Collin scoffs.“She’s worse than us.”
“Collin,” Jane scolds.
“Sorry, Mom,” he says, kissing her cheek.
“I’ll be going to bed soon.Do you have everything you need?”
We all nod.
“Goodnight, Mrs.—” I stop myself.“Jane.”
“Goodnight,” the boys call after her as she walks up the stairs.
As soon as she’s gone, they start laughing again like the whole thing just happened.I open the pizza box and take out a slice and let them get over themselves.
When I return to the basementwith more sodas for everyone, Collin’s the only one down there.He grins up at me, letting me know he did something I’m not going to like.Then I look at the TV.Footloose plays on the screen.
Jonathan returns from the bathroom.“What the hell?”
“Too bad,” Collin says, stuffing his face with pizza.I open a can of soda.
“Whatever.He sucks,” I tell Jonathan.Collin doesn’t play fair.We’re used to it.
“And you—”
“Say it, and I’ll stuff this pepperoni up your nose,” Jonathan threatens him.
Collin opens his mouth.Jonathan rolls the pepperoni.Collin puckers his lips to form a B.Jonathan tackles him.
I sip my soda and watch the spectacle.I’m thinking about switching the movie when I hear Collin say from within a headlock, “Why do you care?Are you going to marry her or something?”
I roll my eyes and take a gulp.
“Yeah, and you’re not invited to the wedding,” Jonathan says, about to force the pepperoni into Collin’s mouth.
I choke and snort at the same time, and the grape soda spurts like a sprinkler out of my mouth and nose, all over the pizza.The boys stop.I start laughing uncontrollably.The contagious kind that makes them lose it too.Except their noses don’t sting from grape soda.
Your parents invited me to dinnernext weekend,” Jonathan announces like this is a good thing.
“Congratulations,” a swimmer says to Jonathan as we leave the pool.
Jonathan nods in acknowledgment, more excited about being invited to dinner at my house than winning two medals at the state championship.
“It’s not the golden ticket you think it is,” I tell him with a heavy sigh.“You kinda screwed up when you sent the bouquet of peonies to the dance studio three weeks ago.”
“I did?But it was Valentine’s Day.And I thought they’re your favorite flower.”Jonathan looks unsure of himself.This is new.And it’s adorable.
“Congratulations, Reeves!”Hollers follow us through the parking lot.Jonathan raises his arm, not sure who he’s thanking.
“They drove three and a half hours to see me compete today.That must mean something.”It is a big deal.But they also didn’t want me to drive this far on my own.They even booked a hotel last night since the first event was at eight-thirty this morning.Thankfully, it was the relay.Starting off the early hour with a medal got them excited.
“They figured out we’re back together.And wanted to show a united front.”
“They didn’t know?”He sounds more shocked than I expected.Or is that a nervous tremor?
“They didn’t not know.They never asked.I never told them.”I stop in front of my dad’s car, where they’ve been waiting for me since the meet ended.I lean in and say, “You think you know Eli and Priscilla, but you don’t know them as Mr.and Mrs.Prescott with a teenage daughter.”
“Yes, I do.”He glances at the car.My parents wave with proud smiles.Doubt seeps into his confident facade.
