After talking to Natalie's aunt and uncle for a few hours about what to say to her parents, we finally muster up the courage to go back to Natalie's house.
I lean aross the center console and put my hand on her knee, "It's going to be alright."
She gives me a weak smile and looks out the window the rest of the drive.
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We pull up in front of the Greyson's house and I out the car in park and turn the engine off. We get out of the car and walk through the Craftsman style front door.
"Mom? Dad?" Natalie calls out from the foyer.
"In the living room." Her father calls out.
We take our shoes off and walk into the living room to find her father on the reciner watching a football game and her mother sitting on the couch knitting. We both sit down on the beige loveseat and Natalie clears her throat.
"Mom, dad, I have some things that I want to say to you, that I need to get off of my chest. And before I start, I want to ask for no interruptions, please, just let me finish."
Her mom sets her knitting down and her dad turns off the tv. I drape my arm around her shoulder to offer my support.
Natalie takes a deep breath and starts talking, "We've all had our issues and problems with each other in the past, 'and I feel the tension and I hate it. I have anxiety everytime I dial the phone to call you guys. I shouldn't be afraid to call my parents!" Natalie finally confessed. She was shaking by now and I had to squeeze her shoulder to calm her down.
Her mom a bitter look on her face, her father had no expression at all, he just had his chin in his palm.
"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way." Her mother hissed. Evelyn looked at Joel, all Joel did was shrug and turn the T.V. back on. Evelyn picked her knitting needles and went back to work.
"That's it? An insensitive apology? That's all I get?" Natalie whimpered.
"Oh Natalie, grow up. What do you want us to do? Get on on our hands and knees and beg for your forgiveness? You know you play the victim, you're not that innocent in all of these "issues" either." Evelyn snapped. Joel looked unfazed.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Natalie snarled. "The only reason why I have issues is because of you assholes. I was 13 years old living in Las Vegas by myself and you wouldn't even pick up the phone when I would call. I felt so rejected and unloved by these people who were supposed to love me no matter what."
"Natalie, I'm not in the mood to fight with you. If you're just going to try and start an argument, I'd rather you just leave."
Natalie and I stood up. "I wish you guys got divorced back when dad cheated on you." This got Joel's attention because he finally spoke up.
"I want you two out of my house!" His voice boomed.
"No problem, dad." Natalie said extrememely sarcastically.
We packed up our things and headed back to Las Vegas.
