“It’s pretty well settled,” My father said with a tone of finality that matched his words.
“What about birthdays and holidays? You’ll miss all the important stuff.” Maple chimed in which shocked me because I thought she was too focused on her cake and ice cream to register the grownups’ conversation.
“That’s what they have cars and airplanes for sweetheart.” My mother reassured her.
“Can I fly to come see you?” Maple asked.
“You can come visit us anytime you want.”
“Get your frequent-flier miles up,” Cyrus joked.
And just like that my family pivoted to another topic. My father was recounting his run in with my former high school teacher and his new girlfriend who was a student just two years prior. How everyone could pretend like our parents didn’t just drop a bomb at the dinner table was beyond me. My chest tightened and I took several deep breaths, which luckily went unnoticed, to stop myself from screaming.
I wasn’t the best when it came to change. And my parents leaving Hume was a big fucking change. Children were supposed to go off and spread their wings, not parents. Parents were expected to remain a support system and a refuge you could return to when you needed to lick your wounds after the world gave you a swift kick in the nuts.
After the announcement, I wasn’t in the mood for jokes and trips down memory lane. I quickly said my goodbyes and headed for the door. Before I could make it to my truck, Cyrus was close on my heels.
“You good?”
Was that a trick question?“No, I’m not.”
“Listen I’m just as surprised as you are, but maybe this will be best for everyone.”
“What do you care? You hardly see Mom and Dad? And when was the last time you made it to Sunday family dinner?”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Bullshit, you’ve been selfish.” Like most little brothers, I’d looked up to Cyrus growing up. Everyone loved Cy. He was the poster boy for the All-American son. Cy was football captain; I played in the band. Cy was working on the shops books, adding ones and carrying the twos, while I was hauling bags of fertilizer. Try as I might, I couldn’t compete with him. Every accomplishment I garnered was measured against achievementsCyrus already received. I was constantly in his shadow, and then there was Dial who was so confident and self-assured. Maybe because she was a girl she didn’t feel the pressure to measure up to Cy, but I did. It’s hard being a copy and paste son when the original is so impressive.
As an adult he was still the golden child and seeing him was a rarity, which made my parents fawn over him when he did the bare minimum like show up or return a call. For me family was the most important thing a man could possess. Land and money were great, but family was true wealth. It might sound cliché but in the end it will be family gathered at your bedside, not piles of cash. Cy often claimed my recollection of the past was more imagined than facts. When I’d call him out on it, he’d change the subject. Shit, maybe hewasadopted.
“Tell me how you really feel.”
“Okay I will. This move doesn’t affect you because you’ve always been a loner.”
“Better a loner than a momma’s boy.”
“Are you two fighting over who gets the antique serving spoons already?” Dial asked from behind us.
“No because we all know Mom is gifting those to me,” I said with a straight face.
“You don’t even cook,” Cyrus said.
“I would if I had those engraved serving spoons.”
Dial placed her hands on both Cyrus and my shoulders. “We need to stick together now more than ever. Mom and Dad’s departure?—”
I raised up a silencing hand. “Don’t call it that. It makes it sound like they’re dead.”
“With this move we’ll need to pool our resources and support each other. That means answering calls.” Dial’s eyes slammed into Cyrus before landing on me. “And taking each new day as itcomes. The good news is we have some time to get used to the idea.”
“I have to go home and feed the cat,” I said.
“When did you get a cat?” Cyrus asked.
“Read the fucking group chat,” Dial and I practically said in unison.
That night I lay in bed searching for sleep that never fully came. My parents announcing they were selling my childhood home and moving to the city to do God knows what was not the news I was expecting. The urge to call Willa even though it was well past midnight was nagging at me. If I did call, she’d answer and invite me over and when I walked across the threshold, she would wrap her arms around me and make it all better. I grabbed the cold pillow on the empty side of the bed and placed it over my head, releasing a haphazard scream.
