He smiles while he looks at me. “You look amazing. Like always.”
“But does this say I really love your son?” I ask. Turning to look at the long mirror, I see myself in my white jeans with a long-sleeve cashmere sweater folded at the neck. “And I’ll make him happy.”
He chuckles as he gets off the bed and approaches me, putting his hands on my hips. “The smile on my face says everything,” he says, and my heart skips a beat. Ever since I opened the door to him at midnight, his words have hit me right in the middle of my heart. His words have filled the void in my soul I didn’t know was there. A void I denied ever having. A void only his love could fill.
“I just want them to like me,” I admit to him, “again.” I try to make a joke out of it.
“They are going to love you, as they always have,” he assures me, and I try not to think about how they felt about Helena, if they liked her or not. Were they sad about it? I have so many questions and that just fuels the anxiety to another level.
The doorbell rings and he winks at me. “Showtime,” he says, grabbing my hand in his and walking out of the bedroom together. The doorbell rings again and he huffs as he walks to the door.
He grabs the handle and unlocks it. “You want to cool your horses?” he says, pulling open the door, expecting it to be his parents but instead it’s not.
“Why are you even answering the door?” my grandfather Casey says. “This is not your door.”
“Um,” Matthew stutters.
“Oh, would you knock it off?” my grandmother Olivia says, pushing him to the side. “Hello, Matthew,” she greets, walking in the door and going to him to kiss him on the cheek. “You look different.”
“Um.” That’s all Matthew can say.
“What are you doing here?” I ask them as I make my way to the front door.
“Your grandfather,” my grandmother states, putting her purse down on the table, “was like a bat out of hell getting here.”
“What are you doing here?” I look over to the door and see my father standing there scowling. “Answering the door like you own the place.”
“Dad,” I gasp out loud and shake my head, “he does live here.”
“What?” my father and grandfather both gasp out.
“Um, I don’t think so,” my father counters, putting his hands on his hips.
“Would you go away?” my mother says, walking into the door. “Matthew, we are so happy to see you again.”
“Again,” my father pffts out. “Not that happy.”
“Mr. Barnes,” Matthew says, going over to my father, extending his hand, “great to see you again.”
My father just looks at the hand and then looks at him. “Reed Barnes, if you know what is good for you.” My mother glares at him. “You will remember this is your daughter’s house and he is…” She trails off.
“The one she goes to bed with every night,” my grandmother pipes up, and I close my eyes to stop the embarrassment from filling my face, but I suddenly feel the heat rise to my cheeks.
“Now, you two”—her voice gets tight—“you better be on your best behavior.” I look over at her and she is glaring at my father and grandfather. “Or else.”
I don’t have a chance to say anything else because I hear the sound of doors closing. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight—all like clockwork. “What the—” My father looks over his shoulder.
“My family,” Matthew says, and I put my hand to my stomach to make the nerves go away. Matthew sees it and comes over to me. He grabs my face in his hands. “They are going to love you.” He kisses my lips.
My grandmother and mother smile at Matthew while my father pffts again. “Of course they are going to love her. What is not to love?”
“Hello.” I hear a man’s voice and look over to the front door, seeing Matthew’s dad. “You must be Sofia’s dad.” He walks to my father and holds out his hand. I am not going to lie, I stand here with bated breath, wondering if my father is going to pull something but he extends his hand to Viktor.
“Nice to meet you,” he mumbles, “this is my father.” He looks over to my grandfather. “Casey.”
Viktor extends his hand to my grandfather. “Pleasure,” he says to him. “These are my brothers-in-law Matthew, Max, and Evan.”
“Gentlemen,” his uncle Matthew says, extending his hand, “great to meet you.”