Julian cocked his head in confusion at what she said, but before Cierra could say anything, the doorbell rang. Dinner had arrived.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
WITH THE TABLE set and mounds of various colored curries on everyone’s plates, Cierra decided it was the moment to share the good news she’d just received.
“Guys, I have an announcement I’d like to make,” she said.
Everyone looked up and put their utensils down in anticipation; she wasn’t one to make a show unnecessarily.
“Remember how I applied toPlated?”
“How could we forget?” Lisa said teasingly. Her mom just looked at her with wide, hopeful eyes.
“Well, I got accepted. I’m going to the final round of casting!”
“Honey bean, that’s amazing news! Congratulations!” her mom said, leaning over to give her daughter a kiss on the cheek.
Lisa was less visibly excited but beamed with pride in her own way. “Knew you’d land it. Good job, sis.” She gave Cierra a wink, the kind that conveyedI always believed in you.Cierra felt as if she were five years old, and Lisa had just given her a 10/10 on a cartwheel. She mouthed a silentThanks, feeling nothing but gratitude for her big sister. For everything.
After her family had congratulated her on the audition and asked various questions about the process, the conversation organically began to flow to other topics: upcoming sweater weather, how delicious the food was, etc.
“Can’t get green curry like this in Connecticut, I’ll tell you that. I wonder if it’s the same kind they actually eat in Thailand,” Jess said.
“It’s not too far off,” Julian interjected.
“Have you been? What’s it like??” Cierra’s mom asked, interested in the globe trotter in front of her.
“I went for three months after graduating from college — please don’t ask me how long ago it was — but I had the time of my life.” Julian regaled her family with tales of motorcycle rides and run-ins with various exotic creatures. Like Cierra, her mom was captivated by his exploits. Lisa asked a question or two, but they were mainly of the sarcastic variety.
“So, Lisa,” Julian started, taking notice of her lack of participation, “Cierra tells me you’re a lawyer?”
“Yep,” she said, taking a drink from her wine glass. “Divorce. It’s a barrel of laughs.”
“Whew,” he said. “I bet you’ve seen it all.”
“You’re not wrong about that. It’s a polarizing job, naturally.”
Julian laughed. “No kidding. I probably could have used someone with your talents, but hey, I made it out all right.”
At that comment, the table got slightly quiet, as Cierra hadn’t mentioned the fact he was divorced to her family.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you’d been married before,” Lisa said, perking up, now very interested. “How long ago—”
“Lisa!” Cierra exclaimed, “Maybe a little personal for a first meet?”
“What? We’re all getting to know each other, aren’t we?” Lisa said. “Sorry if that made you uncomfortable, Julian. I’ll behave.”
Cierra’s mom took it upon herself to redirect the conversation. “So, Julian, what is it that you do for work again? Renovations or something like that?”
“I think you’re confusing him with Erik, Mom. That guy from Cierra’s job?” Lisa said.
Julian looked at Cierra questioningly, and suddenly her curry was doing backflips in her stomach.
“Oh, right, from Mexico City. Julian, did Cierra show you any photos from that trip? I just love the one of her and Erik at the event.”
He tapped his fork against his plate, eachtapgrating against Cierra’s ear more than the last. “Yeah, I saw some photos online, but not sure if I saw the one you’re talking about.”
Cierra’s mom whipped out the picture from their family group chat. “Isn’t Cierra just adorable?”
