At least tothisgrown child.
“Paul, yesterday was only her fifth game in the league, and the staff has to respect the veterans. You know how that goes,” Mom says as she hands out menus.
Remy just finished classes for the year, so she’s here with us. Currently, she’s tapping away on her phone, ignoring the table conversation. The local high school is still in session, and Jamie stayed home to study for his finals.
“I’m not worried, Dad. We won against Cleveland, and I’m earning my spot the right way. Plus, Coach’s having me practice with the other starters now sometimes.”
He looks at me for a beat, and then peers down at the menu. We’re at a restaurant we’ve gone to as a family countless times, so he doesn’t really need to check the options.
I’ll take his retreat though.
“That’s fantastic, sweetheart,” Mom says. “You played great too; we watched it all on TV.”
“You did,” Dad agrees. “That one basket with Lakisha Maxwell guarding you like a second skin was clutch.”
He’s not wrong. It pulled us ahead by one point near the end of the game. “Thanks, Dad.”
This is a very typical up and down with him lately. Five years ago, he wouldn’t have backed away like he did a few minutes ago, though. He would’ve kept on hounding me about starting. So that’s progress, I suppose.
“Is everyone getting the usual?” Mom asks.
We all nod, and when the server comes, she recites our orders.
The server looks to be college-aged, and she keeps bringing her eyes to me, even as she’s jotting down my mom’s rapid-fire list of what we want.
Usually when we’ve been here, it’s Dad who folks stare at. There’s literally four pictures of him on the walls, including one of him cutting down the net after Boston won the championship sixteen years ago. Even through my high school years, our meals would be constantly interrupted by autograph seekers.
More recently, Dylan’s drawn similar attention.
Four years ago, he led Boston College to the NCAA championships in one of the most-viewed college basketball games of all time. Now, at Tampa Bay, he’s made the All-Stars the last couple of years.
Andhehas no problem getting commercials, so he’s as well known for being on people’s televisions as he is for anything on the court.
This time, however, it’s me drawing the sneaky looks from the server. Maybe she’s a UConn or WNBA fan?
“Enough talk about the game,” Remy says. “Why aren’t we addressing the elephant in the room? Avery, I need you to drop all the details.”
“About?” Dad asks.
I know what Remy means, but I play dumb. “Yeah, what do you mean?”
Remy throws a look that says she sees right through me. “Your new boyfriend.Rawley Battle.”
My dad says, “Oh that,” as I answer, “What’s to tell? We’re dating.”
“Avery.”
“Yes.”
“Beloved sister.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know how many people have seen that video of you and Rawley?”
“No?”
She clicks on a few buttons and brings the phone up to my line of sight. In front of me is the original @socialscoops post with it and—what?
