I was sure that wasn’t what was bothering him, but I played along. “I don’t think Will’s going to let her wreck it, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Jack smiled. “Great, I feel better already.”
“Just think how nice it’s going to be there when Naya gives birth and we have a crying baby keeping us up at all hours. That’s what you’ve always dreamed of, isn’t it?”
He grimaced. “You know, you’re not the world’s best at putting someone in a better mood.”
“I never said I was!”
Jack hid his face in his hands. “I can’t believe it’s actually going to happen. I don’t know if Naya’s ready to be an adult.”
“Well, she’s there. Once they get married, that’s the last box to check off.”
“Will won’t ever get married,” he said. “He doesn’t believe in marriage. Naya doesn’t, either.”
I’d heard them say that, but I never bought it. If I knew Naya, she’d do it for the photos alone.
Jack continued, “Anyway, who the hell gets married when they’re in their early twenties?”
“Some people do. My mom was nineteen when she got married, and her sister was twenty-three. Of course, they were both pregnant.”
“So the women in your family don’t just have tons of kids, they also get married when they’re fresh out of high school.”
“Well,” I said with a shrug. “Shannon bucked the trend. She got pregnant early but just has one kid so far, and she never got married. Since I haven’t done either, I’m the odd one out.”
“For now,” Jack said, getting down on one knee. I was so shocked, I almost flew through the roof.
“JACK! That’s not funny!”
“It is, though. I wish you could have seen your face!”
He cackled for a long while, then an uncomfortable silence returned. Jack cleared his throat and sat a little farther away from me. I toyed with a thread hanging off my dress.
“You do know you can tell me about whatever’s worrying you, right?” I said.
Jack looked me in the eye. I thought he would speak for a second, butthen he pursed his lips and lied. “I told you, I’m fine.” Once again, a door was shutting in my face.
Downstairs, we found Agnes plating everyone’s dishes. She’d put on her reading glasses because, according to her, she hadn’t made quite enough vegetables and no one could get an extra ounce. An eternity passed while she made sure everything was perfect, but no one complained, and nobody touched anything until she had joined us and given us her blessing to dig in.
I couldn’t call it a comfortable meal. Mike, Agnes, and I were the only ones who spoke. Mary swilled wine the whole time, and Jack just stuffed his face. I don’t think Mike noticed anything was wrong, but Agnes certainly did. By the time dessert was over, Mary could barely stand, and she didn’t even notice when she spilled wine all over the tablecloth as she announced, “Time to open the presents!”
“Don’t we usually wait till midnight?” Mike asked.
“Who cares? Santa’s not watching!”
Jack said nothing as he watched her stumble off. He didn’t even rise from his chair until I touched his forearm. Only when we were handing out the presents did things get a little less awkward.
Mike hadn’t bought anyone anything, but he sang everyone a song to make up for it. It was…better than some of his other music? I couldn’t say much more. Agnes baked everyone cookies, and we ate them while we opened everything else. Mary gave Jack and Mike concert tickets. Mike hugged her, Jack just nodded. For me, she’d gotten a smartwatch to wear when I was running. I gave her some earrings with peace signs, which overjoyed her. I’d bought Mike a jean vest, which he seemed to like, and for Agnes, I got a video game.
I didn’t get to hand Jack his present before he gave me mine. He was grinning a little too much for my liking as he handed it to me.
“Should I be worried?” I asked.
“It’s going to be the best present you’ve ever gotten,” he promised.
I wasn’t convinced when I opened it, and even less when I saw it was a T-shirt with an arrow pointing toward left that said,I don’t deserve him.
“You love it, don’t you?” Jack said. “Just be sure I’m always standing in the right place when you wear it.”
