“He really is. Even the dead ones,” Ember adds unhelpfully.
“Speaking of the dead, or undead as it were.” Amina dabs her mouth with her napkin before smiling sweetly. “There’s something we would like to discuss.”
“What’s that?” my mom asks, gesturing for her to continue.
“Have you heard about the protest?”
Fuck. I knew she wanted to tell my parents about Chad, but I’d somehow forgotten about it in the whirlwind of everyone meeting for the first time. I don’t know whose side my parents are going to take. I think it would crush me more than I’d like to admit if they were to agree with Chad over me.
“What protest?” my mom asks, confused.
“I understand that siblings argue, but protesting outside the funeral home? Causing a scene within a small community. That could damage Sunshine and Ember’s futures.” Amina looks between my parents with a serious glint in her eyes, gauging their reactions to the bomb she just dropped on them.
“Sunshine? What is she talking about?” Mom asks.
I stare at the table, unable to make eye contact. I’m scared they won’t care. I’m angry that I don’t know what their reaction will be. I’m sad that I can’t count on them to side with me over Chad.
“What protest?” my father barks.
I flinch, unable to speak.
“Habibi…” Ember rubs my back gently.
“What protest, Sunshine?” my mom asks gently.
I groan quietly, ducking my head into Ember’s neck to hide my face. I hate that I have to tell my parents that my bigbrother is bullying me. I feel like a five-year-old. “It’s not a big protest,” I mutter, my voice small.
“Who? She said siblings. Which brother is she talking about?”
“Chad,” Ember growls, clearly very upset that I’m upset.
“Why would Chad be protesting outside of your funeral home?” my mother asks, shocked.
I can’t answer, so I shrug, hoping they’ll continue without me.
“We had no idea,” Mom whispers, looking stunned.
“We’ll have a talk with Chadwick about his behavior and sort everything out,” my father says firmly.
“Dad…” I begin to protest, but I’m cut off by the swift shake of his head.
The silence that follows is awkward as hell, so I keep my head buried in my alpha’s neck and avoid it altogether.
“Well, this has sure been interesting,” Ahmose whispers to his wife while quietly reaching for another roll.
Chapter Twenty-one
Sunshine
Dinner ended the way all chaotic family dinners end, with dessert and unresolved tension.
“On the house,” the witchy waitress says as she drops a slice of bread pudding in the middle of the table like she was defusing a bomb. “Y’all look like you need it.”
Ahmose helps himself to the first bite, moaning in bliss. “This is excellent. Amina, you must try this. It’s covered in a sweet bourbon sauce.”
Amina takes a bite and joins her husband in making us all uncomfortable with their sex noises. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ember turn that particular shade of red before.
My father is still as a statue, not moving or saying a word, his eyes unfocused in thought. When he was like this, it meant someone was going to get lectured, an ass-whooping, or both. Usually both.
