaner. I ring the bell once more and knock, but no one comes to the door. It leaves me no other option than to call the house, but even standing at the front I can't hear the phone ringing. Without success, I pound on the door until the vacuuming noise stops and I ring the bell again.

"YOU AND YOUR DAMNNED TELEVISION!" My mother yells. "Someone's at the door! If you didn't have that blasting you could hear the bell!"

"IF YOU STOPPED WITH YOUR FUCKING CLEANING YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD IT TOO!" My father yells back at her.

I haven't set a foot inside and I already want to leave. The only thing that stops me is the four-hour drive from Oakheart back to Greenwood. The TV volume lowers to a proper level and I hear steps approaching the door. I try to put my best smile on and hope they can't see how irritated I already feel.

"Hi, Mom," I say the moment she opens the door.

"Matthew, I'm still working on the house," she blocks my way before I can enter. "You said you were coming around four. It is only twelve."

"Yeah, sure. I'll come back later," I turn to leave and figure that I can be back to Greenwood at the time I said I would be here.

"Just stay out of my way in the kitchen or in the living room."

Figuring that's the only greeting I'll get, I get in the house and walk into the living room. My father flips through the channels with one hand while the other holds a beer. He's probably been drinking since he woke up. His outfit consists on a pair of briefs and slippers, and it's another reason why bringing Erin here isn't a good idea.

"Hey, Dad," I say as I sit opposite him and he answers my greeting with a grunt.

He settles on a news channel and I'm glad that I brought my laptop. At least I can have some work done instead of enduring the pointless political discussions he enjoys watching. When I'm fed up with editing some photos, I open a document and make a list of things I would like to fix in my apartment before Erin moves in with me.

"Your bedroom is ready. We eat at six," my mother announces from the living room opening and leaves.

I look at the clock and shake my head at the realization that she's spent four hours cleaning since I got here instead of spending time with me. I walk upstairs and what she calls my bedroom looks more like a sterile hotel room since all my childhood memories are gone. It's immaculately clean and there a faint smell of bleach in the air, and further it's only a double bed, a nightstand with a lamp and a chest of drawers. With nothing better to do, I lie on the bed and close my eyes. Erin offered to spend the night with me last night because she knows how much energy it takes for me to deal with my parents. I love the way she spoons me and how her hand moves under my t-shirt to caress my shirt. Only this time it didn't move up, but down my stomach until it reached the edge of my boxers. I panicked slightly because nothing like this had happened before.

"Erin..." Was the only thing I could say before she silenced me with a kiss.

She pulled down my boxers and my heart wanted to rip my chest. We've never seen each other naked, only in our underwear, and I wasn't sure where this was going. She kissed me down my happy trail and then moved back to my mouth. I groaned out of frustration and she laughed against my lips. She then sat on the bed and removed her clothes. 

"Can I?" I asked and she held my hands to cup her breasts.

I probably looked like a clueless idiot just doing that and nothing else. We've taken things at a very slow pace when it comes to intimacy and I wasn't prepared for this. She smiled and lay next to me and I took that as my queue to do something else. My hand trailed down her stomach, but she put her hand over it to stop it. I got the hint.

We spent time kissing and caressing each other. She helped me to reach completion, and I worried about her not reaching it. She reassured me that it was what she wanted and she felt happy and satisfied. We fell asleep afterwards, and this morning, she thanked me for doing things at her pace. Each day that goes by makes me feel so grateful that she's accepted to be my wife. After asking me for the last time if I wanted her to come with me, I declined once more.

-*-

"MATTHEW! Wake up!" My mom shakes me awake roughly. "It's past dinner time already and we have been waiting for you for the past five minutes!"

I sit down on the bed and look around, feeling confused as to where I am. My mother glares at me.

"When I say six, I expect you at six downstairs," she says through gritted teeth and leaves the room.

After splashing my face with water to wake up, I comb my hair quickly, straighten my clothes and and walk downstairs to the dining room. 

"Apologies for not being on time," I mumble while sitting down. 

My father doesn't lift his gaze from the racing magazine he's reading as my mother dishes out the stew she made. She's an excellent cook, but the social component of eating together makes meals less enjoyable.

"How's life, Matthew?" My mother asks after sipping her red wine. "You could come by for Christmas. Why now?"

Her suspicion puzzles me because I never come by for Christmas. "I have work commitments coming up and had to plan my time smartly. Life is good, peaceful. I have a lovely girlfriend who runs a business and we want to spend the Christmas break together."

"Women! Waste of time! You are better alone," my father grunts while my mother rolls her eyes.

"Why isn't she here with you? I find it quite rude that she doesn't want to meet your parents."

For the sake of keeping the peace I stay silent, but she's starting to push my buttons. 

"Who the hell would want to meet you?" My father snorts. "She will hate you. Worst mother in law is what you'll be, taking after your mother."

"BECAUSE YOU ARE SO FANTASTIC YOURSELF!" She yells. "A drunkard, dumb as a doorknob!"

My head is starting to hurt. "STOP THIS NOW! I'M FUCKING FED UP WITH YOU TWO!" My fist slams the table and they stare at me wide-eyed.

"This is the reason why I didn't want to bring her here. You can't go for five fucking minutes without turning anything into an argument. Erin Sommer is the best thing in my life because with her and her family I have found peace. Not only she's beautiful and talented, she's the most caring woman in the world, a quality none of you seem to have. I love her so much that I asked her to marry me and she accepted, and I hope that my bliss lasts forever and that it never turns into what you have. Why didn't you divorce when I was a child? This isn't happiness, this isn't what marriage is about. Dad, you can't drown your misery in beer. Mom, your compulsive behavior drives everybody crazy. Please call it quits, because I just can't deal with this anymore."

I head upstairs and grab my bag to leave. While trying to zip the bag close, I see two gifts that Erin must have put in my bag for them. I leave them on the hallway table and head to my car. Once inside I take my phone out and call Erin.

"Hey, Matt," Erin greets me. "How's everything? Did they like the gifts? " A shaky breath from anger escapes me. "Are you okay? "

"I'm not, but I'll be okay. I'm going back to Greenwood because I can't spend a minute longer here. I should be at the club around ten."

"I'll be here for you. Drive carefully. I love you."

"I love you."

Erin's words are all I needed to hear. It's all I've ever wanted and needed in my life; to feel supported, cared for, loved. Many times I even wondered why my parents had me and how their relationship was before I arrived in their lives. Maybe the way I stormed out was as dramatic as their behavior, but I'm done with them. I'm done with being in the middle of their arguments. Things likely won't change but I feel relieved after letting them know what I think and what I've been keeping in my heart. This irritation will take a while to leave my mind, but I'm looking forward to spending the holidays with the people who truly love me and respect me.