AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re kicking me out on Thanksgiving?”
“Out!” He points toward the door.
I look between him and my mother. Her eyes well with tears, and I hate him for it. I hate him for doing this to her.
But I kind of hate her for it, too.
She could at least try to put her foot down, but that’s never been her strength—or at least she’s never done it in front of me. Growing up, sometimes my dad would come to me and apologize, and I knew she was behind it. She’s always behind it, but right now, I need her to be front and center. I need her to fight for me, and she’s not.
“Fine.” Tossing my backpack over my shoulder, I head for the door.
My mother follows me, saying a string of things I know aren’t true. That he loves me, and he just needs time, and that he’ll come around.
I hug her goodbye, but I can’t look at her. I can’t see her fall apart. There’s nothing for me to say, so I get in my car. I stare at my steering wheel, but out of the corner of my eye, I see my mother still standing in the doorway—probably crying. Without lifting my gaze, I put the car in reverse and back out of the driveway. I only make it a few houses down before I pull over and try to get my bearings. What the hell just happened? Where do I go now?
I run my hands over my face and look up at the street sign in front of me. The name on the sign reads Thompson Drive, and I let out a breath. There’s only one place for me to go.
27
margot
Matt’s dad—who insists I call him Drew—has Rae and me laughing so hard we’re on the brink of tears.
“I’m serious!” he exclaims. “She wanted nothing to do with me!”
“That is not true!” Janet calls from the kitchen, only making us laugh that much harder.
Matt sits on the couch with his arm around Rae as his attention toggles between the game and the story he’s undoubtedly heard before.
I can’t believe I was on the fence about coming here. Matt’s parents are wonderful, the atmosphere is great, and even though we haven’t sat down to eat dinner yet, the food Janet has given us so far has been amazing.
We’re still waiting for Matt’s brother and grandmother to get here before we sit down at the table. According to Rae, Matt thinks his brother can be “a douche,” but she suspects it might stem from your typical sibling rivalry.
Drew pulls me back into his story when he says, “Her mouth was saying ‘It’s nice to meet you,’ but her eyes were saying ‘drop dead.’”
Janet pokes her head out of the kitchen. “Have you ever met a more dramatic man?”
My stomach hurts from laughing so hard, and I wipe a stray tear from my eye.
The doorbell rings, and Matt’s eyebrows furrow. “Did Emmet say he was on his way?”
Drew turns over his phone that’s resting on the armrest of his chair. “Not to me.”
Matt gets to his feet to open the wooden front door, but instead of stepping aside, he stands in the doorway, blocking my view. His voice is hushed as he talks to whoever it is, and Drew calls out, “Who is it?”
Matt doesn’t answer right away. He continues his hushed conversation before finally answering. “Uh, it’s Jackson.”
The name makes me pause. It’s like just the mention of Jackson can take me from a laughing fit to completely sober in an instant. What is he doing here? Isn’t he supposed to be with his family? I look down at myself, suddenly wondering if I’m dressed okay.
Matt finally steps aside, and from where I’m sitting, I have a perfect view of Jackson in the entryway. He goes to rub the back of his neck, and my eyebrows pull together at the sight of his hand shaking.
Drew leans forward in his chair to get a better view of his visitor.
“Jackson!” he cheers as he gets up from his seat. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”
“You know I can’t turn down a chance to see Grandma Lois.” Jackson’s snappy comeback comes out with no hesitation.
Maybe I imagined his hand shaking.
