Chapter Five: Step Two: Avoid Leaving Your Master's Side at All Costs!
The biggest problem, when it came to having dinner with Vivian's parents, was that for some reason they always want to sit around the table at his place. Sure, there were plenty of other problems, too, but Avery considered this one to be at the very top of the list. On any other occasion, Vivian's parents liked to go out to expensive five star restaurants for dinner. Why they felt such a strong need to invade his personal space, he didn't know, but it was a trait they'd handed down to their daughter, no doubt about it.
Vivian's mother, Beverly, was one of those women who had to stick her nose in everything. She read every gossip column and trashy tabloid she could get her hands on. Although the two of them acted like the best of friends—they got their hair and nails done at the same salon—Avery knew for a fact that Vivian held a grudge against her mother for reading her diary so many times. He didn't have much sympathy, though; Vivian had always left a fake for her mother to find, and kept her real diary in her locker at school.
Vivian's father was one of those men who unfortunately hit upon every single businessman cliché in the known universe. He had what could be termed as a 'beer gut'—although it was actually from eating too much McDonalds, according to Viv—and aside from some hair around the sides of his head, he was mostly bald. Gerald "Call me Jerry" Waterman liked playing golf, telling really bad jokes, and betting on racehorses. Avery had never really liked either of Vivian's parents—they were far too concerned with appearances.
I don't know what's worse, Avery thought, nibbling at a piece of garlic bread. Having to go out to a fancy restaurant with them, or having them come here. At least the food was relatively simple. He and Vivian had gotten spaghetti and all the ingredients needed to make sauce with sausage and meatballs in it. And the garlic bread. Vivian had also insisted on making a salad, because her father needed to eat something healthy. Avery was still trying to figure out how anything slathered in blue cheese dressing and covered in bacon bits could possibly be healthy, when Gerald turned his attention—and his unfortunate sense of humor—on him.
"So, my boy," Gerald said, in a pompous tone that always grated on Avery's nerves. "Heard any good jokes lately?"
"Gerald," Beverly said, in a warning tone. In contrast to her husband, she ate her pasta without sauce or grated cheese, and her salad without even so much as a crouton.
"Come on, Bev," Gerald complained. "I've got a really good one. The boy's going to love it!"
Says you, Avery thought, trying not to roll his eyes. Much to his extreme fortune—not to mention surprise—a knock on his door kept him from having to hear the joke. What the heck is wrong with me? he wondered, as he made his way to the door. This morning I had a genie. I could have wished for them to change their minds. Or at least for him to grow a backbone where Vivian was concerned. Avery wasn't even certain Cypress could do such things, but it would have been nice to find out when he'd had the chance.
For all his thoughts about wishes, though, he would never have expected to find Cypress waiting for him when he opened the door. Avery choked when he saw her. His first thought was that she had to leave right away. But he realized almost immediately that something was not right, so instead he slipped out of his apartment, closing the door quickly behind himself. If Vivian saw Cypress now, she'd start to suspect that the whole lesbian thing wasn't true.
"Hey," Avery said softly. "Cypress...hey, look at me..."
He had to reach out and catch her face between his hands, forcing her to look up. Her face was so pale that her freckles stood out in stark relief and her eyes were blurred, as if she were drugged. She was trembling, as well, so much so that he could see it clearly. That was all Avery really had time to see, because she swayed on her feet and crashed into him. He had to catch hold of her and plant his feet, to keep both of them from hitting the door. Cypress snuggled against him, making a soft sound like a kitten curling up on a fluffy blanket.
"Uh...Cypress..." Avery rested his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back a little. "Are you okay?"
"I...don't know..." Cypress answered. Her voice was faint. "I just...got really dizzy and..."
She swayed again, and this time she almost fell. I am in so much trouble, Avery thought, as he caught her. I can't stay out here, they're going to come looking for me. Cypress snuggled up to him once again, which was really disconcerting. Even more disconcerting than that, though, was that this time he noticed that her trembling had eased some. Carefully Avery pushed her away again, but he held onto her so she wouldn't fall. She looked up at him, blinking owlishly, as though trying to clear her mind.
"Why did you come here?" Avery asked. "You should go to the hospital."
"This is just...where I ended up." Cypress shrugged weakly. "I am feeling a little better now..."
I think I know what's going on here, Avery thought. He really was in so much trouble. At the moment he needed to figure out what to do with Cypress; he couldn't just send her on her way. Leaving her propped against the wall outside his apartment door, he went back inside. Vivian and her parents looked up at him questioningly as he quickly shut the door. Avery flashed them a sheepish smile as he passed the table. He grabbed his cell phone from the charger on the counter and headed back towards the door.
"My neighbor's phone is out," Avery explained. "I'll be back in a moment."
"Don't be gone too long," Vivian said, frowning at him.
