“You know, Donnie, I had a Gretchen once too—back when I was your age,” Eddie says as he comes down the stairs, his voice easy but laced with something more knowing. You and Donnie are curled up together on the couch, mid-conversation about his current relationship when his father chimes in.

“She treated me the same way Gretchen treats you,” Eddie continues, now standing in front of the two of you. “Distant. Cold. She never really gave me the time of day. Came and went as she pleased, like I was just there to fill the silence.”

Donnie leans back, one hand resting casually on your thigh, your legs draped across his lap. He looks up at his dad with a curious smile. “So what made you finally leave her?”

Eddie pauses for a moment, his gaze shifting fondly toward the hallway. “Your mother did,” he says simply. “My best friend. She made me realize I deserved more than being someone’s afterthought. So I left Gretchen… and I chose the person who had always been there.”

Right on cue, Rose walks in from the kitchen. Eddie greets her with a kiss and a warm smile, as if to seal the story with proof of how it all turned out.

“Maybe you should think about doing the same,” he says to Donnie over his shoulder, before disappearing into the other room with Rose.

Donnie immediately turns to you, wide-eyed, caught somewhere between disbelief and awkward amusement. You’ve always known his parents liked you—you and Donnie have been best friends for most of your lives—but you hadn’t realized they approved of you like that.

“Whatever,” Donnie mutters, rolling his eyes, though there’s a hint of a grin on his face. “I still like Gretchen. Even if she doesn’t exactly treat me great… she’s not always awful. She has her moments.”

He pauses, thoughtful, then adds, “And Dad conveniently left out the part where he cheated on his girlfriend with my mom. I haven’t done that with you.”

Yet.