Chapter Seventeen

"Our first kiss wasn't a holy scene," Elowen commented as she panicked in the passengers seat.

Philip looked at her a bit surprised. She was breaking a sweat and shaking as if they were going to jail. "Kay. Don't tell 'em that. My old man would murder me right in front of your eyes."

"What does the lake have to do with prepping to meet your mother and father? This is just a tease now." She stared nervously out the window. "Is this where we're meeting them? What a weird first day."

"No weirder than your moms peeling me off the front lawn and inviting me in for water." She scoffed at him as they parked under a tree about a five minute walk from the lake.

Elowen grabbed her jacket and purse before following behind Philip. he wasn't dressed for the lake. A tan and blue plaid collar shirt tucked into tan knee length slacks. Elowen figured she should have wore jeans instead of a maroon sun dress.

"I came here with you to practice. There are some things you gotta know about my old man before meeting him. The first thing and the most important is that he's really against your people. Absolutely hates them."

Elowen figured that was the least of her surprises since Philip reflects a racist trait every now and then. "Okay. Tell me something I don't know."

He turned to her with a smug expression which made her stop walking. "Also... he most likely won't like us together. But we're used to sneaking around so what difference would it make?"

He shrugged and turned back around which made Elowen frown at him. "You're so okay with hiding me whenever the opportunity is best. I thought that's why we went steady. So we won't have to do those things anymore."

"It's not all my fault, Elo. Your moms knew nothing about us until a week ago. You were hiding me too." Elowen couldn't argue. "Tomorrow is the fifteenth. Our four months of really being together. Its also the day you'll meet my moms and old man. Maybe even Roy if the idiot stick acts right."

"What about Annabelle?"

"Maybe her too. She's been sick with some baby fever. Moms won't let her out the room because the air is apparently contaminated."

Elowen rushed to cling to his elbow. She then rested her head on his arm as they neared the lake. "That is really sad Philip. I hope she gets better."

"Yeah... me too."

He stopped walking just at the edge of the water. Elowen shivered when a splash of water hit her ankles. "Now what?" She asked while looking up at her boyfriend. "Did you seriously bring me here to look at the lake?"

"No. I just wanted us to be alone and talk." Elowen let go of his arm as he bent down to take off his Corduroy slippers and socks. "Now walk to the other side with me."

She immediately took off her sandals when he started treading across the lightly flowing water to a more condensed area of the lake. "Wait, Philip!"

He turned to her and held out his hand. She grabbed it just before slipping on an algae covered rock. Philip grabbed ahold of her shoulders preventing her from going under. "Why... aren't you a ditz? Suddenly you can't walk."

Elowen chuckled as he released her. The rim of her dress all wet while Philip remained dry from the knees up. "I'm not a ditz. I was tryna catch up. What's the rush anyway. We could have talked about this in the car."

"Well kill me for wanting to listen to the birds and the trees with my girlfriend while talking about what shit my rents are. Too much to ask for a little sympathy at a time like this?"

"I'm... I'm giving you sympathy. I just can't relate. My mama wasn't so upset finding out I was talking to a white boy. It bothered her but she would never disown me from liking you."

Philip turned around quickly the second he reached land. Elowen still struggling to keep her toes out of the squishy parts under the water. "Then you better listen than talk because my rents will break us up in a heartbeat. Now I'll fight for you 'cause I love you. But you have to be sweet too."

Elowen nodded.

"White girl sweet. like Cindy when she's high."

"Oh I can act privileged all right. Its so easy because we black folks had to do it all the time growing up. Used to pretend we were in mansions as if we had it all right in our backyards. While your people flaunted it every time you drive by. Those were the days Philip Hill."

She pouted when his smile barely twitched. "Me and you are going to be amazing. Our kids aren't even gonna have to pretend." Before she could clarify the words that came out of his mouth, he yanked her out the water. "Now put your shoes on so you won't step on any snakes or spiders."

"Oh relax. There aren't any of those here."

