By Chance

Chapter 6: The Truth

Seattle's weather can be very temperamental at times, especially in July. I've holled up in my apartment for the past five days, doing nothing but eating, sleeping and painting. Except, my once happy getaway of art hasn't been producing much.

So far, I have completely ruined two canvases and I am staring at a blank one. The city has been undergoing a storm, one of the many that plague it, and I haven't left my apartment once.

My head is aching from the bleak white canvas. A dry paintbrush is in my lazy grip and I shut my eyes in concentration. What to paint, what to paint. I tried imitating the storm outside my window twice, but I cannot seem to relax my muscles enough to let my imagination flow.

Something just isn't right.

Bruce Springsteen is heard in a low voice and I twitch from my stool. The sound is clear in my ears, it being the only noise in my entire apartment. I shuffle up and over to my lumpy couch, lifting blankets and pillows to find my cellphone.

Logan's goofy smile meets mine and I grin down at it.

Answering it, I say, "Ello?"

"Well, if it isn't Da Vinci himself." Logan chuckles.

"What's up, boss man?" I ask, slumping down onto the couch. I kick my wool socks up and onto my coffee table. nearly knocking over an open paint tube.

"My parents are celebrating their thirty third anniversary this weekend."

"Wow, thirty three years? Can't believe people stay together that long." I run my fingers through my hair, letting my hand rest on the back of the couch.

He laughs into my ear and I know he's rolling those amber eyes of his.

"Well, anyway." He starts. "I'm telling you this because I want you to come as my date." He says the whole sentence so fast I barely have time to process it.

My jaw physically drops, letting gravity take over.

"Wh-what?" I stutter.

"I mean, if you don't want to go, it's fine. But. I'd like to introduce you to my family." He goes on, losing some of his confidence as he speaks. It's strange for him to go from confident to shy. But, it's adorable nonetheless.

"You want me to meet your family?" I feel like giggling like a schoolgirl who just got kissed on the cheek by her crush.

"Is that okay with you?" He questions and his voice drops a bit.

"Well," I swallow, or attempt to because my mouth is all dry. "What am I supposed to wear?"

*****

"Not plaid." He states, with a stern look. "You need to wear a suit or something similar to that."

Turning around, I walk back to the pile of blue folded shirts, placing the one in my hands down. When I look for Logan again, I don't see him.

"Caleb!" I hear him call.

Looking towards one of the dressing rooms, I see his head poking out and his fingers curled around the door. Another man, with greying hair is standing behind him, a hanger in his hands.

"What did you do?" I ask skeptically.

"I think I found the one." He grins and I can't help but smile.

His goofy smile would always turn my insides to goo. Especially when it's accompanied with words like 'the one', as cliche as that sounds.

He waves me over to him and I quickly hurry into the dressing room. It not as small as I thought. It's big enough to fit a small family and some luggage, that is if they were travelling. The elder, working man shuts the door behind us. He hands the covered hanger on the back of the door, bending down to unzip it.