Barb was either willfully missing the point or just did not hear what her daughter said. Harrison could believe either scenario was true.
“Yeah, that’s it,” Amy said coolly. She swiped up Duchess and turned on her heel and marched out through the sliding-glass door.
“Barb, we need to talk,” Amy’s father said.
“Go ahead, Bob. Talk all you want,” Barb said, and folded her arms across her chest. The rest of the Posse started moving toward the kitchen, clearly trying to escape the conversation between husband and wife.
Harrison wasn’t going to be left behind and hurried to catch up.
22
Amy was mortified in a way she had not been since Jonah had burped loudly in the middle of a memorial. She could not believe that Harrison had been on hand to witness the utter ridiculousness of her family.
She felt herself melting in defeat. Her family was so problematic. How had she never realized just how problematic? She knew they were a bit much, but this wastoomuch; they were practically stalking her!
It was her fault. All her fault.
She picked up her phone and called Julie. Julie answered on the third ring, breathing heavily.
“What are you doing?”
“Running on the treadmill,” Julie said. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to keep my family from ruining my life.”
“You mean they haven’t already?” Amy heard the beeps of the treadmill as Julie powered it down. “So what happened?”
“First of all, my mother showed up with the Bossy Posse after running intoyourmother,” Amy said accusingly.
“Yeah, I heard about that,” Julie said. “Sorry.”
“Sorry?”
“I know, I know,” Julie said. “But what was I supposed to do? My mother owns the house, you know. Not me.”
“Okay, but you could have at least given me a heads-up, Julie.”
“I couldn’t have. By the time I heard about it, they were already there. And I didn’t call you then because I was afraid of you.”
Amy rolled her eyes. “And then my brother and dad show up.”
“No way! They came with the Posse?”
“No! They came today.”
“Are they crazy? It’s supposed to snow.”
“Mom and Dad are having some sort of issue, like, I’m worried they are thinking of divorcing. And Kevin is just…Kevin.”
“Your parents are getting adivorce?” Julie practically shrieked into the phone.
“No! But maybe. I don’t know, but they are having a big, ongoing fight.”
“I’m sorry, Amy. That sucks.”
“Yeah,” Amy said morosely. “Why does it have to be this week? They cannot leave me alone. It’s like it is physically impossible for them to leave me the hell alone.”
“Well, you’ve always been the center,” Julie said matter-of-factly. “You’re the family lodestar.”
