Chapter 151: Luna finished winning over her mothers-in-law.
The dinner started off fairly quiet.
Emma had prepared several dishes and Luna looked at the table.
"Need any help?"
Emma looked at her.
"Do you know how to cook?"
"Of course."
The answer came immediately and Emma seemed interested.
"What can you make?"
"Basic food like soups, rice, meat, vegetables, some desserts."
Noah took a seat.
"I also have to admit she makes pretty good lunches."
Emma turned toward him.
"She cooks for you?"
Noah froze and Luna answered.
"Sometimes."
Emma smiled.
"That’s sweet."
Noah looked at Luna.
’You just scored points without even trying.’
Emma pointed to a pot.
"Can you help me carry that?"
"Sure."
Luna stood up and Noah watched the two of them head toward the kitchen, while Sarah sat down across from him.
"I like her."
Noah looked at her.
"Dinner hasn’t even started yet."
"She works."
"Yes."
"She studies."
"That’s right."
"She cooks."
"Like she said."
"She takes care of you."
Noah opened his mouth and Sarah smiled.
"That last part she made pretty clear."
Noah sighed.
"I don’t need a caretaker."
"That’s what everyone who needs one says."
"Mom."
Sarah took a sip of water.
"What?"
Noah decided not to continue.
Luna came back with Emma and the two of them set the plates down.
Emma sat.
"So you also work with Noah."
"Yes."
"For a long time?"
"Longer than him."
"And you study at the same time?"
"Yes."
"That must be tiring."
"I’m used to it."
Emma nodded in approval.
"So responsible."
Noah looked at his plate.
’This is going way too well.’
Emma continued.
"Sarah told me you also make sure Noah eats properly."
Luna looked at Noah.
"Yes, that’s right."
Emma pointed at her son.
"Thank you."
Noah raised his head.
"Why are you thanking her?"
"Because sometimes you leave without a proper breakfast."
"Not always."
Luna cut in.
"Quite a few times."
Noah looked at her.
"You’re here as my girlfriend, not as a witness for the prosecution."
Sarah started laughing along with Emma while Luna stayed serious.
"I just answered."
Noah sighed and Emma looked more and more delighted.
"Do you also remind him to rest?"
"Yes."
"And to study?"
"He usually doesn’t need it."
Noah pointed at Luna.
"Thank you."
Luna continued.
"But he does need to be reminded not to try to handle everything alone."
Noah lowered his hand.
"I take the thank-you back."
Sarah smiled.
"That’s true too."
Luna nodded.
For several minutes the conversation revolved around studies, work, and high school.
Luna answered every question calmly, without exaggerating or trying to look perfect, which only made Emma more satisfied.
Then Sarah set down her utensils.
"So."
Noah recognized that tone right away.
’This is bad.’
Sarah looked at Luna.
"What kind of future do you want to give Noah?"
Noah nearly choked.
"Mom!"
Luna set down her utensils, but her expression didn’t change.
"A stable one."
Noah turned toward her and Sarah raised an eyebrow.
"Stable?"
"Yes."
Luna continued.
"I want to finish my studies."
Emma listened attentively.
"Keep working as long as necessary."
Noah raised a hand.
"Can we talk about something else?"
No one listened to him and Luna went on.
"After that I want to get a job that lets me support a household without problems."
Sarah nodded slowly.
"Good."
"I also want Noah to be able to keep studying and doing whatever he wants without always having to worry about money."
Noah opened his mouth.
"That doesn’t depend only on..."
Emma smiled.
"Go on."
Noah looked at his mother.
"Mom."
Luna obeyed.
"If we live together, we’d split the chores."
Sarah asked.
"Would you do the cooking?"
"We can take turns."
Noah raised both hands.
"Why are we already talking about living together?"
Luna looked at him.
"They asked me about the future."
"You could’ve said something about the upcoming vacation."
"That wouldn’t be a complete answer."
Sarah looked delighted and so did Emma.
Noah started to suspect he’d lost all authority in that conversation, while Sarah asked.
"And family?"
Noah lightly hit the table with both hands.
"Mom!"
Luna answered with complete seriousness.
"Yes."
Noah turned toward her.
"Luna!"
She looked at him.
"What?"
"You don’t have to answer everything."
"She asked."
Sarah rested her chin on one hand.
"Let her."
Noah pointed at her.
"You’re the cause of this!"
Luna continued.
"I’d like to have kids in the future."
Noah went completely still and Emma smiled.
"How many?"
Noah closed his eyes.
’I no longer exist.’
Luna thought about it seriously.
"It would depend."
Sarah asked.
"On what?"
"On work, financial stability, and what Noah wants."
Noah opened one eye, since that at least was reasonable, and Luna added.
"But I wouldn’t have a problem with more than one."
Noah closed his eyes again while Sarah nodded with satisfaction.
"Very responsible."
Emma too.
"And she thinks long-term."
Noah let his head drop slightly.
"Can I eat in peace?"
No one answered.
At that moment footsteps were heard, they belonged to Ava, who had just come downstairs and stopped when she saw Luna sitting at the table, so her expression changed immediately.
"Ah."
Noah raised his head.
’Here comes part two.’
Ava walked slowly.
"So you came too."
Luna looked at her.
"Good evening, sister-in-law."
Ava sat down.
"Don’t call me that."
Luna didn’t reply and Sarah said.
"Luna came for dinner."
"I can see that."
Emma smiled.
"We were getting to know her."
Ava looked at Luna.
"And how’s that going?"
Emma answered before Luna could.
