“What’s my sister’s favorite color?”
“Maroon, for some really weird reason. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who liked that color, aside from her.”
“What was she afraid of growing up?”
“Bunnies, she saw one that just ate a berry and it looked like it had bit someone and had blood dripping down its fur.”
“What did she want to be when she grew up?”
“Jem from Jem and the holograms.”
“Okay, favorite movie?”
“She has four. Never-ending Story, Grease, Dirty Dancing, and the Labyrinth.”
“So you know my sister.”
“I do.” I nod.
“Those are easily things that a friend would know. What’s her fears?”
“No offense, but to be stuck back at home.”
“Why do you like my sister?”
“She’s one of the most selfless people that I know. She knows what I need before I can vocalize it. She’s nurturing and puts 110% into everything that she attempts. She’s a hard worker, a good person inside and out and that… that’s just some reasons that I love her.”
“You love her?” Maddie gasps, hand over her mouth.
I consider the question, this one taking my time from answering considering Maddie’s rapid question asking.
“I do. She’s one of my favorite people.”
She considers me and then turns to walk away.
“Wait, seriously? That’s it?” I ask after her.
“For now. I still think you guys have been lying to us. But I do see that you care for her and that you may even truly love her.”
Kaley
I nervously spent the day with my parents while my sister spent the day with Dean, by the time we met up with Dean and Maddie for dinner at the apartment, I felt like I was going to pass out from worrying about what may or may not have been said.
When we walked into the apartment, Dean was doing pushups and Maddie was counting them off for him with gusto.
Weird.
Maddie jumps up from the chair she’s perched on and smiles at us as we stand watching the spectacle.
“Is this a normal thing?” Dad asks me.
“He hasn’t been to the gym all weekend, so yeah.” I shrug.
Dean pops up and shakes out his arms and legs.
“Hey guys,” he says, out of breath. “I got the fixings to make dinner, are you guys opposed to Italian?”
I look at him quizzingly.
He tries to not eat too much pasta during football season, so I’m slightly afraid of what he has in mind. I eye him as he makes his way to me around the couch. He pecks me on the lips, gives my waist a squeeze as he leans over to shake hands with my dad.
“We love Italian. You cook?” My mom gushes, clasping her hands in front of her chest in excitement.
“I can cook a few things. But I’m Italian-ish and my noni used to make me watch her cook in the kitchen when I was in high school when I was around the house.”
“Noni?” Maddie asks.
“Grandmother.” He replies. He looks to me and quickly angles it to the bedroom. “I’m going to shower, but first, can I steal Kaley for a second?”
Without words, we walk to the bedroom. I sit on the bed, eager for his rehashing of the day as he closes the door behind him.
“So, your sister grilled me about what I knew about you.”
“Oh shit.” I palm my forehead.
“No, I did well. But she’s still suspect. I don’t think she’s going to tell your parent anything, but I wouldn’t put it past her.”
“Ugh. I can’t believe this is happening.”
“What if you told your parents the truth that we just started dating?”
“Well, then they would think that I’m being stupid and living with a guy that I just started dating.”
“You couldn’t tell them that I was your roommate before?”
“Remember, they’re conservative that would go against their beliefs.”
“If they were really that conservative Kale, they would be against us living together period unless we were married.”
He has a point.
“I can’t. If they knew I was lying, then who knows what they would do.”
“They pay for your part of the rent, yeah?” He asks as I nod.
He paces.
“Do you think your sister is going to blab on us?”
“Depends on how convincing you are. Did you do any housework with your shirt off?” I smile, coming to stand before him.
“Nope, I didn’t think to use my body for an advantage.” He laughs.
“Well, we can only hope that she believes us then.” I say patting his chest.
Maddie kept close eyes on Dean and I for the rest of the night as if she was studying us. Dean went to sleep early since he had to resume some normal schedule tomorrow while I sat up watching late night TV with her.
“So?” I start.
“We’re not talking about you and Dean and the lies that you’ve been telling mom and dad so you can go about living the life that you know they wouldn’t approve of.”
“Listen Mads, I didn’t go to seminary school like they wanted. That doesn’t mean that you have to because they want one of their kids to. You can make your own choices. You’re an individual and you have your own mind.”
“Living under their roof means that I have no choices of my own, I have zero control. The choices that I have are choices that are made already for me. You should remember how it is to live there.” she says with anger in her tone.
“I actually don’t remember it being so strict.” I admit.
“That’s because they use what you’ve done, against me. Kaley didn’t do as we wanted her to do, so you will. Kaley moved out of town, but you’ll stick close to home. Kaley has the love of a man, who has a potentially successful career in front of him, but you’ll die an old maid. The list, I’m sure will go on. Don’t you get it, you’ve paved the way for how my life will be by not doing what they wanted?” Tears glisten my sister's eyes and guilt surrounds me.
“So you think that Dean and I are lying to them, what would telling them do for either one of us?” I ask.
“I know that you and Dean are together, now. Before or as long as you want to lead everyone to believe, I just don’t believe it fully. Maybe all the attention on me and what I choose to do with my life will go back to you.”
“Maddie, go ahead and do whatever you want to do. I can’t stop you. But know that I’m with Dean, and I just started my last year of college. I’m happy and I wish that you would be too. I’m sorry that I went and lived my life. There’s nothing that I regret from my experiences, and I think that you should live your life however you want.”
I stand up, kiss her on top of her head and go to bed.
Chapter Seven
Dean
The alarm clock blares and startles me in the morning, so much so that I fall out of bed and land on my ass with a loud thud.
My day is jam packed from when I wake at 5:30am to when I fall face first on the mattress at midnight for the rest of the week. Somewhere in between, I’ll have to fit in spending time with Kaley and her family. She knows my hectic schedule during the week, so she isn’t expecting anything, but I should make a few tweaks in the schedule being in a new relationship and all.