I turn to Robyn. “You told him?”
“Oh, don’t listen to him,” she laughs. “Of course I told him. But let’s agree that will never happen again.”
My jacked soon-to-be brother-in-law, Dell, raises his hand. “Wait, I want a turn. My gran has been looking for a new class to teach at the senior center, and this might be perfect!”
Dell’s a personal trainer and has a physique like a bodybuilder. The man can bench 405.Maybe I can trade him lessons in stripping for personal training sessions...
Before I can ask, I’m being pulled into the galley kitchen by Dad and Angie. My newest nephew, Mateo is completely zonked out, strapped to her chest in a baby sling. I’m loading up my plate with the leftovers when I sense a disturbing silence.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Angie asks in that famous oldest sister tone. She’s always digging into our brains, trying to figure us out, but sometimes it’s just not that deep. Being a children’s therapist suits her. She’s spent the better part of her life raising all of us siblings, but she doesn’t need to worry about me anymore, despite what everyone else thinks.
I should give her something to chew on, though. She has a look in her eyes that tells me she’s going to root arounduntil she uncovers something.
“You guys gave me so much crap for barely graduating college. I don’t know. I didn’t want to disappoint you even more.”
Dad crosses his arms and sighs. “Bud, we’re very proud of you for graduating college. We’d be even prouder if you’d use your degree in music, but if this is what you want to do, then do it.”
His encouraging words are an unexpected downpour, and I'm caught without an umbrella.
As familiar as Angie’s probing is, it’s the opposite for my dad. Him showing this level of care and concern is foreign. He grieved the loss of our mom for most of my life, so I’ve never really connected with him. I was only three when my mom died, and while my dad was physically around, he wasn’t mentally. But he’s been going to therapy—go Dad—and turned a new leaf in the last couple years. He’s really come out of his shell, and I’m totally here for it.
“I mean,” I shrug, “dancing is fun.”
“As long as you enjoy it.” Angie smiles and hugs me from the side so as not to disturb the tiny sleeping infant. I sneak a solid whiff from the top of his head covered in wispy black strands.
Mmm… that’s nice.
My sister joins Robyn and Dell in the living room while I scarf down braised pork.
“You know,” Dad says, “utensils are available.”
I shrug. “No sense in dirtying extra dishes.”
My brother Dane joins us in the kitchen with Isaiah behind him. Dane is three years older than me and smack dab in the middle of the five Johanssen siblings. He’s built more like me than anyone else in the family.
Growing up, Dane and I stuck together most of the time, along with our buddy Joaquín, whose older brother is married to my sister, Angie. We’re all very layered in eachother’s lives like that. Ivy was always trying to wiggle her way into hanging out with us, but in typical older sibling fashion, we ignored her a lot. But she’s a fighter, that one. Now she’s training to be a midwife.
“So what’s going on with the team?” Dad asks. We all currently or formerly play for Philadelphia Men’s Rugby Team. Isaiah medically retired a little while ago, but Dane, myself, and Rafael still play.
Dane takes a sip of his beer. “We’re trying to level up from Division 1 to the Premier League,” he says.
I nearly choke. “We are?”
“Do you ever pay attention?” he asks. “There have been dozens of emails and team meetings about this.”
“I’m just joking,” I say, lying. “I know.”
Dad grins. “That’s great. Sounds like it’s gonna be a lot more work.”
“We definitely need to level up if we’re gonna make it happen,” Dane says. “The team tried a few times in the last decade or so, but could never make it. This next season is gonna be crucial.” He pins me with the same blue eyes everyone in this family has, and his imaginary team captain hat in place. “We’re gonna have to trim some fat and focus,” he says.
I flex my biceps. “I’m in great shape.”
Isaiah rolls his eyes. “He means the team will need to buckle down and get serious about winning.”
“Oh.”
“Actually show up to practice on time,” Dane says, blunt as ever.