"Excellent."
Ava frowned slightly and Noah noticed.
Ava picked up her utensils.
"I suppose she already told you she works with Noah."
"Yes."
"Then you also know she spends a lot of time with him."
Noah looked at her.
"Ava."
Luna answered calmly.
"It’s normal, we work together."
Ava smiled slightly.
"And I’m sure you take full advantage of that."
Noah opened his mouth, but Emma spoke first.
"It puts me at ease."
Ava blinked.
"What?"
Emma pointed at Luna.
"If they’re working together, Noah isn’t alone."
Sarah nodded.
"And Luna already said she keeps an eye out so no client crosses the line."
Ava went silent and Noah lowered his gaze.
’First attempt failed.’
Ava tried again.
"Well, Luna can also be pretty controlling."
Luna looked at her and Noah sensed danger, while Emma seemed curious.
"Controlling?"
Ava nodded.
"She tells him what to eat."
Luna answered.
"When he eats badly."
"She tells him when to rest."
"When he sleeps too little."
"She texts him to check if he got home okay."
"Yes, that’s true."
Ava looked at Emma and Sarah.
"See?"
Emma smiled.
"That’s concern."
Sarah nodded.
"Exactly."
Ava stayed frozen while Noah covered his mouth so he wouldn’t laugh, but Ava saw him and he stopped immediately.
Ava didn’t give up.
"She’s also very strict."
Emma looked at Luna.
"That can be a good thing."
Ava pressed her lips together while Sarah added.
"Noah needs someone who tells him no sometimes."
Noah raised a hand.
"I’m right here, you know?"
Sarah ignored him.
Ava looked at Luna with growing frustration, while Luna kept eating calmly and finally Ava asked.
"And what would you do if Noah wanted to do something dangerous?"
Luna answered immediately.
"I’d try to stop him."
Ava narrowed her eyes.
"And if he insists?"
"I’d go with him."
Sarah smiled and so did Emma, while Luna continued.
"I’d rather be close so I can help him than let him go alone."
Ava went silent.
Noah looked at Luna and, for the first time during the entire conversation, found nothing to object to.
Emma was the first to speak.
"I like that."
Sarah nodded.
"Me too."
Ava slowly lowered her gaze to her plate.
’Second attempt failed.’
Noah almost felt sorry for her. Almost.
Dinner continued.
Every time Ava tried to point out something she considered negative, Emma and Sarah found a way to see it as a virtue.
Luna was serious, responsible, protective, she worked, studied, and cooked.
She didn’t hide that she wanted a future with Noah and, most important to both mothers, she didn’t seem like someone who would put him in danger.
When dinner ended, Luna helped Emma clear the plates and Ava tried to get up too, but Emma stopped her.
"Leave it, she’s already helping."
Ava sat back down and Noah looked at her expression.
’She’s about to explode.’
Sarah approached Noah.
"You chose well."
Noah nearly choked.
"Keep your voice down."
"Why?"
"Because Ava’s right there."
Sarah looked at Ava and then back at Noah.
"Let her hear."
Noah sighed.
Luna returned from the kitchen with Emma beside her.
"You can come whenever you want."
Luna’s eyes widened slightly.
"Really?"
"Of course."
Sarah nodded.
"You’re already welcome."
Luna gave a small bow.
"Thank you."
Noah watched her face.
She was still serious, but he knew her well enough to notice she was very happy.
Ava noticed it too and that only made her mood worse.
Later, Noah walked Luna to the station.
She walked beside him in silence and Noah spoke first.
"You did way too well."
Luna looked at him.
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Not for me."
"Then."
"For Ava it is."
Luna looked away.
"She tried to sabotage me."
"Yes."
"It didn’t work."
"That was clear."
Luna stayed quiet for a few seconds and then added.
"Your mom said I can come back."
Noah sighed.
"I know."
"That means the introduction went well."
"I guess."
"Then I finished my shift."
Noah looked at her.
"Don’t say it like it was a mission."
"It was."
Noah shook his head, but before he could say anything else his phone vibrated.
He looked at the screen and it was from Yume, so Noah opened the message.
[Did Luna have dinner at your house?]
Noah went still and Luna looked at his face.
"What’s wrong?"
Noah didn’t answer and another message arrived.
[NOAH.]
Then another.
[ANSWER.]
Noah typed slowly.
[Yes.]
The reply came almost immediately.
[WHAT DO YOU MEAN YES!?]
Noah held the phone a little farther away and Luna watched the screen while another message appeared.
[THAT’S NOT FAIR, I PUT IN EXTRA HOURS!]
Noah closed his eyes.
"Here we go."
Luna took out her own phone and a message from Yume appeared in the group chat.
[LUNA BROKE THE CALENDAR!]
Luna replied.
[That’s not true.]
Yume answered.
[YOU HAD DINNER WITH MY MOTHERS-IN-LAW!]
Luna shot back.
[They’re my mothers-in-law too.]
Noah’s eyes went wide.
"Why did you write that?"
Luna looked at him.
"Because it’s true."
Noah’s phone started receiving notifications one after another.
Aria had appeared in the chat, Iris too, Ren was trying to calm the argument, Yume kept typing in all caps, and Luna answered with short sentences.
Noah read Yume’s last message.
[I WANT HOUR COMPENSATION!]
Noah slowly put his phone away, looked at Luna, then toward the station, and sighed.
Two girlfriends were already officially recognized by Emma and Sarah, but the calendar that was supposed to prevent problems had just created another one.
Noah only had one certainty, and it was that there were still three more girls left.