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“You too, Ma’am.”
Elin rolled her eyes at Ingrid.
“What? You have to at least let me say, ‘Ma’am’ and ‘Sir.’ They’re still your parents, Elin,” Ingrid replied.
“Speaking of your father – he’s in the living room. Let me get your coats.”
“Mom, where’s the staff?” Elin asked.
“We gave them the night off,” she replied. “Security is here, obviously, but they’re all outside. We don’t know the staff here all that well yet, since many of them are new, so we thought it might be safer to not have them here for tonight, just in case. I hope you’ll be okay with my cooking; I’ve been practicing. I’m a little nervous, Ingrid. Your sister is a chef. I’m sure you’re accustomed to good food.”
Elin loved her mother. Sure, they’d had their disagreements and troubles over the years, but how her mother was trying to make Ingrid feel totally at home right now made up for everything. Elin helped Ingrid with her coat and then took off her own.
“I’ll take care of them, Mom,” Elin offered. “You two, go ahead. I’ll be right there.”
Ingrid’s eyes went wide, telling Elin that she shouldn’t take too long. Elin smiled at her in reply, hung up their coats, and followed quickly.
“Hello, Ingrid,” Elin’s father said.
“Hello, Sir,” Ingrid replied.
Elin walked up behind her and placed her hand on the small of Ingrid’s back.
“Dad.”
“Elin, how are you?”
“I’m okay,” Elin said stiffly.
“Very good,” he replied.
“What can I get you two to drink?” her mother asked.
“Bourbon,” her father stated.
“Before dinner?”
“Yes, before dinner,” he said rather gruffly.
“Dad…” Elin warned.
“I’m allowed one drink a day, remember?”
“Yes, but you don’t have to be rude to Mom. I’ll get it, Mom,” she offered, moving to the small wet bar that was set up in the corner. “Ingrid?” she asked.
“Whatever you’re having is fine,” Ingrid replied.
Elin poured her father a bourbon and then a glass of wine each for herself and Ingrid.
“Mom?”
“Just wine for me, please,” she said.
Elin poured another glass of wine before carrying the drinks to Ingrid and her mother. After that, she returned for the other two glasses, handing the one with the bourbon to her father as he sat in his wheelchair. Elin then nodded to Ingrid for her to join her on the sofa, and her mother sat in her usual chair next to her father.
“So, Ingrid, I understand you and Elin are courting.”
“Dad, it’s not called that anymore,” Elin said.
