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I'm not saying Dad shouldn't have been upset, but I've carried that meltdown with me for 17 years. It's why I know everything I say and do affects Brianna. Cars and mirrors and metal can be replaced. A broken spirit takes years to mend.
"I'm not dying on it," I say to Mom. "I'm trying to make sense of it."
Mom nods. "There are some things in life that won't make sense to you."
"I want this thing to make sense," I chew on my lip.
"Iz," she exhales. "Don't drive yourself insane trying to make sense of anyone else's actions. You're only responsible for making sense of your own."
"Why are you smart?" I force a smile.
"Because Aunt Jenny is my best friend,duh," she hands me a plate of pancakes. "Eventually, her brilliance was bound to rub off on me."
"Who was bound to rub you off?" Dad's voice echoes through the house.
"Ugh," I let out an exaggerated groan. "Don't joke, please. And don't be like Aunt Jenny and Uncle Kyle. It's bad enough we've all seen them doing it on more than one occasion. I rely on you two to be the only normal couple in this family. Please don't disappoint me by beinggross."
Dad scoffs. "We are not normal. We are still madly in love and fool around at least once a day. We aresogross."
I pretend gag myself as Mom fills Brianna's plate with pancakes. "Mom, control your husband."
Mom shakes her head. "That is not the hill I am dying on today."
"She will be dying on anotherhilllater tonight," Dad waggles his eyebrows suggestively at her.
"I'm going to puke," I shudder.
"Relax," Dad chuckles. "Your mom and I pride ourselves on not flaunting ourgrosslove around like the rest of the Thompsons. We have a quiet, reserved love."
"Is that what we have?" Mom rolls her eyes.
"If you'd like to become exhibitionists like our best friend and my brother," Dad holds his arms out at his sides, "then I'd be happy to cross it off my list."
"What list?" I ask.
"Nothing," Mom and Dad both say at the same time.
"No more inappropriate innuendos," I groan. "I need normal."
"We aresonormal," Dad grins as he wraps his arms around Mom and kisses her forehead.
"Thank you," I exhale.
I take a seat at the table and begin cutting up Brianna's panckes while Dad launches into the current work drama at the rec center. Mom dutifully listens and asks a million and one questions about whatever incident happened today.
I watch them out of the corner of my eye, and I smile.
Aunt Jenny and Uncle Kyle are madly and obsessively in love, but Mom and Dad really do have a quiet, reserved love. One that's always made me feel safe, even when Dad and I are butting heads.
Chapter 8
"Stop feeling guilty, Iz," my older sister nudges me with her hip. "You deserve a night out."
"I should be at home," I shake my head, "putting Brianna to bed."
"You gave her a bath, and read her a bedtime story," Ava lists off. "You also kissed her a dozen times and promised her you'd wake her up when you got home. Besides, she's in bed with Grandma and Grandpa watching a movie. With popcorn. Brianna is living her best life."
"I should be the one watching a movie with her," I pinch the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger. "I took her away from the only life she's ever known and then abandoned her to work and go to restaurant openings."
