“Here, let me hang that up for you,” Devon’s mother said, reaching for the coat to take it from him. She looked over at her daughter and raised her eyebrows in question. Devon sighed and peeled her own jacket off, too, handing it to her.
Sebastian cautiously handed the jacket over, unable to shake the feeling that he was treading on thin ice, trying to walk across a minefield. Would he trigger a bomb, or make it through safely?
“Have a seat in the living room. Devon can show you there whole I hang these up,” the woman said, already moving toward the hall closet.
Devon glanced over at Sebastian and gave him a wry smile before holding her hand out to him. She made sure her mother was turned away before mouthing an, I’m sorry.
Sebastian offered an anxious smile as he took her hand, allowing her to lead him into the living room. I'll survive, he mouthed back, I'm just nervous.
Devon gave his hand a small squeeze and led him away. They stepped into a room with pale gray walls and white furniture. A couch sat facing a flat screen TV, and a chair sat on either side of the carpet between the two. A table sat in the middle of it all, plants and books stacked on top.
(Basically the setup, but the couches on the sides are chairs: https://pin.it/sstwlcbmsog7oi )
"This is a nice house…" Sebastian murmured, allowing his eyes to skim the contents of the well-maintained room.
“Yeah, my mom is pretty proud of it. I’m sure she’d love you if all you did was compliment it,” Devon half-joked with a small chuckle.
“Do you think she dislikes me right now?” Sebastian asked softly, shifting where he sat. “Am I making a bad impression?”
Devon shook her head and gave him an encouraging smile. “No, I think she likes you already. She’s just—“
“Do either of you want something to drink? Water? Tea? Coffee?” Devon’s mother offered as she stepped into the room.
Sebastian declined with a polite shake of his head, glancing over at his girlfriend.
“Just a water, please. Thanks, mom,” Devon asked with a polite smile.
Her mother smiled back and nodded. “Water it is, then. I’ll get you a glass as well, Sebastian, in case you change your mind,” she declared as she slipped out of the room again.
Sebastian released a slow exhale, still trying to calm himself down. "Where's your dad?"
Devon glanced around before shrugging. “Probably at work or something. The only day he doesn’t work is Sunday,” she explained, her mother stepping back into the room as she said that.
“Waters for both of you,” the older woman said, handing one to her daughter and offering the other to Sebastian.