CHAPTER 109

AIDEN

Mom’s eyes roved over Elena. From the top of her head, across her beautiful face, down her pretty dress, to her pale pink toenails. She studied her, and Elema fidgeted under the scrutiny.

“Mom.”

“I’m just tryin’ to figure out if I’m dreamin’, son,” Mom replied, looking at me. “You brought a girl home?”

“Who did what?” Dad asked, walking into the kitchen. He stopped. “Aiden? You brought a girl home?”

“Well, she’s a girl, and she’s with me at home, so it looks that way, old man.”

“Cocky little idiot,” Dad laughed. “Well, move over, Diana. Let me look at her.”

“She’s not an art exhibition, guys.”

“She’s real pretty, huh?” Mom said to Dad.

“Sure is. What are you doin’ with my son, girl?” Dad roared at his own joke.

Elena smiled. “I was coerced into it.”

“Hey!”

She directed her smile to me. “I kinda was.”

“You don’t take his shit, do you?” Dad asked her. “He’s got a lot of shit to give.”

“No, sir, I don’t, and if he tries, I give it back.”

“Ahh, the family interrogation,” Chloe laugh