My mom gasped.
"What's wrong?" my dad asked, standing behind me.
My mother turned ghost white."Nothing. I just thought I saw something, that's all. It must have been the lighting."
Alexander shut his parents' door. "I forgot. Jameson didn't get to clean it and if it isn't perfect..."
"We understand. I wouldn't want to give a tour of our house anytime soon," I said.
"Those stairs lead to my attic room, but I wasn't expecting-"
"I think we should help your mother," my mom said hurriedly.
Alexander and my dad talked about the Mansion as my mother pulled me to the side. "I saw a coffin in the bedroom."
"Mom.Do you really believe Mr. or Mrs. Sterling would sleep in a coffin?"
She paused. Then she let out a laugh.
"I'm sorry,Raven . This house is kind of spooky. I guess I just got caught up in it. You're right. It must have been a chest of some sort."
"Duh!You think I'd date someone whose mother slept in a coffin?"
"Well...," she said, with another laugh.
"Let's hurry up before they think we're snooping," I said.
We found Mr. and Mrs. Sterling setting out napkins on the coffee table in the living room.
"Your home is very... historic," my mother said.
"I was hoping you'd like it," Mrs. Sterling said, pleased. "It's not everyone's taste, we know. We love it because it has character."
Just then something flew overhead. My mom let out a scream.
"Sarah! Calm down," my dad said,
"I thought I just saw a bird."
"Not a bird, Sarah," Mr. Sterling said, "It was a bat."
"A bat?"
"We are so sorry. That happens from time to time, this house being so old and all."
"Jameson!" Mrs. Sterling called.
"Can we take it home?" I asked.
"Of course not!" my mom exclaimed.
Alexander was growing paler by the moment,
Jameson rushed in holding abroom, I found it comical watching the creepy man struggle as he chased the flying creature into another room,
"Well, that doesn't happen every day." My mom laughed.
"As a matter of fact, it does," Mr. Sterling commented.
Alexander quickly changed the subject to the weather, but when the forecast called for sunny skies, Mrs. Sterling became antsy.
"What about having a few BloodyMary's ?" she suggested.
"I'm not sure theMadisons like those, Mom," Alexander said.
"Perhaps you prefer wine?" Mr. Sterling asked.
I wanted to steer my parents away from anything red, just in case there was amixup in the kitchen.
"My parents love beer and martinis."
"Raven, don't be rude," my mother scolded.
"Of course," Mr. Sterling said."Jameson, two martinis."
"Make mine dry, please," my dad said.
And clear, I wanted to say.Very clear.
Jameson brought us trays of fancy finger foods. Tiny pastries and miniature sandwiches filled the pewter serving plates. I was afraid to ask what was inside, but that didn't stop my mother.
"Liver.Kidney.And-" Mrs. Sterling began before my mom cut her off.
"I'm still full from dinner," she remarked, and quickly switched to the pastries.
The pastries melted in our mouths and I craved more. I was scooping up a diamond-shaped one when my mom picked up the conversation.
"I couldn't help but notice," she said. "You don't have any mirrors. Not in the bathroom or the hallway."
"We have some in the basement," Mrs. Sterling answered truthfully. I remembered seeing them when Fd snuck in one time. "We just haven't hung them up," she continued.
"But how do you put on makeup?"
"Practice.Plus,Constantine will not hesitate to tell me if it is askew."
They all laughed.
We continued to eat and drink and converse aboutRomania and Dullsville.
"We really appreciate your inviting us to your home/' Mrs. Sterling said. "We have kept to ourselves since we returned here. This town doesn't seem to be very inviting to outsiders."
"Well, I'm hoping to fix that before it's too late," my mom said. "We wouldn't want you to feel unwelcome."
Mr. Sterling and Mrs. Sterling glanced at each other knowingly.
"I think we'll always be outsiders," Mrs. Sterling said, "no matter where we go."
As we all said our good-byes, I glanced over at my parents hugging and shaking hands with the Sterlings . I felt higher than a soaring bat, watching a scene I'd never have imagined even in my wildest dreams.
Chapter 19 Bomb shell
"What an evening!" I said to Alexander later that night at the rail yard. He was waiting for me in the Mansion replica boxcar.
"Did they have a good time?" my handsome boyfriend asked, fishing for reassurance.
"The best time ever. On the way home, they couldn't stop talking about 'Constantine and Cassandra.' How interesting and worldly they are. They were so happy to have finally seen the inside of the Mansion. Thank you so much for inviting my parents over-and me."
"I wasn't sure... with the whole bat thing happening."
"Are you kidding? They couldn't stop talking about it." "My family adores yours," he said with a twinkle in his eye. Then he placed his hand on mine. "But you must understand, I don't want you to get too excited-"
"We all were excited. My dad was so impressed with the Mansion. It was a tour of a lifetime."
"I'm glad they liked it, but-," he started.
"These last few days were more amazing than I could have imagined," I said, cutting him off. "I love your parents. Can we trade?''
"Our parents?Sure. I think yours are cool."
"What?No way!"
"My mom carries an umbrella in the moonlight," he said with a chuckle. "And my dad insists on wearing a cape."
I had no idea Alexander viewed his parents like I viewed mine-slightly embarrassing. "I love your parents' style. My mom and dad think plaids orpinstripes is all the rage."
"Yours are way cooler!" he said, tickling my side.
"That's just because they aren't your parents. If you lived with them, you'd change your mind."
"And you might, too," he said. "Especially when you know that-"
"What was I thinking when I was spying on those two lovely people outside the Mansion. They don't have skeletons! Not in theircloset, or otherwise."
"There's something I need to tell you." Alexander turned serious.