“Use a damn coaster, Els!” Anders yelled from across the apartment, where he was currently glazing the two half-cooked turkeys for the third time with his mom, Ana. “If you get rings on my coffee table and the mother of my girlfriend makes a comment about it, I swear to God...,” he added, rolling his eyes and issuing his younger sister a menacing look. “And get your feet off the table! Who fucking raised you, a herd of goats?!”
Anders was stressed out. Like really stressed out. It was the first Thanksgiving he had ever hosted at his place, and subsequently, the first time Mason would be meeting his parents. On top of that, she was also bringing her mom and brother, one of which wasn’t exactly convinced that their relationship was a good thing, and the other, who he was dead set on making love him. So being the type-A, people-pleasing personality that he was, Anders wouldn’t settle for anything less than perfect for the occasion. From the food, to the entertainment, to even yes, the coffee table.
“Don’t yell at your sister,” Anders’ dad, Leif, replied sternly, giving him a look before returning his gaze to his beer and the Vikings game.
“And I don’t like that language,” his mom added, turning her to her son for a moment before placing one of the birds back in the oven. “Look, honey. I know you’re nervous about today, but there’s no need to take it out on your baby sister. From what you’ve described, Mason seems like a really wonderful girl. Your sister seems to like her a lot, and I’m sure anyone who raised someone like her is equally wonderful. You’ve always been a little... perfectionistic, but no matter what happens or doesn’t happen, I know it will all turn out great,” Ana explained, trying to reassure him.
“Sorry, Els,” Anders replied, going back to the turkey. He just wanted everything to be perfect. Their two families were spending the entire day together, and he prayed to God that they would just have a good time and get along, and that his parents would like Mason as much as he did. That was all he was asking for here, and he didn’t think it was too much. “Can you at least change out of your Lululemon get up and put on something nice? They’ll be here soon.”
