“Why didn’t you tell us Chadwick was messing with you?” my mom asks as she looks between Ember and me in confusion.
“I was hoping it would resolve itself.”
“How?” my dad asks flatly.
“I don’t know,” I shrug, “I thought he would get bored and go away after a while.”
“That’s not a good strategy, son. As a business owner, you should’ve had a plan in place for something like this. It isn’t the first time one of our funeral homes has been protested against, and it certainly won’t be the last. You should’ve called us. It could’ve been resolved already. Instead, your reputation, and therefore our reputation, is still being smeared.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much,” Amina says, calmly patting Dad’s hand. “Small towns rarely have the attention span to remember such things.”
Ember’s snort startles me and makes me laugh, finally breaking the oppressive tension.
Dinner eventually ended. Dad picked up the check for everyone. Ahmose packed up all the leftovers and then addedan extra bread pudding to go. Everyone stands at once in that awkward group moment where no one really knows what the official goodbye procedure for this specific group is.
“We must do this again,” Amina says in that easy way of hers as she hugs my mom tightly.
“For sure,” Mom says, looking thrilled at the prospect.
Amina makes her way through the group, hugging everyone, including my put-upon father, followed closely by her husband.
“Pleasure meeting you, Asher,” Ahmose says, shaking my father’s hand in a firm but friendly way.
“You as well,” my dad replies. “I’ll have to get used to having another omega in the family. I’m so used to it being just Sunshine.”
“Omegas are the same as anyone else. It's old society standards that need to change. Not omegas,” Ahmose says with a grin and a quick wink in my direction.
Mom is hugging Ember like she’s known him his whole life instead of just a few hours. He has that way about him that instantly makes people love him.
“Thank you so much for taking care of Sunshine,” she whispers just loud enough for me to hear.
“Of course,” Ember says with a soft smile.
My father approaches Ember last, and for a moment, I think he might just nod and leave. I’m a little shocked when that doesn’t happen.
“You seem like a good man,” Dad says quietly, offering his hand to shake.
“Thank you, Sir,” Ember says, surprised. He straightens slightly and puffs his chest out.
“If you two ever have any other issues at the funeral home, feel free to call us for help. Or advice.”
“Or if you just miss us and want to talk,” my mom adds, smiling lovingly at us.
“We will.”
The parking lot has cooled off now that the sun is below the horizon. Semi-trucks roar past on the highway carrying their Final Destination log loads. Crickets hum as we all separate and walk to our vehicles. Within minutes, it’s just me and Ember standing under the flickering crawfish sign. I lean against the car and exhale loudly, glad the meeting is finally over.
“Well,” I say, unable to voice what I’m feeling right now.
“Well,” Ember echoes oh so helpfully.
“I guess it could’ve been worse.”
“Your father wasn’t what I expected,” he murmurs thoughtfully.
“What do you mean?” I ask, confused.
“You always talk about him like he’s this hard ass who looks down on you for being omega and prefers your brothers and all their alpha spouses and children, but that’s not how he seemed at all.”
