“RJ and I are traveling upstate to visit my parents.”
“Yes, I am looking forward to celebrating giving thanks with your family.” RJ squeezes Karlo’s hand. “Even though wearing a sweater vest is quite uncomfortable, I will do it for you.”
We laugh, and Karlo affectionately bumps his shoulder into RJ’s. Meanwhile, Reed turns to me. “What about you?”
I shrug. How do I tell him I’ve been dodging my parents’ calls without sounding like an asshole? I love them, but they’re too much to take on a holiday. “Um, no plans.”
“Really?” Reed smiles and brushes his knuckles against mine. “I’m doing nothing, too. Maybe we should do nothing together.”
Arousal courses through my veins at his words. “I’d like that.”
“I thought you said your family is coming to visit?” Karlo asks.
I give my bestie a pointed look that should get him to drop the subject. “No,” I say through gritted teeth. “I said they texted, asking to visit. But I told them I’m busy…sort of.”
“What do you mean sort of?” Reed asks.
Don’t tell him you’ve been dodging your overbearing parents’ calls.
“They know I’m really occupied with…this job and stuff.”
“Ah, okay.” Reed takes a bite of his sandwich, then says, “You want to celebrate at your place? I’m off.”
He really wants to see where I live, huh? “Oh, no, you don’t want to come to my place,” I say.
Reed opens his mouth, but his words are cut off by Karlo leaning in. “Um, Sky?”
“Yeah?”
“You said your parents know you’re too busy for Thanksgiving tomorrow, right?”
“Mhm,” I say, sipping my Ghosta Cola.
“Well, is that not them right there?”
I turn around and immediately spit out my drink onto the floor.
My folks. Are here. At MM Institute.
“There’s our Skyler!” Mom rushes up to us with Dad and Gramps in tow.
I quickly wipe my mouth and stand up.
“Mom?! Dad?! What are you…?”
“And your Gramps,” he says with a wave. He holds up his phone. “And your sister is here on video chat!”
“Hi,” my sister Eartha says in the tiny screen on Gramps’s phone.
Mom and Dad rush to hug me, their wider bodies encompassing my tiny frame in a classic Dillinger bear hug. “My boy!” Mom says.
“We found you!” Dad says with a smile.
“What…what are you doing here?”
“We wanted to see you and your big maritime lifestyle! Is that your Filipino friend over there?” Mom asks.
She waves to the group a few feet behind me, and Karlo waves back. Reed, meanwhile, studies us with mild curiosity.
