Page 81 of A Little Bit Uncertain

42

DONOVAN

Iwas already angry, and I hadn’t even freaking sat down yet. The tantrum behaviors from my parents, especially my mom, were par for the course, but they also knew how to charm people. I would expect them to charm Audra, or at least show some fucking respect. Yet the three of them, well, two of them, Mom and Evelyn, were just glaring at her. My father didn’t even look up to acknowledge her. Why the fuck did I agree to the dinner?

Since my parents frequented the restaurant, they had already ordered appetizers for the table, so as we sat, the server was putting them down and taking drink orders. Pretty sure nothing was strong enough to get me through that evening. I glanced at Audra, who still looked amused at what was going down around her.

McKenna tried to diffuse some of the tension with light-hearted conversation. “Since it’s Audra’s first time here, she and Van did some touristy things over the last two days. It sounds like it was a blast. When’s the last time you had a bona fide tourist experience here?” she asked the table

Evelyn took the opportunity to jump in, “The last time I was up on the Empire State Building, Donovan and I spent the afternoon there and had champagne on the 86th floor. I thought he was going to propose,” Evelyn said as she reached over to loop her arm around my elbow. “Remember that, Van? It was so romantic.” And she put her head on my shoulder. I caught Audra blanch as I pulled away and scooted my chair closer to Audra.

“Don’t call me Van,” I deadpanned. “That was our second date, Evelyn, and my mother planned it. No one’s proposing after a single date. And as I recall, we didn’t have a third.” I said it completely indifferently, and Evelyn turned red in embarrassment. It was Evelyn’s turn to blanch. I wasn’t participating in that bullshit.

“Let’s see,” my mom started, “actually, the last time I visited the Statue of Liberty, I took you and Evelyn. You were in second grade Donovan, and little Evelyn was in town and came with us. We took photos in hopes we could use them in a celebratory slideshow of sorts someday.”

Jesus. Fucking. Christ. This was ridiculous.

“So you have known each other for a long time?” Audra tried making conversation, despite the rudeness.

“Yes. Our mothers are best friends,” Evelyn chimed in.“Unfortunately, I didn’t live here my whole life, but when we moved, Donovan took me under his wing and helped me … get used to being here,” she laughed to herself like she was in on some joke. She was clearly flaunting to make Audra jealous, because I hadn’t done a damn thing to help her.

“I went to Central Park this week,” McKenna tried to steer the conversation a different way again, “but other than that, I don’t think I’ve done a touristy thing in years.”

“That’s because it’s foolish to parade around the city like that as an adult, McKenna,” my father harshly spoke his first words. “You visit those places in elementary school on field trips. And the Ghostbusters building? Really?” It was the first time he had made eye contact with me.

Audra’s shoulders sank. How fucking embarrassing was my family?

“Ok, let’s cut the bullshit. I’m here because McKenna asked me to come help her celebrate her amazing achievement. Let’s remember our fucking manners, and that my sole intention in agreeing to this dinner is to support her and celebrate this achievement.”

“Watch your mouth, son,” my father warned.

I curled my lips into my teeth. They wanted a reaction, and I would not give them one. Reaching out to Audra’s knee, I wasn’t sure if I was trying to ground myself or her. I wasn’t going to say I wasn’t his son, I wasn’t going to tell him to watch his tone, I was just going to take it, get through it for my sister, and never return.

This hell spiral went on for twenty more minutes. They were passive-aggressive to Audra while Evelyn kept throwing herself at me. Fuck it, I tried. I was going to wrap the shit show up, regardless of the food situation. We could go out after this and I would make it up to Kenna.

“Audra! Donovan!” A familiar and friendly voice cut through the glacier at our table.

“Jules?” Audra squeaked out. “What … what’s going on?”

“Hi, everyone!” Jules greeted the table. “I’m Juliette, and I’m friends with these crazy people from back home. I can’t believe that out of the billion restaurants in New York, you’re at the same one I’m at for my work party! That has to be statically impossible!” She stood between us and put a hand on each of our shoulders.

“What do you do, Juliette?” my mother asked. Her fake society smile appeared on her face.

“I work for Roscoe Marketing! It’s a pretty great gig, and I get to wine and dine at these fancy places,” Jules exclaimed as she gestured around. My parents warmed to her; I could see it in their eyes. But that made me furious. They didn’t like Audra because they viewed her as a barrier to me being with Evelyn, even though that was never going to happen.

I’m not sure what crazy world they operated in that they thought I would see her and profess my undying love. Their world, I reasoned with myself. They were operating in their own little fucked up world. The one that bowed to them because they paid for it to do so.

“I’ve heard great things about that firm. Do you like it, Juliette?” My mother inquired.

“I do. It’s a challenge, I enjoy my coworkers, I’m passionate about the work, and it’s fun. It’s a good fit for me.”

“I can see that,” my mother replied. “Why aren’t you just a gem? I can get the waiter to bring a chair if you’d like to join us.”

“Oh, I can’t. I’m still being celebrated,” she laughed, pointing her thumb behind her. “Besides, I figure my best friend here has already blown you away, right?”

My mother’s glare came back as she turned to Audra, and Jules picked up on it immediately.

“You know she’s a pediatric nurse in the ICU? Not many people could hold up in that job, eh?” She gushed over her friend and tried to get a better read on the situation.