I’d rarely lied to my mother, and I wasn’t about to start now, especially on Thanksgiving. “Not exactly. He’s got a four-year-old. I’m an assistant in Sam’s class at Rainbow Academy.”
She put down her knife and leveled a serious look on me. “Nadia...”
“What?” Wariness prickled over me.
“Unless this is serious, I won’t mention it to your father. It would only agitate him.” She said it like that was the last thing either one of us should ever do. “Honey, be careful. This boy has already gotten some girl pregnant and messed up his future. You can do better. Find someone who can start a family with you when the time is right.”
Clenching my fists, I had the irresistible impulse to defend Ty. It wasn’t like he was irresponsible or careless. She didn’t know him. But since we weren’t serious, there was no point.
“We just hang out now and then,” I said quietly. “I don’t really have time for a relationship, and neither does he.”
“Oh. Well, that’s different. I’m sorry if I sounded unsympathetic. Please don’t let it spoil the day. I just want the best for you.”
“I know.” And I did my best to put her admonition from my mind.
By three, the food was ready, and people started arriving. Rob picked Avery Jacobs up, then Lauren and her mom showed up with a Waldorf salad. Like my mom had requested, sides and salads piled up in the kitchen. Pretty soon the house was full of relatives, friends and neighbors, elderly people who would’ve been alone otherwise. My mom really was a sweetheart.
Avery took a seat on a folding chair nearby, plate balanced primly on her lap. I hadn’t liked her since she ditched me for more popular friends in sixth grade, but if Rob saw something in her, I’d try to be friendly. “So what’re you up to lately?”
“Still working at the bank.” Not the most promising start.
“How long have you and Rob been going out?”
“Three months or so. Around here, he qualifies as a catch.” Though I might be projecting, she seemed to be implying she wouldn’t be with him if she could do better.
It took all my self-control not to smack her. Rather than start trouble, I picked up my plate and went into the kitchen, pretending I wanted seconds, when in fact, I only wanted to get away from her. Rob claimed my seat as soon as I vacated it, and I noticed Lauren watching from her perch on the stairs. With a mental shrug, I joined her.
“Hard to fathom, huh?” With a nudge, I nodded at Rob and Avery.
“I have no idea what he sees in her.” Lauren’s answer came out sharp, spoken through her teeth.
“Eh, he’s a guy. And she’s hot.”
“Rob’s not like that,” Lauren said quietly. “It has to be something else.”
“Who knows?”
My mom called from the kitchen, so I hurried to help out. Later, I ran into Mrs. Barrett, chatting with my dad, and I was astounded at the change in her. When Mr. Barrett left, she kind of fell apart, but since Lauren had been gone, she’d apparently gotten a makeover and pulled things back together.
“Looking good,” I said to Mrs. B.
She turned with a grin. “You’d be surprised at what L’Oréal can do.”
More than that, it was a complete change in bearing and attitude that contributed to the confident package. Lauren had to be ecstatic, seeing proof that even if her dad had broken her mom’s heart, it was possible to come back from it.
The Thanksgiving party was decent, as long as I avoided Avery. Rob didn’t seem to realize she was settling, and I’d never tell him. But I didn’t see this relationship ending anywhere good. She’d always want him to do better, be more, earn more and then bitch at him for being a simple, good guy instead of the overachiever she secretly wanted.
Around seven, I darted into the kitchen, ostensibly to get a drink but really because I just wanted a break from answering the same questions. No, I don’t have a boyfriend. No, I’m still not playing basketball. With a faint sigh, I sank down at the table and poured some wine. I had no intention of eavesdropping, but when Lauren stopped Rob in the dining room, I was trapped.
“You look tired,” she said. “Everything okay?”
It surprised me that she could tell. He didn’t seem shocked by her insight, though. “Yeah. I just have some stuff going on.”
“Awesome or awful?”
“Good. Or it will be, if it pans out.”
Her voice softened. “Keep me posted.”
Their conversation intrigued me, but I couldn’t grill Rob about his dreams or goals without him getting defensive. We kept in touch through occasional emails, but mostly, I sent him music recs because I didn’t know what else to say. Around nine, the party broke up and afterward, I crashed on the couch with my parents in front of the tube. Rob didn’t get home from dropping Avery off until long after I went to my room.
The next day, I went shopping with Lauren, Mrs. Barrett and my mom. Getting to the nearest mall took forty-five minutes, something that didn’t used to bother me. Fortunately, the others talked enough not to notice that I was tetchy. My mother’s comments about Ty still chewed at me, working under my skin.
Yet Lauren shone brighter than I’d seen in weeks, just hanging out with our moms. Mrs. Barrett was hilarious, offering her outfits she’d never wear, and Lauren tried them on, modeling with mock-verve. Shaking the cranky face, I got in the spirit of absurd fashion and accepted my mom’s choice of ruffled fuchsia cocktail explosion. The gown looked hideous on me, accentuating my broad shoulders, so I really resembled a dude in drag.
“This is awesome.” Lauren held her stomach, laughing. “I miss this.”
You live with me. We could do this anytime. Maybe for her, it wasn’t the same without our mothers snapping embarrassing pictures and threatening to save them for posterity. By the time we headed home, my mood had shifted from melancholy to pensive. I really wish I could talk to Ty. He’d been so helpful in regard to Lauren before; possibly I shouldn’t get used to talking about important stuff with him, though. I had no idea where I should draw the line between sex and friendship, how long before I stumbled past what he could accept.
“Penny for them,” Dad said.
“If I made that deal, I’d feel guilty for overcharging you.” Leaning down, I kissed his forehead and went upstairs, simultaneously worn out and wound up.
Shortly after I got in bed, Ty texted. It was almost eleven here, which meant it must be close to one at home.