Page 43 of This Kind of Forever
Her gaze couldn’t be more pointed if it tried. My stomach drops. Clearly, I don’t have a friend in Dana. But can I even blame her? I’m the product of her husband’s affair. It can’t be easy having to interact with me. I’m nothing more than a reminder of a painful period in her life, one I’m sure she thought was far behind her.
Thankfully, Kevin returns swiftly with our waters. He sets them on coasters on the glass coffee table, where they already have glasses of wine. I reach for mine, taking a wobbly sip. Then I clench my fingers around the cup to stop them from shaking.
From the front hall, the sound of the door opening echoes. Three voices carry through the rooms, and I stiffen in preparation.
They round the corner into the sitting room, stopping short. Two women and one man. Instantly, I recognize the blonde woman and the man as siblings. They look alike, and they both resemble Kevin enough for me to know who they are. The second woman, with tight black curls and umber skin, is holding the blonde’s hand.
“Hallie, Gabe,” Kevin says, “this is Bryan and Caitlyn. And Caitlyn’s fiancée, Amara.”
Amara offers me a smile, but my half siblings are studying me. I fight the urge to squirm. They’re both a few years older than me, and for a brief flash of a second, I wonder if this feeling is what it would’ve been like if I’d grown up with them. Constant scrutiny because of the decisions made by their dad and my mom.
I swallow. “Hi.”
Caitlyn is the first to approach. Her smile is a little unsure, but it puts me somewhat at ease. “Hi,” she says. “I really love your hair.”
I relax a fraction. “Oh, uh, thank you.”
“The food should be about ready,” Kevin says. “We can head to the dining room.”
The dining room that turns out to be equally as fancy as the living room we were just in.
As the food gets passed around, I begin to realize something. Almost everything has some kind of meat in it. Even the Caesar salad. The bacon bits aren’t those artificial ones either. They’re real, crispy pieces of bacon.
“Honey, where is the quiche?” Kevin asks. “Hallie doesn’t eat meat.”
“Oh,gosh,” Dana says. She shakes her head forlornly, looking anything but sincere. “I’m so sorry, I forgot to make it. It totally slipped my mind.”
Beside me, Gabe goes rigid. It appears her tone isn’t lost on him either. He tightens his grip on his fork as he looks over at me, a silent question in his eyes. I set a hand on his knee, giving it a quick squeeze.
“That’s okay,” I say with a small smile. “I can stick with salad.”
I’ll have to eat around the bits of bacon, but it’s fine. I don’t want to cause a scene. It’s not a big deal anyway. It’s just food, and I have options. It’s not like I’m going to starve. Besides, it isn’t like Ican’teat meat. I’m not allergic. I’ve just been opposed since one of my teachers showed us a documentary about beef production in elementary school.
“I’m sorry, Hallie,” Kevin says with a frown.
“It’s really alright. I’m super easy.”
Dana offers me a razor sharp smile. “Of course you are.”
Gabe shifts in his seat, looking even more agitated. It takes me a moment to register what just happened—the double entendre—and then I blush furiously.
Caitlyn sends me an apologetic look, but she doesn’t say anything. Bryan stares at his plate.
Beneath the table, Gabe takes my hand, forcing my attention to him. I’m thankful for it—it gives me a second to collect myself after Dana’s verbal jab.
She’s uncomfortable. My presence makes her uncomfortable. And when people are uncomfortable, they lash out.
Kevin clears his throat.
“So,” Caitlyn says, changing the topic, “you can say no, but Amara and I have been talking, and we’d like you and Gabe to come to our wedding in a couple weeks.”
My mouth pops open. I notice Dana is wearing a similar expression, which means this is news to her, too.
I fiddle with my napkin. “That’s very kind. Are you sure? I don’t…”Want to ruin anything.
My half sister nods, a small smile on her lips. “Yes. I know it’s short notice, so it’s alright if you can’t or don’t want to. But I thought I’d offer.” She glances at Kevin, then turns back to me. “We’ve all missed out on so much, and I don’t want to miss any more.”
You’re a terrible person, Hallie. She’s so sweet, and you’re so awful.How can you sit here and lie to her face? Lie to all of them.
