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ISABELLA
My potatoand basil frittata tasted extra bland that morning.
Usually, it made brunch with my family a little more palatable, filling me up with cheddar cheese and a buttery, flaky crust as I listened to Jason drone on about college. That morning, however, I struggled to get the mixture down my throat.
Jason’s hand squeezed mine as his father took over the conversation.
“Your mother and I couldn’t be prouder of you, son. Just look at you, climbing the ranks at college and earning your master’s degree like a true Frost.”
Jason’s mother shoved her champagne flute in our server’s face, slurring her words as her gigantic wedding ring clinked against the glass. “Refill, please.”
Jason loosened his belt before squeezing my thigh.
“Thank you, Dad. I want to prove myself as more than just your son.”
“Nonsense,” his father replied. “When I started Frost Technology, it was with you in mind. Plus, the sooner you start, the sooner I can retire.”
My parents chuckled at the corny attempt at a joke as I smirked, continuing to poke away at my frittata as Jason kept talking.
“Give me a little bit of time as Vice President before filling your shoes, Dad! Besides, we’re going to make one hell of a team together.”
Nobody had shown any interest in me all morning. Not Jason, his parents, or either of mine wanted to hear about my college life. Hell, I could probably sit there with a fork sticking out of my ears and nobody would notice. All that mattered was that Jason was kissing my parents’ asses yet again, doing everything in his power to prove himself as the ultimate boyfriend. I wasn’t an active participant in their world. I was simply sitting on the sidelines, watching the show.
It was a typical brunch for the six of us, where both sets of parents beamed with pride at my boyfriend as I shoved pretentious, overpriced food into my mouth. Long-distance relationships were hard to maintain, but Jason and I managed just fine. Probably because I thoroughly enjoyed our time apart.
Then again, our parents had practically groomed us into courtship from a young age.
Jason kissed my forehead before chatting up my parents, who viewed him as my savior. The knight in shining armor who saved their daughter when I went astray, and I had a bad habit of straying from the beaten path. The impossible expectations of being a Dayton, destined to become a Frost, felt like the noose around my neck, one push away from snapping.
“You played one hell of a golf game the other day, Mr. Dayton.”
“Ah, I need to practice a bit more. I’ve added three strokes since the last time I played.”
That was the first I’d heard about them going golfing together.
“Wait, when did you two…”
My mother either didn’t hear me speak or chose to ignore me.
“I’ll tell you something, Jason. You remind me an awful lot of my husband back when we first met in that blazer and khakis.”
Jason blushed, despite being used to my mother’s flirtations. To everyone else at the table, they were harmless, but to me, they were inappropriate.
“Thank you, Mrs. Dayton.”
My father wrapped his arm around my mother.
“Maybe I’d be able to fit into those old clothes if you didn’t cook so many hearty meals, woman!”
The five of them laughed as I stared at what was left of my frittata, secretly wishing it was a cheeseburger. A thick, juicy cheeseburger with a side of greasy fries to piss off my mother, who believed that looks were everything. The same mother who physically removed a chicken wing from my mouth back in middle school. Her unhealthy relationship with food was one of the first red flags I noticed at a young age, a long line of them that pointed to the fact that she was unfit to raise healthy, well-adjusted children.
Jason’s father was the only one to finally pick up on my energy.
“Isabella, how’s everything back in Fort Wayne? You’re a marketing major, right?”
My ears perked up, surprised that I was finally being included in the conversation.
“Yes, I am Mr. Frost. Marketing has been my thing since high school. Remember when my team sold the most chocolate bars because of my strategy, Mom?”
