Page 74 of Just Another Meet Cute
“Thank you, con.”
But Aunt Sarah didn’t take a drink. Not when she wasn’t done. If anything, she was only just beginning. “I don’t know why you bother with him though. Once a cheater, always a cheater. Even if the person he was cheating with wasyou. Lord knows why you got together with him in the first place. But you should be even more worried since you know what he’sreallylike. Only a foolish person lets themselves get abandoned again.”
Even though she wasn’t saying anything that I hadn’t secretly thought about Dad before, I hated the fact that she used him to make backhand insults at Mom. Although it wasn’t even backhanded tonight, that was a full-frontal insult to the face.
Thank God, the movie was finally starting.
“In fact, if it were me, I would have—”
“God, shut up,” I muttered under my breath.
Or at least I thought it was under my breath.
Even though the first scene of the movie was a loud Christmas party, everyone in the room turned to look at me. Linh’s mouth dropped in shock as Aunt Sarah’s eyes narrowed into fierce slits.
“What did you say?”
Crap, I guess I wasn’t quiet enough.
I could have backed down. Just shook my head and apologize. But I was so tired of overthinking everything and having all my emotions bottled up in ajumbled mess that I just exploded. “It’s just … could we watch the movie instead of talking about my dad? Everyone knows you hate him, so you don’t need to say it again.”
I didn’t think it was possible, but Linh’s jaw dropped so low that it looked painful for her face to stretch that much. I couldn’t blame her though. I could barely believe the words that were coming out of my mouth. No oneevertalked back to Aunt Sarah. Occasionally Dad would fight with her, but even then, he always backed down. The only person who could make Aunt Sarah speechless was Bá.
And now me. Someone should give me an award or something.
That didn’t mean I wasn’t scared to death though. My palms were clammy and tingling. Especially when Aunt Sarah started tapping her foot against the sofa. She usually did that right before she was about to start shouting.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—” I quickly stood up and moved across the room. “I have to go to the bathroom.”
Hopefully I could hide in there until the movie distracted her enough. Or maybe I’d camp out in there all night. That felt like the better option. The tub could be cozy.
When I passed Mom, her hand swept out to grab my arm, stopping me from my escape. Surprised, I looked up at her. She gave me a hard stare for a minute or so, like she was seeing me for the first time. Or maybe she was seeing somethinginme for the first time.
“You don’t have to apologize.” Finally, Mom looked over at Aunt Sarah and scowled. “Your aunt should be apologizing to you. To both of us.”
Holy. Crap.
I don’t know who was more shocked at her outburst—Aunt Sarah or me. Although Linh would have been a close second, too. With Mom and Aunt Sarah on either side of her, she looked like she wanted to melt into the cushions and disappear.
I bet she was really regretting calling dibs on the couch right now.
Straightening her shoulders, Mom marched right over to her sister and stared down at her. I hadn’t noticed until now that she was taller than Aunt Sarah. A lot taller. At least three inches. I always thought that Aunt Sarah was the taller one, but maybe it was because Mom’s never stood up straight around her before.
Now her back was straighter than a ruler.
“And I would appreciate it if you would stop insulting David—Nina’s dad and my future husband—in front of us. In fact, stop talking about him. Period.”
Aunt Sarah blinked at her with wide eyes. “But after what he did to you … what he did to us …”
“He didn’t do anything to me. I did it to him. And he still came back to us. If we can accept him—” Mom stopped and gave me a quick glance. Her voice wavered a bit. “IfIcan accept him, then you have no choice but to accept him, too. At least if you want us to be a family again.”
Even though she was talking to Aunt Sarah, I felt her words hit me, too. Like an arrow right at the target.
“Butwe’reyour family,” Aunt Sarah cut in just as Mom held up a hand.
“If you were really my family, then you would want us to be happy. And trust that I know what I’m doing. That I’m making the right decision.”
“But what if you’re wrong?” Aunt Sarah scowled. “And it’s the wrong decision? What happens if he leaves you again?”
