Page 127 of My Family

It's still rec time, so I know Ethan must be in his office.

I asked Jack to distract him.

God help us.

I hurry into Ethan's office.

The door is unlocked because he was here just a few minutes ago.

The tablecloth comes out from inside my hoodie, swiped from the laundry pile, white, and slightly wrinkled, but good enough. I spread it across the desk.

The two little battery-powered candles came from the emergency supply closet. Their fake flames flicker a very unconvincing yellow, but I'm choosing to believe they're romantic.

The radio comes next.

I pull it from my waistband and turn it to the rock station. Audioslave is playing. The food comes out of the containers. I arrange everything on little paper plates. It is what it is.

Chicken wings glistening with barbecue sauce. Roasted vegetables. The chocolate cupcake still in its foil wrapper.

Two napkins.

Grape juice I found in the cooler and two red plastic cups.

We're going to pretend it's wine.

The door suddenly opens, and I almost have a heart attack.

Ethan is standing in the doorway.

He jerks back when he sees me, his shoulder hitting the frame.

"Fuck," he mutters.

His green eyes move across the room. The tablecloth. The food. The fake candles. The radio's thin music.

Me.

He opens his mouth.

"Surprise!" I say. "Sit down before it gets cold."

"What are you doing, baby?" he asks, grinning.

I go to him first. We kiss. Then he sits in his chair, still looking around like he can't quite believe what he's seeing.

"This is for you," I say. "After yesterday. Your parents, the call, all of it."

His expression softens.

"You had to sit there and take all of that in front of everyone. You shouldn't have had to."

Ethan looks at me for a second. Then down at the food. "You didn't have to do all this."

"I know." I shrug. "I wanted to."

"You're the best," he says, and he looks so soft I could die. "I can't believe this. How did you pull this off? It feels like I'm dreaming."

"I have my ways. Dig in, come on."