They walked deeper in the woods following the normal trail people take when visiting. Elowen has never been this far. She was always too scared to go any deeper than the lake. She wanted to ask how Philip knew this area existed but she knew it would only lead to a story about his friends who she doesn't like.

She walked with her head down, bored. No surprise she stumbled into Philip's back since she wasn't paying attention. "We've stopped again." She smiled when what looked to be a camp ground was set up before them. "Philip... what is-"

"Romantic right?" He motioned to the bundle of rose pedals around the blanket that had an unlit candle and basket sitting on it. "Besides meeting my parents I wanted to make it nice since four months with you feels like a lifetime." She hit his arm. "And I'm not really joking."

"I got you nothing Philip! I was going to wait until tomorrow!"

"I want nothing from you but you." He gave her a kiss on the forehead then lightly pulled her towards the blanket. "Sit down so we can talk business."

Elowen didn't want to talk about his mean parents anymore. She wanted to enjoy the time she was spending with him. Although it was a school night and she knew she couldn't stay out too late. That thought was in the back of her mind.

They sat across from each other, both with different priorities on their minds. Like philip was trying to light the candle with what little gas he had in his light. "Fuck," he grumbled when he burnt himself.

Elowen looked up at the sky that began to show its six in the afternoon colors. She imagined it as beautiful and the fact that Philip did it only made everything else feel better. "Can I tell you something?" She looked at the frustrated boy before her who was flicking his wrist.

"Go ahead," he responded while barely meeting her eyes.

"I did it with you to prove your friends wrong." When she admitted that she was shocked to see that Philip didn't even flinch. "You hear me?"

"Yeah and I knew that already. You put up this huge fight every time we talked about it and suddenly you want to do it out of the blue." He stopped working on the candle to look Elowen in the eyes. "You're a piece of work, Elo. Letting them get to you."

She hung her head in shame before looking over her shoulder to the trail behind them. The water rushing could be heard from the distance and suddenly Philip stood up in a cheer. Elowen looked at the candle that was lit and then the smile on her boyfriend's face. She softly clapped for him as he sat down.

"I'm sorry." Her faint smile didn't phase him. "For lying to you that night."

"No problem. We have our fair share of tales. I still love you Elowen. And I've done worse. Called you horrible things and hit you. I owe you more than this dumb picnic."

Elowen crawled closer to him and laid her head on his lap. "It's not dumb." He placed a hand on her shoulder before sighing. "Now tell me more about your mother and father."

"Uh... well. They take foreign wars really seriously. My old man always has this hunch that the koreans are gonna invade us one day without telling. So if you know any history facts then go along with it."

"Like agree with his stance?"

"Yeah yeah. Shit like that. Also comment on his suits. He's always buyin' them and gettin' upset when no one takes them into thought." Elowen nodded. "And tell my moms that you like the scent of the house. She's always spraying this pink stuff because she believes Annabelle will grow to make it her signature scent."

"You said our kids." She lifted her head to look at him but he was talking with his eyes closed the whole time. "You said our kids won't have to pretend."

He opened his eyes to see her in his face which made him laugh. "Oh, Elowen. I was talking out my teeth. Quit taking everything to heart. I just felt bad for you is all."

She pulled away from him when he closed his eyes again. "Philip. I don't think it's funny to talk like that."

He looked at her once again but this time with a frown. "What is it that you thought. I was talking about the kids were gonna have in the next hour?" She crossed her arms over her chest and he quickly grabbed her wrist to undo it. "Listen. It's just talk, Elowen. Yeah, I mean... maybe one day but nothing is promised. I'm not trying to keep your hopes up."

"I know," she whispered as her vision blurred. He immediately pulled her into a hug so she wouldn't be upset.

"God, Elo. You're so soft. Making me do weird things." He gripped her body tighter. She then pulled away to give him a kiss on the lips. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"Yeah, I know." She looked at him with hooded eyes then brought their lips together once more. The next time they made eye contact she was sliding the straps of her dress down her shoulders and Philip was unzipping her dress from the back.