Guess Who is Coming to Dinner

Harriett could not figure out how to tell Chet the bad news. However, I doubt she really had to tell him. News like a formal being cancelled traveled pretty quickly. He wasn’t dense.

The upperclassmen said they were still just going to go out that night to the same bar and treat it like a formal. Unfortunately, the bar was 21 and up. Neither Chet nor Ree were old enough to get in. And it was too late to look into getting a fake. I felt for her, I really did. Ashley said she’d been walking around in a funk for the past few days.

Mark’s parents had asked me over for dinner last night, and I was terribly nervous. Leslie, Luke, Mark and I were all going. I couldn’t imagine having to sit across from Luke while he knew I told his girlfriend he sucked. Luckily, we didn’t have to ride over with them. Leslie and Luke went to a soccer game across town; one of Luke’s pledge brothers was on the soccer team. Mark and I were sitting on the bed as I was dumbly playing with my hair while he searched for his keys and left shoe.

He looked at me kind of aggravated, “Kathleen, some help might be nice.” He shook his head at me.

I snapped out of my trance. “Sorry, what are we looking for?”

He sighed. “You know what? Never mind. If you don’t want to go, just stay here.” His tone was fierce.

He had never been so short with me. And it really took me by surprise. I don’t know what came over me, but tears welled up in my eyes. “I, uh okay. I’ll see you... later?” Luckily I hadn’t started actually crying, I just had blurry vision.

He stopped. “Hey, look.” His tone was nicer, but still not soft. “Let’s just find my shoe and my keys. Then we can go to dinner.”

I was still kind of dejected. “Yes, sir.”

He stopped looking around. He tilted his head. “I’m sorry I snapped. Don’t call me sir. Now, can we please get ready to go?” His eyes were apologetic.

I nodded. As I stood up, we realized I was sitting on his keys, and his shoe was stuffed under the edge of the bed behind my foot. “Oops?” I said stupidly.

He laughed. “God! If you weren’t the best thing ever, I’d hurt you.” I was glad he was starting to get out of his bad mood.

As we drove up to his parents’ house, I was blown away. They lived in an older neighborhood that had totally renovated homes. The houses were situated on large lots, for Birmingham standards. However, I could tell parking was at a premium, as lots of cars were situated on the street precariously.

We drove up to Mark’s parents’ front door by way of a circle drive. They had a large wrap around porch. Grey-white brick with a maroonish-brown color on the shutters. Two stories, or it appeared, based on the three dormers above the porch.

Mrs. Hart ran out to greet us. “I heard the car! I am so happy you’re here!” She hugged me before she could get to Mark. As we walked up to stairs to the front door, she finally hugged her son.

“Thank you for having me, Mrs. Hart. Your house is beautiful.”

“Oh thank you, dear. I’ll have to show you my Beta room after dinner!”

I nodded, “That’d be great!”

Mr. Hart was sitting at the bar in the kitchen drinking a glass of white wine. “Well, well, well, who figured Mark would beat Luke to a table of food?”

We all laughed. Mrs. Hart looked at me, “When Leslie and Luke first began eating, he’d come over at least twice a week to raid my pantry. He’s certainly not a bashful eater.”

Mark kissed my cheek, “This one eats pretty good, too.”

I was mortified. He kissed me, and told them I ate a lot! I turned bright red and began to choke on air. Only making this embarrassing moment that much worse. “I, uh, I, do, I guess I eat.” I mumbled out in between coughs.

Mark tried his hardest to stifle a laugh. He got me a glass of water. “Sorry,” he mouthed with his back to his parents.

As if on cue, Luke and Leslie walked in. I was glad to be out of this mess. Shortly after we sat down to eat. Mr. Hart gave us all a glass of chardonnay. I didn’t fight it. Mrs. Hart made a really tasty pot roast with mashed potatoes, green beans, and carrots. Mark must have tipped her off that pot roast is my all-time favorite food.

Luke was really well behaved and didn’t seem to be mad at me, which I was thankful for. Leslie was telling me about what would happen in the next week’s new member meeting, and how in three weeks we’d go to our first chapter meeting.

By the time we finished dinner, Mark had 3 glasses of wine and one whiskey neat. I was trying to figure out how we were going to get back to school. Luke and Leslie were in a similar predicament. I was also in no shape to drive after my 3 glasses of wine.

After dinner, we sat down in the living room and had Baileys and ice cream. Still not helping this whole sobriety to drive situation. I started nodding off around 10pm, what with all the drinks. Luke looked at Leslie, “Hey sweetheart, you ready to head upstairs to bed?” That statement bolted me wide awake.

She nodded and then he held her hand and walked her into her bedroom which I presumed to be upstairs. I was very confused as to how this was happening. My parents would have never allowed my boyfriend to spend the night at my house. Hell, Kenny had tried once and it was a total mess. More on that later...

Mark kicked his shoulder up that I was leaned up on, “Come on, let’s get you to bed, too. I can’t have you sleeping on the couch and complaining of a sore neck tomorrow.”

Mrs. Hart looked at me and smiled. “Goodnight kids. I’ll have breakfast if you want it. What time do you all need to be at school?”

I didn’t have class til 11. I knew Mark didn’t either. I looked at Mark blankly. “We’ll probably leave around 9:30 or 10. That okay?” I couldn’t tell if he was asking me or his mom. I just nodded hoping that sufficed.  

As we walked into Mark’s room, I froze. “I’m sleeping here?” I asked quizzically.

“Well, Roscoe has the dog house, so yeah...” He was just as puzzled as I was.

“I don’t have pjs. And your parents... are downstairs.”

“You can borrow my shorts. And my parents do also like to sleep in the house.” He handed me a pair of basketball shorts he had lying around. And he stripped down to his boxers and took off his shirt. I took that as my cue to put on the shorts.

“Do you have t-shirt?”

“Nope. You’ve got to sleep top-less.” He laughed while digging in a drawer for a shirt.

He slipped into his bed shortly after and I went to the bathroom to wash my face and gargle with mouth wash. I came into bed and he’d pulled back the covers on the opposite side for me.

I snuggled in. He pulled me close. “Thanks for coming tonight.”

I grinned as he held my back to his chest. “Thank you for asking me.”

He kissed the top of my head. “Kathleen,” he spoke seriously. I turned my head back to look at him. “I love you.” I flipped over and kissed him.

“I love you, too.”