the second Harvey and I leave, she'll be on the phone with you."
She tapped the counter top. "This is true. She's quite the gossip."
Like she wasn't. "And Dad, you worry about me driving at night, for whatever reason. Harvey can drive." He squinted his eyes, the wrinkles multiplying on his forehead. "He's a good driver, Dad. Trust me." Trust. She started the last point within the previous one. Perfect. He had confidence in her to go to college and live off campus with a friend. How was this any different? She wasn't going on a cross-country vacation with Harvey.
He took his phone out of his pocket. "I have to get upstairs and take care of this." He pressed the button to lock the screen again. "You've only known this guy a few weeks, Beth."
"Isn't everyone a stranger first? I was a stranger when you first met me." Okay, a stretch, but whatever she needed to say to get this done.
Beth's parents exchanged glances, and her Dad peeked at his phone again, agitated. "This can't wait anymore." He turned to Beth's mom. "You and Beth seem to have talked for awhile last night about Harvey. I'd rather know where she is than her sneak out with this guy. I think you agree."
Either the pretzels made her thirsty, or the nerves were making her mouth dry. Two for two. Damn, she should have taken debate class.
Her mom stood. "I've got to finish this book for tonight, and I don't want another migraine. I trust Beth. She's only going to Sue's house." Tapping her paperback on the counter, she added, "Tell your aunt I want a full report."
Horace was a quaint little town only twenty minutes west. Beth's Aunt Sue and Uncle Ralph lived in a tri-level house tucked away on a quiet street outlined by Lake Horace. The steep driveway led to a three car garage, connected to the small home. The two bedroom and one and a half bath house laid out more like a condo. However, Sue, quite the creative decorator, managed to give each room an elegant, spacious appearance.
When they got out of the car, Beth started to walk up the stairway. "Wait a sec!" Harvey called as he grabbed an item from the trunk. He caught up with her. "I picked up some sparkling grape juice," he showed her.
"I'm sure she'll like you brought something, but sparkling grape juice?" Her aunt would've let her drink one glass of wine. Since she turned sixteen, her parents allowed one small alcoholic beverage under supervision at certain functions.
"You're not old enough to drink, and I can't. So this was the next choice."
They started up the long walkway leading to the front door. "What do you mean you can't drink? Aren't you twenty-two?"
"Yeah, but I can't have any wine."
"Are you allergic or something?" Beth laughed as they reached the door.
"Something like that." He scratched the side of his nose. "Now Sue is your dad's sister?"
"No, Uncle Ralph is my dad's brother," she clarified, making a mental note to Google a prospective alcohol allergy. Someone not being able to drink alcohol. Weird. Here goes nothing , she thought and rang the doorbell.
Ralph opened the door, "Hi sweetie! I'm so glad you're here! Come on in. Aunt Sue is finishing up dinner." A smaller version of her dad stood in front of her. They had similar features, from the shorter, stylish hair, to the slight curve in the nose. Ralph, however, only stood five foot seven against her dad's even six, often claiming he was robbed in the height department. Freckles also covered his face, which her dad thanked God he didn't have, but Beth found them sweet.
"Dinner smells delicious," Beth said as she walked in to a permeation of buttered rolls and roast beef. Her nose flashed her back to the many home cooked meals she'd had at her aunt's house, usually followed by a fun board game.
Clicking heels echoed down the hall and Aunt Sue galloped into the room, her energy bursting out of her. Deep set eyes accentuated by a tad too much eyeshadow jumped out against her blond bob. For a woman of her age, she was very pretty.
She tapped the counter top. "This is true. She's quite the gossip."
Like she wasn't. "And Dad, you worry about me driving at night, for whatever reason. Harvey can drive." He squinted his eyes, the wrinkles multiplying on his forehead. "He's a good driver, Dad. Trust me." Trust. She started the last point within the previous one. Perfect. He had confidence in her to go to college and live off campus with a friend. How was this any different? She wasn't going on a cross-country vacation with Harvey.
He took his phone out of his pocket. "I have to get upstairs and take care of this." He pressed the button to lock the screen again. "You've only known this guy a few weeks, Beth."
"Isn't everyone a stranger first? I was a stranger when you first met me." Okay, a stretch, but whatever she needed to say to get this done.
Beth's parents exchanged glances, and her Dad peeked at his phone again, agitated. "This can't wait anymore." He turned to Beth's mom. "You and Beth seem to have talked for awhile last night about Harvey. I'd rather know where she is than her sneak out with this guy. I think you agree."
Either the pretzels made her thirsty, or the nerves were making her mouth dry. Two for two. Damn, she should have taken debate class.
Her mom stood. "I've got to finish this book for tonight, and I don't want another migraine. I trust Beth. She's only going to Sue's house." Tapping her paperback on the counter, she added, "Tell your aunt I want a full report."
Horace was a quaint little town only twenty minutes west. Beth's Aunt Sue and Uncle Ralph lived in a tri-level house tucked away on a quiet street outlined by Lake Horace. The steep driveway led to a three car garage, connected to the small home. The two bedroom and one and a half bath house laid out more like a condo. However, Sue, quite the creative decorator, managed to give each room an elegant, spacious appearance.
When they got out of the car, Beth started to walk up the stairway. "Wait a sec!" Harvey called as he grabbed an item from the trunk. He caught up with her. "I picked up some sparkling grape juice," he showed her.
"I'm sure she'll like you brought something, but sparkling grape juice?" Her aunt would've let her drink one glass of wine. Since she turned sixteen, her parents allowed one small alcoholic beverage under supervision at certain functions.
"You're not old enough to drink, and I can't. So this was the next choice."
They started up the long walkway leading to the front door. "What do you mean you can't drink? Aren't you twenty-two?"
"Yeah, but I can't have any wine."
"Are you allergic or something?" Beth laughed as they reached the door.
"Something like that." He scratched the side of his nose. "Now Sue is your dad's sister?"
"No, Uncle Ralph is my dad's brother," she clarified, making a mental note to Google a prospective alcohol allergy. Someone not being able to drink alcohol. Weird. Here goes nothing , she thought and rang the doorbell.
Ralph opened the door, "Hi sweetie! I'm so glad you're here! Come on in. Aunt Sue is finishing up dinner." A smaller version of her dad stood in front of her. They had similar features, from the shorter, stylish hair, to the slight curve in the nose. Ralph, however, only stood five foot seven against her dad's even six, often claiming he was robbed in the height department. Freckles also covered his face, which her dad thanked God he didn't have, but Beth found them sweet.
"Dinner smells delicious," Beth said as she walked in to a permeation of buttered rolls and roast beef. Her nose flashed her back to the many home cooked meals she'd had at her aunt's house, usually followed by a fun board game.
Clicking heels echoed down the hall and Aunt Sue galloped into the room, her energy bursting out of her. Deep set eyes accentuated by a tad too much eyeshadow jumped out against her blond bob. For a woman of her age, she was very pretty.
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