She didn’t, but Hallie knew it wasn’t that easy when it came to families. She was lucky with her own immediate family, but she’d seen enough shit from other people to know families had messed up approaches to things sometimes.
Part of her was wondering if she could simply spend the time befriending Audrey and slowly pointing out to the rest of them how weird their approach was.
Pierre rested his chin in his hand, looking at River critically. “So, your whole family has simply decided that Audrey doesn’t have real value if she’s single?”
“Not just her! All of us,” River said.
“Right…” He scowled. “She doesn’t have a job? Interests? Other things people can just… be nice about?”
Hallie patted his shoulder. “She does. But you should try not to think too hard about the whole thing. I’ll give you the rundown when I get back.”
Audrey, from what Hallie had been told, had an incredible job. A really,reallyinteresting job. One Hallie had spent hours researching already. But even that wasn’t enough to offset her family’s archaic ideas. She had a PhD in entomology. A job in forensic entomology. She probably had some fascinatinghobbies, too. But, still. All her family cared about was her relationship status.
And, actually, Hallie supposed they couldn’t even confirm what that was. All they knew was that she didn’t bring people around her family.
It was going to be an interesting week.
Chapter Two
Audrey sighed, dropping into a seat opposite an empty row of check-in desks. Lansing Airport wasn’t exactly the hub LAX or Detroit had been. In her lap, her phone lit up and she half smiled, answering it readily.
“Welcome back to the glorious state capital!” Zora cheered. “Land of… adventure and meaning and… Huh. What’s Michigan famous for?”
Audrey laughed. “Very little that’s happening in Lansing, I fear.”
“Yeah. Knew there was a reason I’d never been.”
“There are more interesting parts of the state than here, I’ll give you that.”
“Right. Well, how are you feeling? Shit in a way that’s got nothing to do with Lansing, I assume?”
Audrey watched a couple walk past her, clearly queer and young and so desperately happy and in love. Perhaps they were on their way to meet a family—chosen or otherwise—better thanhers. “Yeah. Just… bracing for the all-too-familiar impact. You know how it is.”
Zora sighed. “I do know how it is. And I know you like to play it down.”
“Nothing to play down. It is what it is. It will be what it will be. And I’ll see you on the other side.”
“Hey, maybe someone else will come alone this year and your shitty family will leave you the hell alone.”
Audrey had been to more than enough of these things to know that was not an option. At this point, she wondered whether the entire family could show up single and she’d still be the one targeted because she’d never once brought someone around them. But, given the way they acted when she was alone, she’d long since sworn never to subject anyone else to them even if she was in a relationship for Christmas.
Zora cleared her throat, correctly interpreting her silence. “Okay. Yeah, we both know I’m just being optimistic and wanting better for you than you’re about to get. You’re coming straight over to my place once you get back and I’m looking after you, feeding you food that feels safe, and building you back up.”
“You don’t need to do that,” Audrey insisted, her entire body stiffening as her mind started circling on what this week would be like. She knew, of course, but now that Zora had vaguely mentioned it, Audrey’s mind felt… icky.
“I know I don’t have to, but that’s what you do when you love people, and, after a week with your shitty relatives, you need some time with people who respect you.”
Audrey sighed, counting mentally as she pressed each of her fingertips into her thumb in turn. She made it to thirty-two and started again.
Zora waited.
When she’d made it to ninety-six in total, Audrey hummed. “Okay. Thank you. That would actually be great.”
“Fantastic,” Zora said cheerfully. “And, for the next week, you can call me any time you like. Day or night.”
“Isn’t that always true?”
“Yes. So, take advantage.”
