“I’m there,” I tell him.
Chris keeps up the conversation while my stomach gurgles and my head spins. When we reach the outskirts of Todesta, I think he realizes I’m not really paying attention, so he puts on music for the rest of the ride. I call my dad.
“Theo?” he asks, sounding huffy in his typically impatient way.
“Hi, Dad.”
“What is it? I’m on the golf course.”
That smarts a little, that he skipped out on my skateboarding competition yesterday, but managed to fit in eighteen holes of golf today.
“When do you think you’ll be done?” I ask.
“I’m finishing up now. Twenty minutes or so.”
I plaster a smile on my face so I’ll sound more positive than I feel. “Great. I have some big news I want to share, so if it’s all right with you, I’ll see you back at your house when you’re finished.”
“Fine. Susan should be home if you get there before I do.”
“All right. See you soon.”
Chris gives me another pep talk in their driveway, telling me again it probably won’t be as bad as I think and citing his own irrational worries as evidence that everything will work out fine.
I knock on the door, and after what seems like a long time, Susan answers. “Theo,” she says, trying to sound cheery, but she looks tired, in addition to being as big as a house, and I can hear my sister Ellie wailing in the background. “You caught us at nap time,” she says, like she’s apologizing.
“Sorry for showing up like this,” I tell her. “I was just hoping to talk to Dad for a few minutes. He said he’d be here soon.”
“Of course, come on in.”
“This is my friend, Chris,” I tell her. By this time, Ellie has caught on that her mother’s distracted and waddles her way out into the foyer. She’s wearing a pink tank top with some old food crusted on the front of it and a diaper. Her eyes are still wet with tears, but she’s no longer crying.
“What’s up, Ellie?” I lean down to mess up her hair, and she glances from me to Chris, then smiles at Chris. Chris gets all the smiles from my family.
“Who dat?” she asks and points at Chris.
“This is my friend, Chris. Chris, this is Ellie.”
“Put her there, lil mama,” Chris says and presents his fist for a bump. Ellie slaps his hand. Chris’s fist explodes and rains down in front of her, poking her once in the belly. Ellie giggles at that.
“Sorry we’re such a mess,” Susan says, scooping up Ellie and dabbing at her shirt.
“It’s cool. Pants are optional on Sundays.”
Susan motions to the living room. “Why don’t you have a seat, and I’ll get you boys a drink.”
“Don’t worry about us, Susan. We’ll just chill until Dad gets here. We’ll be quiet if you need to put Ellie down or whatever.”
“Okay.” She smiles. “Say night-night to Theo and Chris,” Susan says to Ellie.
“No.” Ellie crosses her arms. She looks a lot like Tabs when she does that. I hope she gives my dad hell.
“Night-night, Ellie,” I say to her, and Chris tugs at her big toe, which brings about another little giggle from her.
Susan and Ellie go upstairs, and Chris and I hang out in the living room. There are toys everywhere and the air feels a little stale and sour, like old milk. I wonder if my dad helps out with cleaning and childcare. I hope so.
“You cool?” Chris asks.
I nod as the front door opens and shuts. Chris and I stand to greet my dad. He sets his clubs by the front door and enters into the living room.
