Simple nods and grunts were common. Lance believed his mother organized their dinners to help, but if a grown man didn’t want to talk, he didn’t. Still, Lance made the effort. He loved his parents. He came over when he could to visit, but it was getting burdensome. If only the house felt like home.
“You’re not eating?” His mother pointed her fork to his plate.
Lance moved around a few sweet potatoes on his plate. “Not that hungry.”
His mother took a sip from her glass of tea. “Well, you have nothing to worry about. I’m taking care of everything.”
“I thought you raised me to take care of myself.” The corner of his mouth quirked up.
She waved away his comment with her fork in hand. “As long as I’m your mother, I’m taking care of things. Especially this wedding.”
“I hope you cleared that with Andrea.”
“She’s sweet. You made a smart choice, but I’m your mother.”
“Whatever you say.” He swallowed a bite of the sweet potatoes and then washed it down with some water.
“I hope I’m not too late,” his father said, joining them in the dining room.
“Not at all, dear.” His mother beamed.
His father twisted his mouth at him. “I see you’re on time.” Then he settled into his chair.
“I was late only one time. You know the reason.”
“One time too many.” His father served himself a plate.
Lance bit the inside of his cheek. Nothing pleased the man. Didn’t he attempt to do everything his father asked? He even followed in the man’s footsteps in his career choice. Lance leaned back in his chair as his mother talked up a storm about Andrea’s wedding dress.
“Something wrong, Lance?” His father asked.
Would it matter? “No, sir. I’m fine.” Eventually, he would explode, but voicing his opinion now was out of the question.
He forced himself to eat the baked chicken, grateful for its succulent taste. Better to forget the past at the moment. The present needed his attention. Chantelle was back in Delta Heights. Lance adjusted in his chair once more.
Should he tell his future wife that his ex was...? Lance sipped more water from his glass. He wouldn’t tell Andrea tonight. She’d be too busy to talk. Another thing he needed to address. He wasn’t going into their marriage without them setting some boundaries. He admired her work, but as he learned from his past mistakes, a relationship wasn’t one-sided.
Chantelle’s eyes flashed in his memory. That was a relationship with two mutual people. He blinked. No thinking of an ex when marrying another. Yet, he couldn’t deny the flutter in his chest when he saw her at the cemetery. Though she was visiting her late father, she stopped by his sister’s grave. That’s how thoughtful she was.
A chuckle escaped his lips, but his parents didn’t notice. Getting caught in the rain with Chantelle was the last thing he thought would happen today. Yet, he liked the way her hair kinked and curled. Rain had slid down the column of her neck. Lance cleared his throat.
“Lance?” His mother raised an eyebrow. “Are you alright?”
He nodded. He wanted to finish dinner so he could leave.
“Is there a reason you were late for dinner?”
Lance sighed. He figured his mother would berate him, eventually. She was a stickler for keeping time too. “I was at the gravesite.”
His mother froze in place, holding her fork of sweet potatoes to her lips.
Lance’s father stared at him across the table. “Not much has changed.”
“No, it hasn’t.”
“I think you go there too often.” His mother patted her mouth with her napkin.
“I wish you two would go with me sometimes. It’s as if—”