The conversation meanders as we eat.Throughout the meal, we share different things we’re thankful for over the past year.Mom talks about gratitude for family time, which is laughable.But it’s also, I think, somewhat genuine.
“I’m grateful I got to raise two sons,” Dad says next.
The table goes quiet.Kyle’s memory lingers like a specter, hovering somewhere between the turkey and the mashed potatoes.
It isn’t that Kyle shouldn’t be mentioned—he should.We all miss him.But with Madison and I here together, his mention feels extra charged.
“Kyle was such a nice boy,” Renata says.“And you two were such close friends.”
I frown, wondering why she’d say something like that to Madison, his widow, before I realize she’s talking to Eliza.
“That’s right,” Mom jumps in.“The two of you were thick as thieves.Always meeting up for one thing or another.”
“Right.”Eliza, sitting across the table from Madison and me, shifts uneasily in her chair.
“Sometimes I hung out with you, too,” Madison says, trying to rescue her.“We were all pretty close.”
My mother smirks.“It’s lucky for you that he had Eliza in his life.He had to vent sometimes, didn’t he?”
“I—” Madison sends me a panicked look.
I glare at my mother.She needs to shut this down, not encourage it to continue.
Oblivious, Renata shakes her head, smiling.“The number of times he came over around midnight, his motorcycle revving in the driveway….”
Kyle didn’t get a motorcycle until after he and Madison were married.From Madison’s expression, she wasn’t aware of those midnight visits with Eliza.
“You’re making it sound like he did that all the time.”Eliza frowns at her mother.“I think he came over once, maybe twice, late at night.”To Madison, she adds, “It was only because he needed to talk, I swear.”
“Right,” Madison says slowly.“Of course.”There’s a high pitch to her voice—she’s trying to hide that she’s upset.
How could they do this to my brave, kind girl?
“That’s enough.”I stand abruptly.“I’m not feeling very well all of a sudden.I have to excuse myself.Madison, would you mind very much leaving early?”
“I—um, not at all.Sure.”She nods frantically, her green eyes shiny with unshed tears.“Of course.Thank you for dinner.Happy Thanksgiving.”
I don’t have a word to spare for anyone in that room.
This was a fucking set-up.I don’t know what the fuck everyone was trying to accomplish, but Madison and I walked right into it.
Now, we’re walking out.Forever.
4
MADISON
“Did she even apologize to you, in the kitchen?”Seth’s voice is a growl.He looks like he’s going to rip the steering wheel from the dash.
“Sort of.”Sonia had touched my shoulder and said,I apologize for what I said to you on the phone recently.It was uncalled for.She didn’t say anything about not meaning her words, or that she spoke too harshly, or that she was mistaken.Only that her words were uncalled for.
Translation: she meant what she said.
“What even was that, back there?”Seth slams to a stop at a red light.“What the fuck were they doing?”
“Putting me in my place,” I whisper.
And it worked.I haven’t felt so small in a very long time.Not even stupid Jacqueline at the catering company made me feel as bad as Sonia and Renata just did.
