"I'm the perfect daughter," Amber defended herself with false haughty tone. She really was all but perfect: top colleges, med school, and now she was a doctor. Maybe she screwed up a few of the little things, but they couldn't stamp failure on her or anything. If anything, probably one of her mom's biggest regrets for so long was that Amber hadn't brought any men to second guess. "It's not my fault if they can't see that."
There was resentment in her joking, but none of it was directed at Eric himself. "Yeah," she said, smiling perhaps for the first time day. She heard the affection in his tone, and it cut through her stress. He was here with her and, in a strange way, doing this for her. That was what mattered, not the stupid salads and excess emergency supplies. "They can't change that." Amber knew her own feelings wouldn't change with this trip; what really worried her was Eric reconsidering their relationship, once he'd been subjected to-- whatever they'd subject him to. But like he said, it was just a meal and a few days. Amber knew all the ways to get away from her family, if it came to that. "It'll be over with, soon. And who knows, you might even like Brian."
Amber was half-tempted to drive more slowly than normal-- that is, at the legal speed-- but she'd complained enough. She didn't want to show anymore how bothered she was. She and Eric were in this together, end of story. She could face her family just as she stared down disapproving bosses.
Amber drove through suburban streets she knew as well as the lines in her face. "This is so weird," she said, mostly to herself. "Part of me still feels like this is home, but it's been years since I've lived here..." Some of the houses had sections added on, others were repainted. More than a few yards were missing the trees they used to have. But it was pretty much the same as during her last visit, and more changed than ever since her last extended stay here.
The drive didn't take more than a few minutes. Amber parked on the street, behind another couple of cars that were already there. Her aunts and maybe cars her brothers had rented? Amber turned off the ignition. She turned to Eric, barely visible in the darkness, and raised an eyebrow he couldn't possibly see. "Home sweet home." On impulse, she leaned over and pressed her lips against his, not deep but firm.
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There was resentment in her joking, but none of it was directed at Eric himself. "Yeah," she said, smiling perhaps for the first time day. She heard the affection in his tone, and it cut through her stress. He was here with her and, in a strange way, doing this for her. That was what mattered, not the stupid salads and excess emergency supplies. "They can't change that." Amber knew her own feelings wouldn't change with this trip; what really worried her was Eric reconsidering their relationship, once he'd been subjected to-- whatever they'd subject him to. But like he said, it was just a meal and a few days. Amber knew all the ways to get away from her family, if it came to that. "It'll be over with, soon. And who knows, you might even like Brian."
Amber was half-tempted to drive more slowly than normal-- that is, at the legal speed-- but she'd complained enough. She didn't want to show anymore how bothered she was. She and Eric were in this together, end of story. She could face her family just as she stared down disapproving bosses.
Amber drove through suburban streets she knew as well as the lines in her face. "This is so weird," she said, mostly to herself. "Part of me still feels like this is home, but it's been years since I've lived here..." Some of the houses had sections added on, others were repainted. More than a few yards were missing the trees they used to have. But it was pretty much the same as during her last visit, and more changed than ever since her last extended stay here.
The drive didn't take more than a few minutes. Amber parked on the street, behind another couple of cars that were already there. Her aunts and maybe cars her brothers had rented? Amber turned off the ignition. She turned to Eric, barely visible in the darkness, and raised an eyebrow he couldn't possibly see. "Home sweet home." On impulse, she leaned over and pressed her lips against his, not deep but firm.