Page 76 of Trick or Treat Nurse at My Feet
"All good things, I hope," Ethan says, shaking his hand firmly. His voice is steady, but I can sense his nerves.
"Of course," Dad assures him.
My mom offers a tight smile. "Hello, Ethan. Nice to meet you."
Her gaze flicks to where my hand rests on Ethan's back, and her lips press into a thin line. Dad catches it too, because he quickly gestures for us to sit down.
"So, Ethan," Dad says as we settle into our chairs, "Tyler tells us you're studying nursing?"
"Yes, sir," Ethan nods. "I'm in my second year of the program."
"Please, call me David," my dad insists. "And that's impressive. What made you choose nursing?"
I'm watching my mom while Ethan talks about why he likes healthcare and helping people. She's listening and being polite, but I can see tightness around her eyes, the same look she gets during tough talks she doesn't want to have with me.
The waiter arrives to take our drink orders, providing a momentary distraction. My dad orders a bottle of red wine for the table, checking that Ethan drinks wine before doing so. It's a small gesture, but I appreciate him making the effort to include Ethan.
"So, Tyler," my mom says once the waiter leaves, effectively cutting off Ethan's conversation with my dad. "How are your classes going? You mentioned that the water filtration project was giving you trouble."
"It's better now," I reply. "Actually, Ethan helped me work through some of the biological components. His science background came in handy."
"That's nice," she says dismissively. "And the fraternity? Everything going well there?"
Ethan shifts beside me. "Yes, everything's good. We raised over four thousand dollars at our charity car wash last month."
"Impressive," Dad nods. "What charity was that for?"
"The University's Veterinary Medicine program works with a spay and neuter clinic, so we are helping a lot of dogs lose their puppy-making bits," I reply, trying to lighten my mother's mood. Still, I only see her smile tighten slightly.
"That's wonderful," Dad says genuinely.
The waiter returns with our wine and takes our food orders. I notice my mom doesn't include Ethan in the conversation about appetizers, speaking as if we're a table of three instead of four. Dad compensates by specifically asking Ethan what he'd like to try.
While we wait for our food, Dad asks Ethan about his program and what he wants to do later, but Mom mostly talks to me. It's not super obvious; someone else might not catch it, but I can tell Ethan notices. His answers get shorter, and he sits up straighter and tenser.
The appetizers arrive, giving us a nice break from all the weird vibes at the table. As we eat, Dad manages to steer the conversation to more neutral topics, campus events, the upcoming holidays, and a recent movie he and Mom saw. Ethan gradually relaxes, even sharing a funnystory about one of his clinical rotations that has my dad laughing loudly.
By the time our main courses arrive, things have settled into a slightly more comfortable rhythm. Dad is openly friendly toward Ethan, asking thoughtful questions and listening attentively to his answers. Mom is still cool but not overtly rude. I start to think maybe this dinner won't be a disaster after all.
Then Mom takes a sip of her wine and says, "So, Ethan, Tyler tells us you two met at a Halloween party? That wasn’t very long ago, was it?"
"Almost five weeks," Ethan confirms with a small smile in my direction.
"Such a short time to get to know someone," she remarks, her tone light but her meaning clear. "Tyler has always been the type to jump into things with both feet. When he was seven, he decided he wanted to be a professional skateboarder after watching it on TV for one day. Broke his arm trying to do a trick by the end of the week."
Dad chuckles. "He's always been enthusiastic, that's for sure."
"Yes, well, enthusiasm sometimes leads to hasty decisions," Mom continues. "Like the time he signed up for that study abroad program junior year of high school, then changed his mind two weeks later after we'd already paid the deposit."
My jaw clenches. "Mom?—"
"I'm just saying," she interrupts, "that Tyler sometimes gets excited about new... friendships... before really thinking them through."
The emphasis on "friendships" isn't subtle, and Ethan tenses beside me. A flush creeps up his neck, but his expression remains carefullyneutral.
"Actually, Mrs. Landis," he says politely, "I tend to be the cautious one between us. I was hesitant when Tyler first asked me out."
"Asked you out?" Mom repeats, her eyebrows rising. "So you two are... dating, then? Not just friends from the fraternity?"
