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The kitchen door slid open again as they both left and soon I heard the roar of Will’s car. The potatoes splattered on my dress as I slammed them with the masher.
“Natalie, you’re making a mess!”
I looked at her thin face and wanted to cry. He had them both eating out of his hand and it had only been thirty minutes. For twenty-six years, all I wanted was their approval. I wanted them to look at me the way they looked at him. The smell of baking turkey and yams made my stomach growl in hunger, but I felt no desire to sit down and eat with my family. I thought of my apartment with longing.
I grabbed the bottle of Port and poured myself a small glass. It would be a long day. Twenty minutes later, they both returned to the kitchen. My dad talked loudly about how fast the car was, and did Will have any other cars, and what about his father? Will listed off the cars in his family’s garage and I heard my parents’ gasps when he told them he only had one.
“I don’t like excess.”
“Well, neither do we!” My dad boomed.
I met Will’s gaze and grimaced. I hated them both and their disgusting, almost worshipful attention to my “boyfriend.” This is so much worse than Ben. Most of all, I hated the pride I felt for having him.
We’re not together! This isn’t real!
After hours of this, all my desire for the food evaporated, and I only wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. It was all Will’s fault. He shouldn’t have come here. The pangs of jealousy made it impossible for me to enjoy anything. Finally, we sat down at the table as Dad carved the turkey. Mom beamed as she looked at Will, who sat across from me.
“You’re so handsome. Isn’t he handsome, Natalie?”
“Mom, stop it.”
Will grinned, looking picture-perfect over the decorated table. “So I’ve been told.”
“He’s much better looking than her last boyfriend.”
“Mom!”
“Natalie, don’t yell!”
I clenched my fists on the table, my fingernails scouring my palms. Even Will looked a little uncomfortable.
“I need to go to the bathroom.” My heels clacked in the hallway, and the door slammed behind me.I shook with rage as I saw the flowers I brought sitting next to the sink. They weren’t even that different from Will’s, just smaller. The injustice of it raged inside my blood.
You will not blow up at the dinner table.
I took deep, shuddering breaths to calm myself down. This was what I wanted. I begged Will to come here.
“What took you so long? The food is getting cold!” Mom scolded.
“Sorry, Mom,” I said as I sat down.
We loaded our plates with food: turkey, cranberry sauce, gravy, baked yams, string beans, Brussels sprouts, and garlic mashed potatoes. As we ate, William kept heaping praise on my mother’s cooking. I rolled my eyes.
All they wanted to talk about was William. They listened to him describe his job and gasped at his achievements.
“Natalie, are you listening? Will got to where he was all on his own with no help from his parents. I wish you followed the same route. Who knows, we might have had another VP in the family!”
I looked up from my plate and glowered at her.
William winced. “Well, listen. I'dbe lying if I said I had no help from my parents. I was born into wealth and I went to the best schools. If my dad wasn't a board member, I wouldn't have my job.”
“Now, see here, William. Your dad isn’t the type to play favoritism. You mean to tell me that if you messed up at your job, he would still let you work there?”
“Well, no, but—”
“See? I’m right!”
Will’s laugh was strained. He cast a worried glance at me. “Yeah, but Natalie is really one of the best graphic designers I’ve seen. She really has an instinct for—”
