Page 21 of Crystal Iris
“Terrorize?”
“Yeah, sounds about right.”
Dinner is exactly what I expect: uncomfortable conversations that are better left unsaid, like this one:
“So… how much money did you make this year, Aaron? I saw your name in the papers last week,” Steve asks.
“Steve!” Peyton makes a face.
“Like you don’t want to know,” Steve says, taking one too many sips of his beer.
“It’s rude to talk money at the table, cousin,” Aaron says, already used to the comments.
“How’s school, Rick?” Aaron asks the boy closest to him.
“Fine. I’m going pro, so whatever.”
“Rick can kick both of our asses on the field,” Steve says, chewing with his mouth open.
“That, I have no doubt,” Don replies.
They all laugh.
“Any plans for kids of your own?” Peyton asks.Every. Single. Year.
“Who knows? Let’s get married first,” Aaron says without a hint of stress. We’ve talked about kids, and both of us agreed we’re not ready for them.
“We’re close to finalizing the details. Let’s hope we don’t have a very hot summer,” Maria says, talking about my wedding like it’s hers.
“I didn’t know you were helping Chiara,” I say, pretending I didn’t know.
“Of course. Chiara is great, but someone needs to... supervise.”
When Aaron told me his mom had recommended Chiara, Iwanted to veto it, but in the end, it was probably good that someone cared about the infinite details I couldn’t bring myself to focus on.
“Right.” I can’t find the words. Perhaps it was a mistake to ignore my bridal duties. Whatever his mom is planning, it’s not out of love for the marriage.
I’m coming out of the shower when I hear a knock on the bedroom door.
“Just a second!” I call, wrapping a towel around my body.
“It’s me.”
Whatever she wants, it can’t be good.
“Hi,” I say, opening the door to my future mother-in-law, my hair still dripping wet.
She walks in, looking around the room, judging everything her eyes land on.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
“You tell me,” she replies.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Well, it’s pretty obvious you don’t want to marry my son, so what do you want?”
“What?”
