𝗪𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗘 ♡︎

𝟰𝟬. 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲

Olivia's pov

My mom opens the door for us and we step inside. I glance at my terrified girlfriend that takes a deep breath and says:

"Hello, my name's Grace", she reaches out towards my mother, but she waves it away, hugging her instead. I see how Grace tries to get rid of her stiff position.

"I'm Sofia, Olivia's mom", mom introduces herself, "you're really pretty!"

"Uh, thank you", Grace replies shyly, looking at me. I smile to her reassuringly, holding a wall as I take off my shoes.

"Leave your stuff here and come inside", mom smiles, and Grace takes off her shoes too, we put our jackets on the hanger.

We come inside, to the dining room. There's already my dad sitting on the right side of the table, smiling as he sees me.

"My favorite daughter!", he exclaims, getting up and coming over me. We hug, and when we pull away, I decide to introduce my girlfriend.

"It's Grace, my girlfriend", I point at her and Grace smiles sheepishly, my dad hugs her too. I can see she wasn't expecting such warm greetings.

We sit by the table, Grace next to me. My mom comes back from the kitchen with food, she sits next to dad, in front of Grace. My girlfriend is really nervous, that's why I slide my hand under the table and put it on her covered by the dress thigh. Grace grabs my hand, holding it. I feel her hand's all warm and sweaty.

We put some food on our plates, first Grace takes a sip of water. We eat and my mom speaks up, breaking the silence at the table.

"How have you been, Grace?"

"I'm all good", she replies, her voice shakes slightly, "it's really nice that you wanted to meet me, I really appreciate that".

"We understood it's Olivia who has to pick the people she wants to spend life with", mom replies, relating to my ex boyfriend, "we should thank you for taking care of our daughter. Livvy told us you were the one who stayed with her after all this thing with Nate and baby".

My stomach knots for a while, and I was in the proccess of swallowing food, I feel like vomiting. I reach for a glass of water.

"Yeah, I couldn't leave her then", Grace replies, noticing the change in my behaviour somehow, that's why she puts her hand on my leg this time, squeezing my thigh reassuringly.

"What is your job, Grace? Are you still studying?"

"I'm a singer-songwriter, just as Olivia, but not so famous. That's how we met, though".

I and Grace tell my parents the whole story of us doing collab, but then falling for each other, ending being in love. After our story the silent comes on again, and it's not so comfortable when the only sound is you chewing, so you try to eat the quietest as you can.

My dad speaks on, "what's your plan on Thanksgiving or Christmas? Almost a month left".

"Oh, we didn't think about it", I say, looking at Grace, "we'll visit our families, I guess".

"Well, we could do Thanksgiving or Christmas together. You know, Grace could invite our family to ours so no one would be a sufferer", dad chuckles.

"I mean, I don't really have to invite my family since I've got only my sister", Grace says, clearly uncomfortable, "and she's spending Thanksgiving with her husband's family, and there's no way I'm going there again. I felt like a spare part", Levine giggles, leaving my parents speechless.

"We're so sorry, we didn't know. What happened to your parents?", dad asks and it's the one time when I wish he could shut up.

"They died", Grace shrugs, but I can see she's touched. She tries to do everything to not show how much it hurts her, "mom died because of the cancer, dad comitted a suicide after her death".