"I was wondering where you were," he says, pulling out my chair for me.
"Mom told me to be here at 7:30," I say.
My mother sobers up, chuckling. "Mothers are allowed a little one-on-one time with each child, Mollie."
Alex's eyebrows go up and he glances at Beck, who rolls his eyes. Beck says, "But you had me bring Thorne along."
"Well, that was your father. Dan said he wanted to talk about the upcoming season."
Now Alex looks pissed. "Kathy, Dan... maybe it would be better if I let you spend some alone time with your kids."
"Don't be crazy!" my father insists. "We're fine. Right, Moll Doll?"
He leans over to me and pinches my arm, making me jump. “Uh, yep.”
I allow Alex to push my chair into the table, sucking in a deep breath. Of course my parents are annoying and disappointing.
They've been like this my whole life.
“How’s my little girl? Excited for your birthday? It’s gonna be a big one.”
“Not really.” I wrinkle my nose and sigh. “You know I don’t like to make a big deal of it.”
I’ve been let down by people celebrating my birthday more times than I can mention. Family, friends, classmates. Rather than be a brat and demand attention, I’ve gone in the other direction.
Way, way in the other direction. I like to be alone, to do the most awful chore I can think of, and be too busy to care whether people know.
“What are you doing this year?” Beck asks. “Taxes? Getting your car detailed? You’re always inventive about finding a new way to not celebrate, I’ll give you that.”
I give a self-satisfied smirk. “I’m going to the DMV to get my license renewed and get my registration updated.”
“That sounds horrible,” Alex says, twisting his face up. “You’re doing it on purpose?”
“It’s better to take the pressure off of one particular day. I might have a drink with Indie…maybe.”
My mom cocks her head. “She’s always been like this. That’s why we planned this quick weekend, in and out.”
Dad clears his throat. “I wanted to stay for it, but your mom has a scheduling conflict.”
“A yoga retreat!” Mom beams. “While you’re eating your birthday cupcake in secret, I’ll be balancing my chi.”
“Sounds important.”
A waiter comes over and refills the wine, which Mom sucks down greedily. She brushes back her bottle-blonde hair and bats her eyelashes at the waiter. "Thanks, sugar."
When the fresh bottle gets to me, I slowly shake my head. "No thanks."
"Live a little!" my mom teases me. "You'll probably never be here with your brother footing the bill again."
I sigh. "Red wine gives me headaches, remember?"
It couldn't be clearer that she doesn't. My dad squeezes my arm. "How you doin’, sweetie? You liking the job that Beck got you?"
My face flames. "It's okay. I like my coworkers a ton. And my boss says I'm killing it."
"Mollie got a big pay raise a couple of months ago, because the Havoc are so happy with her work." Beck looks proud.
"Really?" Alex asks. "I didn't know that."
