Richie opened the door. "Hey, Ange." He stepped aside and let the petite brunet in, followed by her parents. "Uh, Duncan MacLeod, Tessa Noel," he introduced stiffly and awkwardly as if he had been rehearsing. "This is Mr. and Mrs. Burke, Angie's parents."
Tessa smiled and extended her hand to Mrs. Burke, who seemed pleasantly surprised by the attempt at a formal introduction. Once everyone had gotten introduced, Duncan led the way into the living room where Richie took the Burkes' jackets and laid them over the chez recliner in the alcove.
"If you'll excuse Richie and I, dinner should be ready in just a moment." Tessa smiled and took Richie by the arm before leading him to the kitchen. "She's very pretty."
"You promised not to embarrass me," Richie quickly reminded her.
She smiled. "I know…"
"So that means you can't…"
"I know."
"Then what do you want?" he asked suspiciously.
"I want you to get everyone what they want to drink."
"Got it covered," Duncan announced coming into the kitchen.
"Then take dinner to the table," Tessa changed Richie's instructions.
They had put together four quiches. Richie's favorite was bacon, black olive and mushroom. Duncan insisted that he had to eat a piece of spinach-mushroom before he could have any other kind.
"For the iron," he explained.
They also made a ham-onion quiche and a broccoli-chicken one as well. Richie carefully carried each one to the table and set them on trivets.
"It all smells and looks so wonderful," Mrs. Burke commented as they sat down at the dinner table.
"Thank you," Tessa smiled. "I can give you the recipe if you'd like."
"That would be wonderful."
Duncan sat at the head of the table serving everyone a slice of whichever quiche they wanted. When he got to Richie, he just cut a slice of spinach and handed it to him. Richie ducked his head to hide his burning cheeks when he caught Mr. and Mrs. Burke pass a smile.
"So, Angie," Tessa started once everyone had been served. "How did you two meet?"
"Third grade. We, uh, had a bully problem."
Richie snickered into his coke. Angie slapped him under the table.
Duncan frowned. "So you two are the same age?"
"Angie got really sick in seventh grade," Mr. Burke explained. "She missed too many days of school to be allowed to advance."
"Oh," Duncan nodded. "I was just thrown off for a minute."
"Richie speaks very highly of both of you," Mrs. Burke changed the subject.
"Good to hear the training worked," Duncan smiled.
"We haven't seen him this happy in a long time," she continued.
"Or this well behaved," Mr. Burke added.
"Dad!" Angie groaned, coming to Richie's rescue as he slumped down and concentrated on his food.
Tessa smiled slightly before changing the subject. "So, do you have any plans for the summer?"
The meal had wound down to the adults talking and Richie and Angie exchanging glances. Once dessert had been eaten, Richie leaned over to Angie and whispered "Wanna go watch TV?"
"Yeah."
They got up and cleared their plates before quietly taking their leave as the conversation turned to the stock market.
"I hope I am no where near that boring when I'm old," Richie groaned closing the door.
"Tell me about it."
"So, Ms. Burke," Richie imitated in a deep voice. "How about that paint, is it dry yet?"
Angie giggled and sat back on his bed. "So, I cut the grass today."
"Fascinating. What setting did you have the blade at?" He sat next to her, propped up by the headboard and flipping the channels on the TV.
"I had to call the plumber to fix the kitchen sink"
"What size wrench did he use?"
"Oh! Stop!" she ordered when Saturday Night Live was on screen.
A few minutes later the door opened and Duncan stuck his head in. "Ah, here you are."
"What?" Richie asked, puzzled.
"Just wondering where you two had run off to."
"Right here, Mac," he answered.
"Just checking." Duncan disappeared from the doorway, leaving the door hanging wide open.
Richie chuckled and shook his head.
"Old fashioned?" Angie asked.
"That and he loves to annoy me."
They settled back and watched the rest of the show. Less than an hour later, all four adults showed up in the doorway.
"Come on, Angie, time to go," Mrs. Burke said.
"We just started a movie," Angie protested, gesturing to the screen as the opening credits flashed.
"Angela…"
"I'll take her home," Richie piped up. "Besides we need to make plans for next weekend."
Mrs. Burke looked at her husband, then Duncan and Tessa who nodded approval. "Just not too late, I don't want anything happening to you two."
"If it gets to be too late, I'll go with them," Duncan promised. He had seen Richie's old and Angie's current neighborhood. The Burkes' concern was no exaggeration.
"Night, Ma." Angie turned her attention back to the screen.
As the black and white horror flick reached its climax, a loud clap of thunder from outside caused both teens to jump, then giggle nervously trying to play off their spook. Duncan came in a minute later with his coat on and keys in hand.
"Sorry, guys. We need to get Angie home before the sky opens up and all hell breaks loose."
With put out sighs, they got up and searched for shoes and coats then followed Duncan out to the alley. Just as Duncan reached for the door that led outside, they heard large raindrops splattering against the walls of the building. They didn't have to open the door to know that it would take a complete moron to go out in that weather.
"Lets call your parents before the power goes out," Duncan shrugged, turning the teens around and herding them up the stairs.
Arrangements were made and soon Angie and Richie had set up camp in the living room with a new movie in the VCR and a large bowl of over buttered popcorn between them.
"We're turning in," Duncan said before he and Tessa went back into their room. "Can I talk to you for a second, Rich?"
"What's up?" Richie asked, glancing away from the screen.
"Come over here," Duncan prompted. Then when Richie had made it into the hallway: "I think the gentlemanly thing to do would be to let Angie have your bed and you take the couch."
"Sure, whatever."
"And keep in mind that if I find you two cuddled somewhere asleep in the morning, that I own you between now and prom and I'm sure I can find plenty of unpleasant things for you to do."
Richie rolled his eyes. "Alright, Mac."
Duncan smiled. "Okay, good night."
"Aren't you going to tell me to stay outta the cookie dough, it's too late for sweets and be sure not to put forks in the electric sockets?"
Duncan cuffed Richie lightly in the jaw. "Watch it, you."
