“You should have spoken to us about this, Marissa,” said Ramey. “This is a big decision. A family decision.”
“How is it a family decision?” she said frowning. “You didn’t make it a family decision when Brooks and Mitchell decided to become SEALs. No one cared. No one said a word. They said, ‘hey, we’re joining the Navy and we’re goingto become SEALs,’ and you all applauded. But when I say I’m going to a different university you act like it’s the end of the world.”
“It’s not the end of the world,” said Christopher, “but what your brothers are doing doesn’t involve financial support.”
“So, it’s about money? Fine, I’ll get two jobs.”
“Marissa, stop!” said Ramey scolding her headstrong daughter. “You know this isn’t about money. You can go to whatever school you want. We’re confused as to why you didn’t utter a word to us about this. You tell us just a few weeks before you’re supposed to leave. What are we supposed to think?”
“That I have a mind of my own,” she said frowning.
“Oh, we’re well aware that you have a mind of your own,” said Christopher. He stared at his daughter, remembering her stubbornness as a child. What he never acknowledged was that she hadn’t grown out of it.
The silence at the kitchen table seemed overwhelming until Ramey stood, nodding at her daughter.
“We’re proud of you, Marissa. Duke is an amazing school and you’re going to do great things. If that’s where you want to go, we support your decision.”
She waited for her father to say something but he just nodded at her.
“Thank you,” she said kissing her mother’s cheek, then her father’s. She ran out of the front door, probably afraid they’d change their minds. When her brothers walked in the door, her father stared at them.
“What? What did we do now?” grinned Brooks.
“Did you know? About your sister?” Now they were both worried.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” asked Mitchell.
“Nothing is wrong,” said Ramey. “Marissa is fine, it’s just that she announced to us a few minutes ago she’s not going to LSU. She changed her admission and is going to Duke.”
“Duke? In North Carolina?” frowned Mitchell. “Why?”
“We don’t know but she’s been different this year and we’re not sure why. She’s always been a bit more introverted than the two of you but it feels like she’s withdrawing completely now,” said Ramey.
“Do you want us to talk to her?” asked Brooks.
“No. No, she’ll think we sent you,” said Christopher. “Maybe you could do a siblings day before you all leave. Just the three of you.”
Brooks and Mitchell made that happen. They got Marissa into the boat with a lunch packed for all of them and headed to one of the outer islands, ready to relax and reminisce.
“Are you guys ready to be SEALs?” she asked staring at her brothers.
“We are,” smiled Mitchell. “We’ve been training for this since we were kids.”
“Will you be careful?” she asked.
“You know we will, Marissa. We’ll always come home,” said Brooks.
“You can’t promise that,” she said looking away. The brothers stared at one another, then reached for her hands.
“Hey, why did you change schools? LSU was closer to home,” said Mitchell.
“And that’s why,” she said pulling her hands back. “Since the day we were born we’ve been surrounded, literallysurrounded by our entire family. We never got a moment alone. Not one second. It was always someone up our butts.”
“I don’t feel that way,” said Brooks. “If I wanted time alone I’d go to one of the islands or just walk the trails, ride my bike, something.”
“As a girl I didn’t get those options,” she frowned. “I had to have one of you with me. All. The. Time. And if it wasn’t one of you, it was mom or dad or one of the cousins. I was never alone.”
“We’re sorry,” said Mitchell. “I thought we were close and that we wanted to spend more time together. I didn’t mean to crowd you.”
