“Do I want to know how much this bottle cost?” Mom asked.
“Probably not,” I said before launching into the one question I had for the evening. “Rachel, I’ve been invited to an influencer event in New York where two guests and I can get a makeover. I was wondering if you would like to go.”
“When?”
“Not this weekend but the next.”
She paused to think. “I don’t know. We’re in the middle of testing.”
“On a weekend?”
“I’ll go if she doesn’t want to,” Mom said.
“I’m going,” Abi said.
Rachel relaxed, reminding me that she’d been keeping Abi’s secret. “Well, if you’re going, then I suppose I could.”
Hardly the enthusiastic response I’d hoped for. I would have wondered if she was still mad at me about missing her birthday, but she was wearing the scarf I’d given her.
Mom took another sip of wine. Was she pouting? The thought hadn’t crossed my mind to ask her if she wanted to go. I guess it should have.
“How is the YouTube business going?” asked Abi.
“If only likes and shares translated directly into dollars and cents,” I said. “I’m going to need to get a real job, and the search isn’t going well.”
“What about him?” Rachel asked, jerking a thumb in the direction of the house.
“Oh, I think he’ll be leaving soon,” Mom said with a smile.
“Really?”
I looked over my shoulder before telling them about changing the Wi-Fi password, underwearJeopardy, cabbage suppers, and the rotten potatoes, which, truth be told, were beginning to be a bit much for me.
“I’m glad you’re not mad at me,” Rachel said.
“Seriously, why would I be mad at you? It wasn’t your idea for my husband to have an affair with your sister.”
“No, but she is still my sister, and I was the one who suggested that Mitch hire her.”
“It is what it is,” I said.
“She’s pregnant,” Rachel said in a dull voice.
Of course she is. There was only one thing I had trouble giving him, so of course his new younger girlfriend got pregnant at the drop of a hat.
My fingers tightened around my tumbler, and I was glad it was stainless steel instead of glass.
“Mazel tov,” I said with a mock toast.
We sat in silence for a few minutes after that declaration.
George walked up the hill with Rucker and his red Solo cup.
“Hey, George,” we all said.
“Hello. Getting kind of chilly, isn’t it?”
“We’ll probably have to move indoors soon, yes,” Rachel said while she poured.
