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“Right,” Kota deadpans.
“No more than a couple.”
When Kota doesn’t respond, I spin to find her already gone. Without a goodbye. Without a hello. Without any acknowledgement that I exist whatsoever. What the fuck did I do to deserve that?
Half off her stool, Sera yells after her daughter, “Just one!”
I shake my head and ask her, “When’s your flight?”
It’s a jab that I hope she takes in the worst way possible. Instead of saying anything remotely loving to her daughter before she jets off to who knows where, Sera’s last words to Kota are forbidding her from eating more than one fucking marshmallow. Superb parenting, Sera. As usual.
Evil Stepmother gives me the briefest of glances before saying, “It’s a red-eye. We’ll leave in a couple hours.”
“Where’s your luggage?” I saw it by the front door this morning but it’s not there anymore.
My dad’s the one to answer me, saying, “We’re trying out a new service. They picked it up earlier and are shipping it directly to the hotel for us. It’ll already be waiting there by the time we arrive.”
“Since when do you not carry your own bags?” I ask him.
“Since he doesn’t have to,” Sera says. “He deserves a break.”
“I bet,” I agree whole-fucking-heartedly. It’s gotta be brutal being in this bitch’s presence all day, every day.
“You shouldn’t bet, son. It’s addictive.”
The slight lift of my right eyebrow is the only response I give my old man.
“Now, what are you up to tonight?”
My left eyebrow joins my right one.
Does he really want me to answer that?
He clears his throat. “Your sister’s going to a bonfire.”
It’s probably the same one Dex was practically begging me to go to with him.
“Step.”
“I think you should accompany her.”
“Do you?”
“Yes, son. I do.”
He’s gotten in the habit of adding son to his statements like it gives him more authority.
“She already left,” I point out, then mold my frown to match his.
“You’re resourceful. I’m sure you can figure out where the party is.”
I am and I can. But I want to know why the fuck he cares all of a sudden.
“Did you hear what Kota said, Graham? Tonight’s bonfire is exclusive. All attendees require an invite.”
Exclusive, huh? Dex left that part out.
My dad looks from his wife to me. “Kota has an invite.”
