06. Sunday Night Plans

“Here you go.” Aaron said handing me a cup of coffee. “You know you don’t have to stay…Mason’s here, I won’t be alone.”

“No, it’s okay…I want to help however possible.” I said “Unless this is a family thing, then I can go if you want me to go.”

“No.” he laughed. “I want you to stay, I just thought it might be a little boring for you.” He said sitting down beside me.

“I’m okay .” I smiled.

Is it wrong to want to be there for my future boyfriend….I don’t think so. I was just showing him how supportive I can be.

When we arrived, Suri’s husband, Mason, was already around. Suri, was Aaron’s elder sister. As soon as we saw him, Aaron hugged him.

“When did you get back into town?” he asked.

“Right now actually, I got the call on my way home…so you can go back to school now, I’ll call you after she delivers.” Mason said

“Are you kidding me, I want to be here for my sister, and I can’t wait to carry the little tiger.” Aaron said.

“Oh, you like babies??” I asked.

“Love them. You?”

"I’m getting there.”

“And who is this lovely beauty?” mason asked.

“How rude of me…Melanie, this is Mason, my brother in law…Mason, this is Melanie my….friend.” Aaron said.

Friend? Friend? He introduced me as his friend, I did not see that coming. I thought I was going to get a more lucrative title such as, oh I don’t know, maybe future girlfriend…or at least his date. I’m being demanding, aren’t I? 

Really, I’m not like this but Aaron gets me jumbled up…no one gets me jumbled up. The only other person that ever had that effect on me was….well, Jeremy, Maggie’s grandson. Maggie was the former-model-slash-millionaire we met in jail. Remember her?

“Nice to meet you, friend.” Mason said stretching his hand for a handshake.

“Are you kidding me, the pleasure is all mine.” I said as I took his hand.

“Firm handshake.” Mason said “I like her.”

“So how is she?” Aaron asked before following Mason to Suri’s room…they had invited me along, but I explained to them that I would rather not, explaining how it was a special moment and I didn’t want to infringe on family time.

That was nearly two hours ago.

Aaron had checked up on me regularly and spent about 15-30minutes with me every time he did, I felt guilty stealing him away from his sister so I always forced him back to his family. I know what you’re thinking, why don’t I just go home?

Well because I didn’t want Aaron to drive me home, he had to be here. So why don’t I take a cab? Duh, because I didn’t want to abandon Aaron...you heard him, he needed me here.

“You have no idea how much I appreciate you being here.” He said snapping me back to the present.

“Don’t get too comfortable, I’m going to call you on a favor soon.” I teased.

“I’ll do anything for you.” He said.

I blushed.

“To be honest with you, I didn’t know how the night was going to turn out when I asked you out on Monday. I know me asking you out was out of the blue, but I’ve been thinking about it for some time.” He said. “I know you don’t feel for me that way, you think we’re just friends, but you mean more than that to me. “

He had no idea what he was saying, he was crazy if he didn’t know I had feelings for him, everyone else knew.

“You are more than just a friend to me too Aaron.” I said reaching for his hand.

“The reason I didn’t call you between Monday and today was that I was swamped. Mason travelled Monday evening for a business meeting and asked me to move in to help take care of Suri. Taking care of a pregnant woman is not nice...in any way. Between that and school the only free time I had was when I was asleep. I didn’t tell you earlier because I didn’t want you think of me as a geek or anything, it really wasn’t that personal.” He explained.

“You don’t have to explain.” I said brushing away a stray lock of gorgeous black hair from his face. “I understand” I said before leaning in to kiss him.

But I didn’t quite get there.

“Whoa, I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” I slightly overweight man with head full of gorgeous black hair said. He looked a little bit like…

“Dad…” Aaron said getting up from the chair.

“Clearly you are.” A thin mature blonde lady said nodding to me, that must be Aaron’s mum, I thought. “Hi, I’m Jeanette.” She said.

“I’m Melanie.” I said getting up to greet her.

“And she’s respectful too.” The father said “Nice catch son.” He finished slapping Aaron on the back.

“And this embarrassing man, is David, my father.” Aaron introduced.

“Nice to meet you.” I said shaking his hand.

“Why don’t I take you to Suri’s room.” Aaron said leading them down a hallway, then he turned and mouthed “I’ll be right back” to me.

A couple a minutes after Aaron took his parents in, Mason came rushing out, he smiled at me “How do I look?”

“Awesome.” I said.

“Good, cause my parents are here”

“Wow, a full house.”

“Suri and I both come from very hands-on family.”

“I can see that.” I said.

“I’ll be right back.” He said and started walking towards the exit door and then stopped and turn to me. “We’re having a barbeque Sunday evening, it’s for family but I want you to come and I bet Aaron would want you to come too, and I know Suri wants you to come. She feels bad about cutting the date short and wants to make it up to you.”

“Well, since everyone wants me there how can I say no. I’ll be there.” I said

“okay, good.” He said before rushing out.

 I also shared pleasant ‘hellos’ with Mason’s parents before they rushed off to see Suri.

“Hey” Aaron said, sitting beside me, “not the best first date ever, huh?”

“This was perfect.” I said.

“I think so too.”

“Well, that’s just cause you get a nephew today.” I joked before adding more seriously, “Mason invited me to your family barbeque on Sunday, I just wanted to let you know, it’s completely okay if you don’t want me there. I mean, I’ll understand.”

“Of course I want you there, I’ll have the prettiest girl there by my side. ” he said taking my hand. “Promise me you’ll come.”

“Okay, I promise. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I smiled.

“Good, I’ll pick you up. Now, I have to get you back to school, it’s going to be a long night and my family likes you…that’s a bad thing,” he joked. “Let’s just say I’m watching out for you.”

“I like that you watch out for me.” I said getting up, I didn’t want to appear to be imposing my presence.

Aaron walked me to the front door, he wanted to drive me home but I insisted that he stay with his family and assured him that I’ll be perfectly fine taking a cab. That took a lot of work.

When I got back to school, Allyson, James and Jamie were in my room. James and Allyson were lying on  Ally’s bed while Jamie was sprawled on my bed.

“Don’t you guys have any other friends?” I asked.

“There’s a surprise there for you.” Jamie said pointing to a stool near the door.

“Oh, I can’t wait to tell her.” Allyson said as I picked up an envelope addressed to me. It was an invite of some sort.

“Go ahead. Tell me.” I said to Allyson not opening the invite. I dropped the invite on my bed along with my red-and-silver clutch. I took off my jacket and flung it on Jamie who threw it on the floor.

“Maggie is having a masquerade ball at her place, and we’re invited. And we get to bring plus ones. I’m taking James, Jamie is going solo and I figured you’re going solo as well. Oh Maggie absolutely insists that you come, well, we come. We have no choice in this matter. She’s sending a limo to pick us so its kinda compulsory and I bet, Jeremy can’t wait to see you.” She said.

I blushed as I sat on the bed and began taking off my shoes.

“I heard she does it every year.” James chipped in “it’s super elegant and guests are strictly crème-de-la-crème , she has two separate parties in the same house…one for adults and one for the younger generation, and by younger generation…I mean us and no one less than eighteen is invited. So you know there’s no joking around.”

“Wow, you really did your homework…so when is this party.” I asked. The party sounded pretty exciting. I’d never been to a masquerade ball, and I really wanted to go.

“Sunday night.” James said.

I stopped what I was doing and turned to James, “Sunday night?” I asked.

“yeah…”

Ohhhhh shiiiiit. 


to be continued.........