“He did what?” the boys and their dad roar as one.
“That’s not exactly how it happened.”
Lois delivers a swift kick to my shin beneath the table, and I’m pretty sure they all catch it.
“It’s his apartment,” Lois starts. “So, you know—”
“Don’t tell me you’re making excuses for him.” Mitch bristles.
“That’s what she’s been doing from the get-go,” I say, loud enough for them all to hear.
She’s still finding him excuses, and every time she does it, it pisses me off. She’d been making a little progress lately, but I’m starting to realize that she always ends up falling back into the same pattern over and over again.
“He kicked my baby out? After all those years? All those basketball games we went to, cheering him on…” Her dad shakes his head. “I’m going to grab my gun—”
“You don’thavea gun.” Lois rolls her eyes.
“Not yet, I don’t.”
“Dad, please. Don’t get involved.”
“He’s in town, though,” Jarrow adds. “I saw him when I was skating yesterday morning. We need revenge. Let’s get a crew together and take down that son of a—”
“Jarrow!” his mom hisses. She seems to think for a moment. “The word you’re looking for is ‘son of a goddamn gun.’?”
Jarrow jumps to his feet. “That’s the spirit, Mom!”
Lois pushes back her chair. “Look, I can handle this, okay?”
Silence settles over the table, all eyes on her.
“You guys need to calm the hell down and get into the Christmas spirit! I told you everything you need to know, and you promised you’d leave Kirk alone. I’m not a little girl, I can handle my business, and if any one of you starts sticking your nose in, you’re dead. Capiche?”
She sits back down, smoothing her napkin over her lap. Her voice softens.
“I was with him for four years. I can’t just move on overnight. Plus, none of you know the full story, but trust me—there’s no need to worry. Now pass the veggies, Jeff.”
I stare at her, shell-shocked. It’s wild how she’s latching on to this guy, and she might be able to kid her parents, but she isn’t fooling me. So they spent four magical years together—so what? She should be madder about this whole situation.
Jesus. Why do I care so much?
I take a bite of meat and do my best to push all the bullshit out of mind. This is Lois’s problem, not mine, and yeah, we’re friends—but it’s her life.
“Shall we exchange gifts?” Mary tries.
I push back from the table just as Lois does the same, and we race inside, sprinting up the stairs. I pull ahead of her to block her way.
“I’m sorry if I ruined the moment.”
“Don’t worry about it, Lane.” She sighs. “By the time we get back down there, they’ll have moved on to something else. It’ll take more than that to ruin my Christmas.” She smiles. “Are you having fun, or do you still hate me for making you come?”
I pull a shocked face. “Weirdly enough, it’s actually kinda great.”
“I told you my family is cool.”
“I got a little something for your parents, but I don’t have gifts for your secret brothers.”
“I got them some vouchers—let’s just say they’re from both of us. By the way,” she continues, “I found what you rolled up in my panties. Did you have to hide it there, you creep?”
