Lol, fair.
I dunno about my parents, they’re shitheads, but Iwanna tell Cara, if that’s cool.
Princess
Yeah, of course. Your parents too when you’re ready.
Are they playing nice together?
No, they weren’t. Thanksgiving was the shitshow I’d expected it to be. Since neither Momma nor Daddy would settle on how to split the holiday, they had the bright idea to share it.
What the fuck, you ask?Yeah, me too.
Momma and her sisters were busy in the kitchen, doing who only knew what since she’d purchased already prepared food this year. On Daddy’s dime, of course, which pissed him off. His brothers kept him on the patio, plying him with alcohol to keep him mellow.
Football played on the outdoor big screen, and conversation flowed with the chunky clouds breezing through a pale blue sky.
Dinner was scheduled for three, which was one of those odd things I never questioned. We didn’t normally eat dinner that early. It was only one, so I had hours to go before I could slip away to my room and sulk, missing Jack in the peace and quiet of my mind.
With Daddy distracted by family and a discussion about bowl games this season, I continued my conversation with the person I wanted to be around today.
Yeah, as long as they remain 20 feet from each other.
I snickered to myself.
“What was that for?” Paw Paw asked with a smiling face full of wrinkles. He didn’t drive anymore, so Daddy had left early thismorning to bring him here. It’d been a quiet few hours before the storm.
“No reason. Kinda hungry.”
Paw Paw nodded. “You know I miss your granny every day, but days like this, I miss her cooking.”
“Cobbler?” I asked.
Paw Paw grinned. Daddy looked just like him, but more often, I wished he acted just like him. Who knew what had happened to turn Daddy into such a dick when his parents were so awesome.
“And red velvet cake.”
I slid my eyes closed and hummed. Granny had been a good cook, and though it had been a tiny fib before, now I really was hungry.
Paw Paw patted my shoulder before disappearing inside. I remained where I stood, jealous and frowning that he could come and go so easily, when Daddy’d require an inquisition if it were me. One day, I wouldn’t be under his thumb. If I could just make it until then without blowing up again.
Neither of us had mentioned that night at dinner—imagine that—and I did my best to forget it as he probably had.
Paw Paw came back with a fresh drink. He smiled at me as he passed, and then everyone hummed with conversation again. Daddy didn’t care if I contributed, as long as I was present for it. I drank from my water bottle and glanced at my phone.
Princess
Still want to see me tomorrow?
Hell yeah. The need to see him, be around him, increased with every day. Made me want to do stupid things so I could. Like sneak out at night or skip school. That wasn’t me, but damn, I sure wanted it to be.
Yes!
Princess
Lol. Good.
Imagining you spread on my table instead of that turkey is getting me through the day.
