A beleaguered sigh. “Yeah. Probably.”
“Ugh,” his dad, who I’ve now learned is named Bill, spits out the bite of chicken I made. “What is this shit?”
“Dad, are you being serious right now?” Leo snaps.
His mom, Jennifer, sighs and pats my arm. “The man thinks salt and pepper are spices. Don’t take it personally, honey.”
I’m taking things far less personally than homicidally.
Let’s just say, I completely understand why Leo is low contact with his parents.
“What time do you have to leave to catch your flight?” I ask—and yeah, it’s hopeful.
As in, hopeful they’ll be gone soon.
That’s why they’re here, apparently. They flew into the San Jose airport because it was cheaper and now they want Leo to drive them over to San Francisco for their next flight.
In rush hour.
Without a lick of notice.
“You trying to get rid of us?” Bill asks.
I am. Abso-fucking-lutely.
“Dad,” Leo warns.
I don’t bother trying to demure, to lie, just send him the ghost of a smile and go back to my chicken.
Which is delicious, by the way.
Bill narrows his eyes at me.
Leo clears his throat.
“Stop being such an asshole, Bill,” Jennifer snaps. “I want to have a nice, peaceful meal for once.”
“That’s impossible with you sitting at the table with me.”
Jennifer gasps. “Are you being serious right now?”
Leo sighs. “How about we don’t fight and just?—”
“Yup,” Bill grumbles. “I don’t even know why we’re taking this trip.”
“You don’t?” She drops her fork onto her plate with a clatter. “You don’t know why we’re taking a second honeymoon after rekindling our relationship?”
“Life isn’t about the honeymoon,” Bill mutters. “It’s about the day-to-day torture of being with a woman who spends her life nagging me to death.”
“Torture?!” Jennifer gasps and clamps a hand to her chest. “Leo, do you hear how your father talks to me?”
“Mom,” he says. “Just take a breath.”
“I can’t,” she says, her hand clamping tighter, her breaths becoming short and staccato. “Your father—” A huge, wrenching sob. “He said?—”
Leo rubs his forehead. “Dad, you should apologize?—”
“There’s no fucking way I’m apologizing. She’s being dramatic.” He rolls his eyes. “She just needs to calm down and let us all have a nice meal.”
