Braver Than I Used to Be

Chapter Eight

We pulled up to Matthew's house and it was cute. It was two stories, there were four tall pillars that went all the way up to the second floor. There were Christmas lights wrapped around them. Each side of the house had three windows, it was a perfectly symmetrical house, which fascinated me for some reason. Matthew insisted on driving and Ray called shotgun. I got to sit in the tiny little backseat of the truck.

"You guys coming in? I am almost positive my mom would like to meet you." Matthew said.

"I guess, as long as it doesn't go as well as meeting my parents."

"No, of course not. My family is sane and we actually communicate with each other."

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in. Ray get out, I'm cramped up back here."

When we walked in it smelled like cookies and apple pie.

"Is your mom baking?" Ray said.

"Probably. She sells all kinds of baked goods from home. MOM I'M HOME!"

A woman walked down the stairs. She looked about the age of my mother. She had long smooth dark brown hair, the same texture of Matthew's. She was short maybe five two and had a little round face with warm brown eyes.

Matthew walked up and kissed her on the cheek. She looked over at Ray and I and just stared at us curiously.

"You two are a sight."

Ray and I looked at each other. "Thanks?" We said unsure if she meant that in a good or bad way.

"You must be Rita." She shook my hand, "And I take it you are Ray?"

Ray nodded, "Nice to meet you ma'am."

"It's nice to finally meet you two. I'm Diane. You are as stunning as everyone says."

"Everyone?" I say.

"Oh dear, when Matthew has friends over, they are Rita this and Ray that. The girls swoon, the boys swoon. But I guess I can see why now."

Matthew slapped his hand to his forehead. "Mom, please shut up, they don't want to hear that. I don't even want to hear that."

"Oh, hush boy." She told him. "Are you guys hungry? I made some cookies."

We followed her to the kitchen and it was like one of those kitchens you saw in the home magazines. There was an island in the center, farmers sink with some vegetable's sitting in it. There were double ovens next to the range and a six-top stove, and to top it off pots and pans were hanging over the island. I mean my kitchen was just as big, but my mom didn't cook so she didn't care what was in the kitchen or what it looked like. Our counter tops were to be cleared of anything at all times.

She put out a plate of cookies in front of us.

"I hope you saved some to the side for everyone, mom." Matthew said, "These two will probably devour the whole plate."

"I made another batch. I figured a girl that eats three pieces of cheesecake in one sitting probably would eat twelve cookies with no problem."

"She's smart." I said. Ray and I took a bite of our cookies and looked at each other. They were the most perfect cookies to ever exist. They were soft, fluffy, sweet, and everything holy in this world, aside from cheesecake, of course. We both started eating whole cookies in just two bites until there was one left. "That's yours, I had six."

Matthew's mother looked at us like she had just watched a lion take down a gazelle and swallow its body whole. "I told you." Matthew placed a cup of water next to me. "I told her you eat like a wild animal. She didn't believe me. She thought you were more lady like."