Did he just make another joke? Is it possible he has a sense of humor? Or maybe I’m losing my hearing. It’s gotta be that.
Brea returns. “Ready to order?”
Brody puts his menu down and says, “Yeah.” Once again, leader of the pack.
“I’m not.” Truthfully I am, but he’s got to stop making decisions for me.
“Then order last,” he retorts as he looks expectantly across the table at Henri.
She abruptly shuts her menu. “A Belgian waffle with strawberries and whipped cream.”
“Don’t you think you’re hyper enough?” Brody says like he’s her dad.
Oscar rolls his eyes. “I want pancakes and scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage.”
“Gonna get fat, bruh,” Henri taunts.
Oscar doesn’t rise to the bait. “White toast.”
“Same as Oscar,” Brody says to Brea.
Brea looks at me. “Have you decided?”
“Yeah. Oatmeal with almond milk and the fruit cup with a side of bacon.”
Brody snorts. “That’s like ordering a burger and fries and then having a Diet Coke with it.”
I look at Brea. “Double order of bacon please.”
I try to make small talk as we wait for the food, but it’s like hammering nails into concrete with the bottom of a shoe. The Brody boys have no understanding of the concept.
I say, “The weather’s good. Nice and warm.”
Brody says, “Yeah.”
I say, “A new barbershop opened up.”
Brody says, “I heard.”
Henri says, “My gramma has a boyfriend.”
Oscar looks bored.
Brea walks up with the food and I almost kiss her.
As we start to eat, Brody throws me a questioning look.
I shake my head. “After we’ve eaten. Keeps the food fight option off the table.”
“Yeah,” he says.
“What’s that mean?” Henri says. Oscar has checked out.
“Means nothing,” I mutter.
Usually, Henri and I would chatter away as we ate, but it feels awkward with the morose, tight-lipped males across from us, so we let the clink of cutlery on plates keep us company.
It gives me time to observe the Brody family. They have good table manners. Better than mine and Henri’s. They have good posture. I feel inadequate as I straighten my spine. I almost elbow Henri to do the same, but she’s slid down so far in her seat that I’d hit her ear.
