“The voicemail? Oh, Alex? He was drunk, but he sounded more sad than mad. He said there was no one like you. That you were one of a kind. And then he said, ‘Lars…you can have that bitch. She’s all yours!’ ”
“Wow,” I say with a laugh. “A little harsh but that wasn’t the first time he called me a bitch.”
“I don’t think he thought it through. I regret not calling him that moment and talking sense into him. He definitely meant what he said about you being one of a kind. I agree.”
Silence.
“He should have toldmethat.”
25
i am thankful for you
Alexander
Why didn’t it occur to me earlier that bringing Kate to Thanksgiving to meet everyone was a bad idea? Why now, when I’m ten minutes from my parents’ house, is it finally hitting me? Maybe it’s because Tristan is singing thePaw Patroltheme song over and over in the backseat and I’m about to lose my mind. He’s singing over a Talking Heads song that’s playing on the radio. I don’t know how he’s doing it, I’m actually sort of impressed.
My brain feels like it’s malfunctioning because my single working ear cannot process the two different melodies, so I turn the radio down. Kate is quiet and staring out the window.
“Are you nervous?” I ask.
“No,” she says.
I have to remind myself that Kate is usually nothing. “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
“You’d be dead if you were thinking about nothing,” I say with humor.
“I was just thinking about Thanksgiving and what a lovely holiday it is to be with family, sharing a wonderful meal. Do you think I’m dressed okay?”
“Yes,” I say. “You look very nice.” It’s true. She always looks good, put together and neat in her jeans and sweaters.
My parents live in a beautiful old Craftsman house in the Historic Highlands of Pasadena. It’s actually the house my mother grew up in. She inherited it after her dad passed away fifteen years ago. It’s redone and beautiful and has this huge wraparound porch and large yard that my parents have made into a gorgeous garden. It’s the kind of backyard you can take a stroll in and get lost.
When we pull up, I notice Dani’s Jeep is parked crooked in the driveway. I shake my head.
“What?” Kate says.
“Dani’s a horrible driver.”
Kate ignores the comment. “We’re here, Tristan! Be polite, okay, this is Alex’s family we’re meeting.”
“I know, Mom, you told me. Are Ethan and Noah gonna be there?”
“Yes,” I say with a sinking feeling. I don’t want this poor kid to get attached to my family. I just need to get past this day.
I walk through the unlocked front door without knocking. Pots and pans are clanking, there’s laughter coming from the kitchen. Kate and Tristan follow me into the living room, where Josh and my dad are watching football.
“Dad, Josh,” I say. They both look over and stand up. My dad is basically the older version of me, and Josh is a tall, skinny, crunchy guy who always looks like he’s smiling even when he’s mad. They walk toward us. Tristan is partially hiding behind Kate’s leg. “This is my…girlfriend, Kate, and her son, Tristan. Kate, this is my dad, Alex Sr., and Josh, my sister’s boyfriend.”
They politely shake hands. Everything feels awkward despite all the smiles. “Well, welcome,” my dad says.
“How’s the garden?” I ask.
My dad’s eyes light up. Josh is just standing there smiling. He’s a passive guy, sort of like Kate. He’s…nice.
“You gotta see it, son. Go say hi to the girls and then come on out and I’ll show you.”
