The Runaway | Ashton Irwin AU

Part 10

        

        

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[Charlie's POV]

It was Friday. My mother had told me on Monday that she wanted me to invite Ashton over for dinner, but I had neglected to do so until just last night. I don't know if it was because I was nervous to call him, or because I was nervous that he was actually going to be coming over to my house. There was also the lingering thought about the unexpected friendship between him and my parents. Maybe tonight could be the night that I asked him about it.

I apologized profusely to him for calling so last minute, but like I had suspected him to, he told me it was no big deal and that he would see me at six o'clock.

When six finally rolled around, my mother was beyond excited. She was acting like it was some arranged marriage and this would be the first time that we would be meeting. She wanted everything to be perfect and yet again, I didn't understand why. It was only Ashton.

It was exactly six on the dot when the doorbell rang and even before I could stand from the couch in the living room, my mother rushed from the kitchen to get the door. Creeping slowly toward the front hall, I heard muffled voices and then Ashton's cute little giggle sound out through the house. I couldn't help but smile.

"Charlie!" My mother yelled, even though I was already standing behind her.

"I'm right here, mom," I rolled my eyes.

"Oh!" She held her hand over her heart like I had scared her, Ashton holding back a laugh as he looked passed my mom and at me.

"Would you show Ashton to the living room, please?" She pushed Ashton in my direction as she scurried back toward the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready in a minute!"

"Sorry about my mom," I mumbled quietly as we headed for the room I had just come out of. "She's a bit excited to have you over."

He chuckled. "It's alright, you mom's really nice."

Should I ask him now? I thought against it as my father came into view, his body lounging nicely in the recliner we had in the corner of the living room.

"Hey dad!" I smiled sweetly. "Ashton's here."

He closed the book he was reading immediately and stood from his chair. "My boy! It's great to finally have you over. How have you been?"

"Good, sir," Ashton shook my dad's hand firmly.

"And your grandmother, how is she holding up?"

Seeing Ashton tense the way he did in that moment got me wondering, was there something wrong with his grandmother? Did he live with her?

"She doing fine," Ashton collected himself quickly. "Thank you for asking."

Before the conversation could go any further, my mother's head poked into the room telling us that dinner was ready. Ashton gestured for me to go first as the three of us exited the room just as quickly as we had come in.

My mother had really out done herself with this dinner. It was more like a feast. Serving after serving, my mother pilled Ashton's plate full of food until he once again finished and then it would start all over again. My father and I found it quite amusing that Ashton had no intensions in telling my mother that he was full. He was just that kind of guy, I guess. Always wanted to make the people around him happy.

I was surprised when I heard the doorbell ring for the second time tonight. I was almost positive that my mother hadn't invited anyone else over for dinner. When I pulled opened the front door my eyebrows rose in confusion as two of my mother's friends stood out on our front porch. Without warning they bustled inside, paying no mind to the fact that we had a guest over. Or maybe that was the entire reason as to why they had come over so unexpectedly.