He marched up the walkway, knocked, and entered when his father yelled for him to come in.
It had just reached six, and Mack had hoped to be in and out after speaking his peace before his parents sat down to eat. His mother had insisted his father wouldn’t be home until close to dinner, so Mack, wanting to get it all over with, arrived to the smell of homemade spaghetti.
One of his favorites.
He frowned. What was his mother up to?
“Hi, Mom, Dad.” He swallowed a sigh when he noted James setting four glasses on the table. “James. Is Ashley here?”
“No, she’s spending the evening out with some friends. I thought I’d pop over to see Mom and Dad.” James shrugged.
“I’m not eating,” Mack tried, but his stomach chose that moment to grumble.
James smiled and set the fourth plate and silverware at the table.
His parents had set out more decorations, making the house look like Christmas had already arrived. As they typically did the weekend after Thanksgiving. There could be comfort in some things that never changed.
“I need to talk to you two,” he said to his parents. “And you,” he told James.Might as well tell him how I really feel.
“Okay.” His mother smiled. “Is this about Cass? We all really liked her.”
“I’ll bet.” He sat with the three of them at the table but didn’t take any of the food his mom had prepared. “You liked her because she’s just like you. And I’ll never be.” He kept his smile in place, so it took his parents a moment to realize he wasn’t exactly happy.
“What do you mean?” his dad had the nerve to ask.
“Seriously?” Mack sighed. “I’m the happy kid. The one who goes along with all the teasing and the ignoring and the doubting. I’m done.”
His mom blinked. “Honey, I don’t understand.”
“I do,” James said, his expression surprisingly contrite. “I could see last week that you were upset. I thought a lot of it had to do with Xavier.”
“Xavier’s just being Xavier,” his mom said.
“Being himself is not an excuse for the way he acts,” Mack argued.
James cut in. “Ashley and I talked about it, and I saw that we weren’t that nice to you over dinner. And I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make fun of you, and especially not with your girlfriend there.”
“Girlfriend?” Their dad perked up. “Finally. One I like.”
“No.” Mack wouldn’t let James apologize and sweep everything under the family rug. “James, thanks for saying that. But it’s not just one dinner. It’sallthe dinners. All the breakfasts, the family gatherings. It’s me joining the Air Force instead of the Army. And you all finally accepted it because I was SF—a cop. But it wasn’t for me. I found something I’m good at. Something I love. Fighting fires. Being an EMT. But again, it’s not what you wanted for me, so it doesn’t count.”
His mom frowned. “Honey, I’m not sure where this is coming from. We’re very proud of you.”
“Are you?” Mack saw his mom looking concerned, his brother quiet, and his father…bored. “Sorry, Dad. Am I keeping you from something more important?”
“Watch the tone, Son.”
“Seriously? I’m trying to have an open conversation about why I always feel like a piece of shit when I leave this house, and you’re worried about my tone?” His voice rose. For once, Mack let it, feeding the anger, not falling back into his role as family omega.
His father frowned.Good. Get as upset as I am.
“Everything with this family is judged on how it fits into what you and Mom think or want. I brought a woman I care for very much to dinner, even knowing it was a mistake.” His mom looked hurt by that, but he kept going. “The five of you—yes, you too, Mom—talked around me or about me as if I was still some stupid little kid getting in trouble and having to be saved by my big, strong brothers.” He sighed. “I know, I’m probably overly sensitive about this. But if you’d ever just sit back and listen to the way you talk about me… None of you seem to respect me. And that hurts.”
“Jesus, is this how they run the fire department? Everyone getting their feelings out and oversharing?” his dad asked.
“Jimmy.” His mom looked upset. “Honey, I never knew you felt that way.”
“Because I’m supposed to laugh it off and accept it when you guys sit around sharing Army stories or talk about how much the South Precinct has changed. The past ten years, it’s always been the same. The only thing Dad and I have in common is cars. If we can’t talk about that or football, there’s nothing to be said.”
