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“I don’t believe you.” Scott wasn’t done questioning her. “Are you sure this dinner party is the right thing to do?”
“Why would you assume a simple dinner party has an evil, nefarious purpose?”
“Because you haven’t had a dinner party since before Dad died. You have girls’ nights, and you don’t hum when you plan those.” Scott would not be dissuaded. “Are you doing the right thing?”
“I’m your mom. I’m always sure I’m doing the right thing.” She took a slow breath. He wasn’t twelve anymore, and he’d be a senior in September. “Fine. Let me give you a hypothetical situation, and you decide.”
“I draw the line at making any surgical decisions. Can this be a story without blood?” Scott had not inherited either of his parents’ love for macabre medical drama.
“No blood, though there will be drama.”
“Naturally.” Scott rolled his eyes.
“Imagine fifteen years from now, Emma is dating a guy who isn’t right for her. She doesn’t love him. He doesn’t love her, and he doesn’t make her happy. Are you okay with this?” Eliza threaded the needle.
“I’m not okay, but it’s her life.” Scott shrugged.
“And if she seems sad and cries sometimes, are you okay with that too?”
“Emma is crying over this elephant,” her son pointed out.
Eliza began to sew the wounded stuffie. “You’ll let it go on every day, even though it’s clear she’d be happier without the guy. Also, by the way, he’s a medical student in your class. We’ll pretend you can stand the sight of blood.”
“Even if I’m her brother, it’s not my business who she dates. Then again, she is my sister, and I’d have trouble watching her be miserable. I guess I’d talk to her about it,” he ventured.
“She won’t listen.”
“So, I back off. I can’t make her listen.”
“Do you? How about after you see the boyfriend bullyingpeople who are weaker and smaller than him?” She tied off a knot and cut the string. “Then you catch him doing it to Emma. Worse, she thinks she deserves it.”
Scott crossed his arms over his chest. “No one is allowed to hurt Emma.”
“Oh, now it’sa problem? What are you going to do about it since it’s ‘not your business’? You’ve tried talking. Is your next plan to kick his ass?”
“I’d want to.” Scott twisted his lips to the side, likely unaware his father had made the same face. He’d inherited her coloring, Scott’s eyes, and fortunately for the world, Scott’s more deliberate nature. “Beating him up would get me thrown out of pretend medical school. And she’d blame me and feel bad for him, making the whole situation worse.”
“Exactly. Will you leave Emma to her fate?” Eliza picked up the scissors and held them to the elephant’s neck as if it were a hostage.
“Of course not.”
“Tell me how you’re going to save Emma. You need to do something soon because she could get pregnant any time,” she cautioned.
Scott gagged. “Eww, gross.”
“Sorry, sweetie. You carry the Kandal genes. Ain’t nobody waiting till marriage. I’ve got an entire box of Trojans above the fridge for you when you’re ready.” Eliza waved to the top shelf with the scissors, unhostaging the elephant.
“I’m pretending I didn’t hear that.”
“Okay, we’ve agreed Emma’s hypothetical boyfriend must go. How will you get rid of him?”
Scott stroked his chin, where his peach fuzz now required him to shave every three days. “Make him show his true colors to the degree that she can’t ignore it anymore.”
“Tell me how.”
He twisted his lips in a different way that Eliza was certain came from her. “Bait him. Set up a situation that pressures him until he snaps. Except...”
“Except what?”
