Page 44 of From Ice to Home
At least I think that’s what’s going to happen. All of my things are still in Durham. I have a job that’s waiting for me, and an apartment I just signed another lease on. As a sense of panic reaches for me, the kitchen door swings open, revealing my dad standing there with an unreadable expression on his face.
“Dad,” I say carefully, not knowing how the talk with Lucas went. I’m not sure what I’ll do if things went badly. My dad looks toward my mom, whose eyes instantly fill up with tears again as she looks back at him.
“So you heard the good news then,” he says to my mom before walking toward me with a small smile on his face. “Our little girl is married. Congratulations, honey.”
He pulls me in for a tight hug, his big arms enveloping me, the smell of camp and home wrapping around me. The gesture speaks of love and support causing most of the anxiety to melt away instantly.
“Things went okay with Lucas then?” I ask, pulling away to see humor in my dad’s eyes.
He chuckles, the sound low and warm. “He had a bit of a tough time, but who wouldn’t? He married my daughter in Vegas and then hid it from us for a week. But he’s a good man,Hannah. I can see that.” He looks over to where mom is smiling at us. “We’ve always seen that.”
Before I can say anything, a sharp voice cuts through the room. “You got married? In Vegas?”
I whirl toward the kitchen door to see Essie standing there, her face is pale and her eyes wide with disbelief. Behind her, my two younger brothers, Micah and Zach exchange uncertain glances, clearly caught off guard.
“Essie,” I begin, taking a step toward her.
But she shakes her head, her expression hardening as anger replaces shock. “You’re married,” she repeats, her voice rising as she realizes the truth I’ve been hiding.
The words hang in the air like a challenge, and before I can explain, she shoves past Micah and Zach. Her footsteps echo down the hall and up the stairs before we all hear her bedroom door slam shut.
“Should I…” Zach starts, jerking a thumb toward the direction Essie ran, his concern clearly written on his face. He’s always been close to her, the two of them practically inseparable.
“No,” I say quickly, holding up a hand. “I’ll go.”
“Maybe just give her a few minutes,” my mom advises gently from where she’s standing at the counter. “Let her cool off first. Here,” she says, handing me a knife and pointing to the cutting board. “Grab some vegetables and start chopping. Zach and Micah, you too.”
Micah smirks faintly, glancing sideways at our little brother. “Since when do we get to help?”
“Since now,” Mom says without missing a beat, her tone not leaving any room for argument.
Zach mutters something under his breath about unfair labor, but he washes his hands anyway before grabbing an onion and starting to chop. Micah lingers by the counter, hisdark brown eyes thoughtful as he watches me, but he doesn’t say anything. I didn’t expect him to be at home, but I’m sure Dad made him come back knowing I’d have to share my news.
“Are you going to help or just supervise?” Zach says, glancing sideways toward Micah.
He chuckles, grabbing a single mushroom and heading to sink to wash it. “I’m helping, aren’t I?”
Zach huffs in response. I glance at the door Essie disappeared through, my heart heavy. She’s only fourteen, but I should’ve known this would be hard for her. She’s always worn her feelings on her sleeve. Like Zach, the two of them don’t know how to leave their thoughts unspoken. Unlike me and Micah, who sometimes guard our secrets too well.
“So is this what you meant when you said you guys were figuring a few things out?” Micah asks, a teasing tone in his voice as he grabs another mushroom to rinse. “China patterns and zip codes?”
“Careful,” Zach says from behind him, sniffing back tears brought on by the chopped onions. “She’s holding a knife.”
Eying my brother, I playfully point the knife in his direction. “Yes, that’s what I meant. I have no idea why you didn’t pick up what I was putting down.”
He barks a laugh. “Sure thing, Han.”
“So where’s your husband?” Zach asks, his voice catching slightly on the last word. “You do know that this is weird, right?” he asks, glancing at everyone in the kitchen for confirmation. “Am I the only one, or are we allowed to say that this is weird?”
“You can say whatever you want, Zach,” I say with a sigh, setting down the knife on the counter. I’m sure mom doesn’t really need our help, she’s more focused on keeping us here a little while longer. “You’ve always been very open about your opinions, so don’t let us stop you now.”
“Good,” Zach says, getting back to chopping the mushrooms Micah is now setting before him. “This is weird. You marrying someone we all saw on television last night isn’t normal.”
“This is why you wanted me to come home for dinner tonight?” Micah asks my dad, ignoring my little brother. “To fully appreciate the awkward family announcement?”
Dad smiles at Micah. “Absolutely, yes.”
I fold my arms, giving Micah a pointed look. “Would you rather be back at Camp? Roasting marshmallows with S—” His gaze sharpens, cutting me off with a silent warning not to go there. “I didn’t think so,” I mutter, dropping the subject.
