“Thank you,” Mom replied.
“Too good.”
“Dad, you have trust issues,” Cammie said.
“No, I just know my wife.”
Mom smirked as she looked back at him. “I won fair and square. So you’ll be fixing the wiring, and since you chose to storm in here, no new TV.”
My siblings and I groaned with disappointment. Dad took another annoyed bite of his taco, before clearing his throat and standing. “I’m going to need a beer to get through this meal.”
He disappeared into the kitchen, but soon after we heard a triumphant shout. “Aha!”
He marched back into the room carrying a scrunched-upbrown paper bag, which he waved in the air for everyone to see. “I knew it!” There was a logo across the front of the bag that saidGuac & Roll. “You didn’t even hide the evidence. It was sitting in the trash.”
For a moment Mom’s face was stoic, but then she cracked. “Okay, fine, I might have had a little help with dinner tonight.”
“Alittle?” Dad replied.
“Technically, you said I couldn’t ruin dinner tonight. And,technically,I didn’t. Everyone seems to be thoroughly enjoying it.”
We all nodded in agreement and Dad gawked at everyone. “No—but—you—” he sputtered. “That completely goes against the spirit of the agreement!”
“Maybe, but it’s not cheating,” Mom replied. “I’m so looking forward to having lights that don’t keep flickering.”
Dad opened and shut his mouth several times as he struggled to argue back. “I think I’ll take my tacos into the living room and find out who Derek chooses.”
He swiped his plate off the table and stomped out of the room. We all burst out laughing as he went. Mackenzie’s gaze met mine across the table, and when I saw the joy in her eyes, sparks flared in my chest again.
“It’s good to be home,” Reed said.
“Yeah,” Gray agreed. “It is.”
I found myself nodding too. Sunday nights just weren’t the same without my brothers around.
When we finished our meal, my brothers and I cleared the dishes away. There wasn’t much cleaning up to do because Mom hadn’t actually cooked anything. When we returned tothe dining room, Reed and Grayson hovered in the doorway.
“We better go if we want to get back to school at a decent hour,” Reed said to Max and Paige.
“Don’t you want dessert?” Mom asked. She was putting on a brave face, but I knew she found it hard having my brothers gone. Before anyone could answer, she shook her head. “I mean, you’re right. I don’t want you out too late. I’ll put some apple pie in a to-go container.”
We all went to see them off, but Max pulled me aside before we headed out the front door. “Keep an eye out for my sister, will you?”
“Yeah, of course.” The answer came all too readily.
He glanced over to where she was saying goodbye to Paige.
“Our dad…” Max added. “Well, you know what he’s like. I just don’t want her to feel like she’s alone on the team.”
“Don’t worry, she’s not. She’s got me.”
“Glad to hear it.” He smiled. “I’m looking forward to coming back and seeing you guys play the big homecoming game.”
“You’ll be there?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
Max gave me a firm pat on the back before he went over and hugged Mackenzie. She squeezed her brother tightly in return, like she wasn’t ready to say goodbye. I felt a little like I was intruding as I watched them pull back and saw her eyes glistening. My own farewells with my brothers were far less emotional.
