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“No you can’t… wait. I don’t know. Can you ?”
My mouth opens and closes as I think about it. Can I? That certainly would simplify things. I hadn’t even thought about it until I just said it .
“Not sure… I guess I’ll try ?”
“That’s a good girl,” she sighs, going back to her luxurious bowl of soup. “Finish eating. Gotta keep your strength up! You’re eating for… three? Oh my God .”
“Oh my God,” I repeat .
***
T he next week, I catch an Uber out to my parents’ house, dressed in loose-fitting clothes and feeling strangely optimistic about the whole thing. After all, when Bea laid it out for me, it sounded like there was no way my parents would greet the news with anything less than joy. Maybe a parade .
But when I see Aden’s car in the driveway, my heart sinks .
I was not entirely prepared for this after all .
The door swings open, a yellow wedge of light exploding as my mom appears silhouetted, all smiles with her arms out .
“Ava!” she exclaims. “Hey, baby, you’re home !”
I can’t help but smile as she gathers me into a big hug. She groans dramatically, leaning me from side to side .
“Mom, Mom!” I object. “I’ve only been gone a couple of weeks !”
“It feels like forever!” she moans .
She pushes me back, holding me by my shoulders so she can inspect me from top to bottom. “You look awesome. You’re eating okay? Looks like you are eating okay .”
I smile nervously. “Yes, Mom, I’m eating okay. I’m hungry though. Is dinner ready ?”
“Yes! Your father cooked !”
She rolls her eyes .
“What? Really ?”
“Yeah, he said he wanted to try something new… Barbecue? I don?
??t know what’s gotten into him. Now that you and Aden are out of the house, he seems to think he gets to start over .”
As we head into the dining room, I can see him through the back door. He’s wearing a long, checkered apron that’s tied in the back, holding a shiny spatula in front of him as he scowls at the grill .
“Oh boy, this is going to be fun,” I mutter .
“He’s actually pretty good,” Aden says as I round the corner into the dining room. I swallow automatically, plastering a smile onto my face .
“Oh is he ?”
Aden rolls a glass of scotch between his fingers, the ice cubes clinking against the sides. “Yeah. We had some pork tenderloin last week that was tasty as hell. You probably should’ve been here,” he finishes sourly .
“I’ll do better,” I respond, and I mean it .
Dinner is nice, and I hardly have to say anything. The three of them just chatter back and forth, just like always. After a while I realize, it’s really just the same. I’m the only one who thinks it’s any different. Because I’m the only one who has anything to hide .
“So, Mom, Dad…” I start. They freeze in mid-sentence, turning toward me with half-formed smiles on their faces .
I take a deep breath. Then I take another .
