Page 32 of Sit, Stay, Love
‘Darling, we don’t watch that,’ her mother said. ‘The news is on then.’
Sera laughed. ‘I didn’t think you would.’ She finished her wine, smiled and waved the empty glass at her father, who jumped up and refilled it again. She was a little tipsy and finally enjoying herself now they’d got all the judgemental shit out of the way.
Her phone buzzed, and she checked the screen. ‘He’ll be here in a few.’ She took a gulp of her wine and got up. ‘I should head out.’
Her mother stared. ‘Can’t he come to the door to pick you up?’
‘Mum, we’re not going to the prom.’
‘Just the same, tell him to come in for a drink. You can spare us another fifteen minutes, can’t you?’
Sera looked to her father for support.
He held up a hand. ‘Don’t look at me. I want to see this fellow too.’
Sera sighed and flopped onto the cane couch.
Sera: My parents want to meet you. You don’t have to, but if it’s okay, come in for a drink.
Ethan: Parents are my speciality.
He added two smiling emojis, and her mind filled with his dimples.
‘They’re upstairs on the balcony,’ Sera said as she led Ethan through the house.
He looked around at the cosy sunroom and deep bay windows that faced the water. ‘This place is great.’
‘It’s been in my mum’s family for years. She took it over when my grandparents retired to the Oxford Falls place. This house is heritage-listed, but they’ve done a lot of work on the interior, and of course…’ She waved an arm towards the view of the harbour.
‘It must be worth a fortune.’
‘No more than your place,’ she said, giving him a sideways glance.
‘Maybe. Though mine needs some work. I’m suddenly feeling inspired.’
They walked up the stairs and across the formal living area, all white couches and seascape artwork, and onto the balcony.
Sera’s father leaped up, his hand outstretched.
‘Ethan, this is my father, John.’
‘Pleasure to meet you, sir,’ Ethan said, shaking his hand.
‘And this is my mum, Lydia.’
‘You have a lovely home, Mrs Madden,’ he said. He turned and looked out at the harbour. ‘And what a view.’
Sera’s mother glanced at her, her eyebrows waggling in approval. ‘Indeed.’ She shot Sera a cheeky look. ‘Can we offer you a drink, Ethan? Wine? Beer?’
He turned around, one of his dazzling smiles spread wide across his full lips. ‘I’m driving.’ He nodded towards Sera. ‘Taking your precious cargo home. But something light or a water would be great.’
‘I have some light beer downstairs,’ Sera’s father said. ‘Poppet, you okay on the wine?’
‘I’m fine, thanks, Dad.’
‘Poppet?’ Ethan whispered to Sera from the corner of his mouth.
She elbowed him in the ribs. ‘Shut up.’
