“Sure. Give us about twenty minutes?” At their nods, he closed the door, and his footsteps faded down the hall.
“Why do you do that?” Leo asked.
“Do what?”
“Never seem to have an opinion. I know you love ham and pineapple”—he grimaced at her audacity—“but you never, ever ask for it. You go along with what everyone else wants. And no one else ever wants ham and pineapple, weirdo.”
Did she? She tried to think of the last time she spoke up when orders were being taken and drew a blank.
“I order it when I’m alone. It’s just pizza. No big deal.”
“I dunno, everyone else has an opinion. Why don’t you?”
Why didn’t she? Well, mostly because everyone else was so much louder, with more pressing needs. Leo ate the most pizza, so first choice should be his. Mom could barely eat after some of her chemo treatments, and if she craved anything, it got ordered. Ami was loud and got pouty if she didn’t get what she wanted. And Dad usually placed the order. Elissa’s opinion wasn’t sought often, and when she had one, it felt selfish to put her wants first.
Look at her, getting all introspective over pizza.
“I don’t care all that much,” she said.
“Liar.”
“I do not lie.”
“Okay, fine. Delusional.”
“Can we change the subject?”
“Fine.” Leo rolled his eyes theatrically. “What’s new, Lissa?”
“Tax season.”
She grinned wickedly when her brother groaned in response. Leo hated math, loved English class, and wrote whenever he could.
“No, it’s really good. With my CPA, I’m shadowing Karina so I can take over her accounts when she retires. I got to meet some big clients this week.” Not to mention a sexy office manager. The mere thought of him sent blood rushing to her cheeks and other parts of her body that would be embarrassing to explain to her little brother. “How’s school? It’s weird I don’t know, but I don’t get the daily grunt reports at dinner.”
“I don’t grunt.”
“Yeah, you do.” She shoved his shoulder, but when he tried to lick her hand, she snatched it back.
He laughed like a cartoon villain before answering. “I still suck at math, but I’m doing fine at everything else.”
“You know you can ask me for help.”
“I’m passing with a C, but math is boring.”
It was the same argument they always had. It was the same argument Leo had with Dad. Elissa let it drop.
They chatted for a bit longer about the upcoming school play, where Leo had a small role. Another soft knock stopped the conversation, and their mom opened the door. Her eyes were puffy and her nose was red, but she gave them a fleeting grin.
“Pizza should be here soon. Why don’t you come out and get your drinks while I find the paper plates?”
Before long, they were all seated at the dining room table, sipping their drinks, with hot cheesy goodness piled in the middle.
After a few bites, Mom cleared her throat. “So, Elissa, how was your week?”
Elissa told them pretty much what she’d told Leo.
“Oh, and you know the guy I had a blind date with, the one from the Sandpiper that turned out to be the wrong guy?” she said.
