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“I’ll see if she needs help,” Dad said.
I poured iced tea for everyone and then sat across from Kendall in my old spot. The one where I’d spent countless evenings waiting for my father to come home from work. More often than not, Mom and I ate alone. She made excuses for him, and I wondered if I’d grow up to be the same way. A man who let his family down again and again.
I wanted to be different. I valued hard work, just not at the expense of my family. My father didn’t get that distinction. I was convinced he could have done better, encouraging me instead of putting me down.
I dished the chicken casserole onto Kendall’s plate, then mine.
Mom and Dad came back into the room with a salad bowl.
“Go ahead and dig in,” Mom prompted Kendall, who lifted her fork and took a tentative bite.
I wasn’t sure what life was like with Melanie. Whether she cooked or ate out for most meals. Was Kendall alone a lot? Had she wished I was there for her like I’d pined for my father? The thought settled uncomfortably in my gut.
I took a large bite of the casserole, chewing and swallowing. It settled heavily in my stomach.
“What are your plans now that you’re here?” Dad asked.
His tone was deceptively casual. Every argument we’d had those last few years hinged on this very question. What were my plans? Would I forge my own path or fall back on his expectations?
“We need to get settled, register Kendall for school, and find some friends for her.”
I felt Dad’s unwavering gaze on the side of my face.
“That sounds like a good plan,” Mom said.
“What are you going to do for work?” Dad asked.
I tensed. I should have known he wouldn’t let it go. “I have time to figure it out.”
The silence fell on the table like snow in the winter.
“I might go to school, but I have options and the time to figure it out.”
Dad made a disbelieving noise in his throat.
He didn’t believe in figuring things out. He believed in decisive action. According to him, the decision was easy: work for him.
I’d always resisted. I think it was the weight of expectation. It felt like I’d had no other choice, and I’d rebelled hard against that.
“They just got here. Let them settle in,” Mom chided.
We ate while Mom talked about the farmer’s market, who’d stayed in town and who’d left. It was mindless chatter to keep the air filled with words. I sensed Dad at the other end of the table getting tenser by the second.
I finished eating and pushed the plate back. “I saw Sophie today.”
I wasn’t sure why I’d brought it up. Other than wanting to share it with somebody who understood.
Mom smiled. “She opened that bakery a few years ago.”
“It looks like she’s doing well.” I couldn’t see much of the bakery beyond Sophie standing in front of me. Even then, I didn’t know if she was happy or content with her life. Had she gotten everything she’d ever wanted?
“She’s a sweet girl. She stops by to see me sometimes and drops off baked goods.”
It was a small town, and Mom told me how she was doing over the years. So that didn’t surprise me.
“Who is Sophie?” Kendall asked.
Shit. I shouldn’t have even brought her up. I wasn’t prepared to explain my relationship with Sophie to Kendall. Maybe not ever. “She’s an old friend.”
