Therapist: So, you have anxiety?
Me: Yes.
Therapist: Tell me about what’s causing it.
Me: Four aunts, a fake boyfriend, and the fact my BFF lives in another country.
Therapist: I have a pill for that.
Me: No thanks.
“So?” Twin #2 was staring me down as though I had tracked with the conversation completely and hadn’t just gone off into la-la land like I tend to do when I want to get away from the chaos.
I raised my eyebrows.
“Sooooo?” Twin #1 leaned forward.
I raised my eyebrows even further and blinked. Doomed. I was doomed.
“When do we get to meet Brooks?” Elle asked.
Oh.
That.
Yeah.
Easy answer.
“You won’t.”
“What?” Aunt Tracy’s hand slapped her chest in exaggerated shock.
“He lives in North Carolina,” I restated. Hence why I’d chosen that state. It wasn’t within easy driving distance, there were no direct flights to my local airport from anywhere in North Carolina, and . . . well, it was a warm state. I liked warm. I liked beaches. North Carolina seemed like it checked all the boxes.
Elle collapsed onto a stool. “That’s unacceptable.” She whipped out her phone, thumbing its screen. “I have frequent flyer points. I’ll book him a ticket.”
Of course she would.
“He—can’t come right now.”
“Whatever,” Elle waved me off. “No one turns down a free flight.”
“Brooks will.” I snapped. I was going to pass out. I needed an iced caramel latte stat to help me calm down. (Yes, I know there’s caffeine in a latte. Let me be who I am.)
Aunt Tracytsk-tskedher tongue. “Elle, let’s not get ahead of Brielle.”
“But my namesake needs her boyfriend!” Elle wailed, and I wondered why my mom had named me after the most melodramatic of all the aunts.
“Your namesake will be fine,” I reassured her.
“Mmmppfffppff.” Lia was making my back pocket make noises again.
I put my hand on my stomach and faked a wince. “I’m not feeling so good.” That wasn’t a lie. It was the truth. This entire scenario made me sick to my stomach.
“I thought I heard your tummy moaning,” Aunt Tracy rested a hand on my arm. Concern was in her eyes. No, no, no. I didn’t need an antacid. I needed to get to my phone, to Lia, to get Lia to be quiet when she was on video chat and eavesdropping from my pocket—or at least mute her—and to get away from my nosy aunts.
Or noisy aunts.
