Operation Beautiful

“Hey, Mom?” By the time we get home, it’s the perfect hour to call Belgium. I don’t like fighting with my parents like this, and seeing the whole Haley-Trevor-parents thing makes me want to get this squared away as soon as possible.

“Corey.” Her voice is sad, hurt and guilty at the same time.

“I wanted to apologize for the other day,” I say quickly. “Everyone’s been saying that Em and I won’t last I guess it was just getting to me.”

“But, Corey,” she pleads with me. “It really won’t work!”

“I don’t care, Mom!” Okay, that was kinda loud. I take a deep breath and try again. “Yeah, it might not work out. In fact, it probably won’t work out. Even if I go to college near LA, she may not. But I’m willing to try. She’s never going to be more important than my family and I won’t be basing my college decision off of her, I promise.”

“Are you sure you’re willing to go through with this?” she asks, her voice less angry.

“I don’t have a choice. I’ve tried not liking her before and it kinda didn’t work.”

“I see. Well, I’m sorry for getting upset. We miss you a lot over here and I don’t like the idea of you leaving again for some girl. You're only 18.”

“Mom, I wouldn’t do that unless you and Dad were okay with it.”

There’s a long silence before my mom’s tentative voice breaks through. “Well...your dad went out and bought a web-cam the other day. Maybe when we get it set up...we can video chat.” Her voice smiles a little. “And then you can introduce me to this Emmaleigh girl.”

A huge grin breaks out on my face. “Thanks, Mom! I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

***
It’s been a couple days since the Dinner Fiasco. Suffice it to say that I’m glad Emmaleigh didn’t come along. I wasn’t planning on it originally, but I called her directly afterward to tell her it was a disaster. According to Clarice, calling your girlfriend after something like this is necessary. Because no matter what the circumstances, having your boyfriend at his ex’s house is apparently a reasonably unnerving idea. But, as expected, Emmaleigh was more curious about what happened between Trevor and Mr. Waters than anything else.

Haley spent the night at Trevor’s after the dinner instead of going back home, but since she went back home last night, we’re all waiting eagerly for lunch to hear what Mr. Waters’ verdict was.

“Well?” I ask as Haley approaches our picnic blanket. We’re all here already, save Jessica and Janice who have a cheerleaders’ meeting.

“Well what?” Haley feigns innocence, knowing we’re all dying on the inside.

“No offense, Haley, but I did not like your dad at all,” Spike says.

“None taken,” she replies. “I wouldn’t either if that was the first time I met him.”

“What did he say about us?” I ask, not wanting to veer off the subject.

“Calm down, Corey,” Matt jokes, rolling his eyes.

“Well...” Haley says awkwardly. “He liked you guys. A lot. Who’s idea was it to take care of the dishes?”

Spike rolls his eyes. “We all just kind of did it. That’s what he liked?”

“Well, he says you guys were better than he would’ve been at that age.” Haley shrugs and opens her lunchbox, attacking last night’s leftovers with zeal.

“And Trevor?” Matt asks.

A small smile forms on Haley’s face. “He approves.”

“That’s...unexpected,” Trevor mumbles, turning red at the memories of dinner.

“I told you he would act like a jerk on purpose,” Haley reminds him. “But, that’s okay. My mom and I straightened him out.”

“What about your parents?” Clarice asks, concerned. “They were yelling a lot when we left.”

“Well, my dad’s been sleeping on the couch for the last couple nights. And apparently my mom yelled at him a lot and I came home and talked to him for a while. He’s taking my mom out to lunch today, so I think everything turned out all right.” She lets out a relieved sigh. “I was afraid it was going to turn into one of those arguments with the days of tension afterward that they used to have, but it didn’t.”

“That’s good,” Clarice says. “I was worried about the same thing.”

“Yeah. He wants to have everyone over again for a barbecue,” Haley says. “As an apology thing, though he probably won’t say sorry outright. He has some business to deal with back in China but he’ll be coming back home in a couple months.”

“That sounds like fun,” Spike agrees. “But I refuse to be called Eugene again.”

“Done,” Clarice says with a laugh. “Because I refuse to date a guy called Eugene.”

“And I’m wearing my leather jacket,” he continues, unperturbed. “And my earrings. And I’m not tying my hair back. Well, unless I want to. I kinda liked how it looked.”

“You’re such a dork,” Haley laughs. “But that’s fine. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Mm, what about that boss of his?” Matt asks. We all look at him, surprised that this is what he’s worried about. “What?” he protests. “It’s perfectly acceptable to be curious.”

“Oh, my dad thinks Mom was overreacting and she says she wasn’t.” She shrugs. “She dealt with it while she was over there and my dad finds it,” she uses her fingers to make air quotes, “adorable that she’s so jealous, so I think that’s the end of it.”

“That’s good,” I say. “So they aren’t arguing any more?”

“No. I think...” she smiles. “I think not being around me for a year really helped.” Trevor moves closer to her instantly.

“That’s not true!” Clarice blurts out.

“Guys,” Haley says. “I’m not upset about it or anything. It’s the truth. I’m not going to get upset over the truth.” She doesn’t look upset, but still, the very idea that being away from her must have helped her parents is a horrible one.

“It’s not the truth,” Clarice insists. “Your parents love you very much.”

“Stop!” Haley insists with a laugh. “I’m not denying that! Here, let me rephrase it for you guys. Taking a year-long break from all the stress over here at home must have been very good for them. Better?”

But Clarice still looks a little miffed and Trevor puts an arm around his girlfriend and pulls her closer.

“God, you guys are such drama queens!” Haley says with an amused smile. But she doesn’t move away from Trevor.

“So Trevor,” I say, trying to move the conversation away from Haley. “I heard you can sing?”

“What?” He feigns amusement, but looks embarrassed instead. “Who told you that?”

“A little birdie,” I say, glancing at Spike as if to place the blame on him.

“You can sing?” Emmaleigh asks, joining the conversation for the first time.

“No,” Trevor says sharply.

“Oh, come on!” Clarice begs. “Sing for us!”

“No.”

“For me?” Haley asks. Trevor looks at her for a second, as if he were about to give in.

“No.” The bell rings and he gets up to go. “Not even if pigs were to fly.”