"Anything exciting?" my father asked.
"Well, I guess all the companies want their tax done at the same time."
"That sounds taxing." He laughs at his own joke.
I smile. “It keeps me busy.”
Karen smiled. My father took another bite.
"You should come to the badminton club with us next month," Karen said. "They're doing a mixer."
"Maybe. I'm pretty busy with work."
"You should make time for your social life. You're not getting any younger, Lena."
"I have a social life."
"What kind of social life?" my father asked. "Are you seeing anyone?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I haven't met anyone I'm interested in."
"You should try online dating. Your mother's cousin did that, and she met someone within weeks."
"I'm okay for now."
"Being alone isn't good for you," Karen said. "You need someone to take care of you. Someone reliable."
"I take care of myself."
"Of course you do, honey. But there's nothing wrong with wanting companionship."
I cut my cabbage roll into smaller and smaller pieces. The knife was very sharp.
"Your sister called last week," my father said.
I looked up.
"She wanted to know if we'd ever changed our stance on certain topics."
Karen made a small noise of displeasure.
"Had you?" I asked.
"Has she?" my father countered.
I take a drink of water, swallowing the lump in my throat.
"The cabbage rolls are great, Karen," I said.
"Thank you, honey. Have some more."
She spooned more onto my plate.
After dinner, I excused myself and texted Jani from the bathroom. Just:How are you?
