Page 90 of Fortunate Misfortune
The second my feet touch the welcome mat, the door swings open, but it’s not my mother.
“Kenneth!” My father’s voice is pitched with calculated enthusiasm. “Nice of you to finally show up to your own party. Only,” he checks his watch, “twelve minutes late. It’s great to see you’re finally growing up a little, considering you were thirty-seven minutes late to your high school graduation party.”
Starting with the snide comments already, I see.
He winks, and I can tell he’s already trying to find a way around the promise he made hours ago. Tonight will have no discussion of the summer internship or a future career at Gray Construction.
My mother appears beside him, matching the door in a pristine white pants suit. She’s silent as usual, giving me a quick head nod as a greeting. Their eyes dart over my shoulder, likely at the flash of yellow fidgeting nervously behind me.
“And who is this?” Theo asks.
Mallory moves to my side and holds out her hand. “I’m Mallory Edwards. It’s nice to meet you both.”
“Oh. The soccer player,” he coos, holding her hand for a second too long. “I’m Theo, and this is my wife, Ellen.” When he finally drags his attention away from her, his lips curl into a smirk. “Very pretty, Kenneth.”
Every part of me goes rigid, and I reach for her hand as if holding onto her will make my father less of an asshole.
“I’m aware, Dad.”
Theo waves me away like an annoying fly he can’t get rid of and continues grinning at Mallory. “Excuse the stick up my son’s behind. Mallory, we’re glad to have you here with us today. It’s nice to see our little Kenneth is finally making more friends than Cade.” This time it’s Mallory who stiffens. She goes to respond, but thankfully she’s cut off by someone yelling from inside.
My mother finally speaks, not really looking at either of us. “We’ve got to get back to our guests. Please enjoy the party.” Without another word, they usher us inside, turn on their heels, and leave us alone in the foyer.
“Well, aren’t they… something,” Mallory sighs. She tips her head back to the high ceilings, likely estimating how much this house is worth. “Where are the posed, awkward family photos? Doesn’t every rich family have at least one?”
“Theo and Ellen Gray wouldn’t be caught dead with photos on the wall. Family photos are not an elegant decoration to them. Only expensive pieces of artwork that look like the ones Cade’s sister gives me for my birthday every year.”
Mallory grabs her chest. “Violet gets you birthday cards? Is it bad to say I’m jealous?”
“You may be Cade’s favorite, but I’m Violet’s and that won’t ever change, Eddie.”
As if told about my arrival, the string quartet my parents always invite starts to play the most doom and gloom song I’ve ever heard. Everymuscle in my body tenses as the music crescendos, until the beautiful, yet terrifying sound dwindles into silence.
Hands are covering my ears, but they’re not mine. My focus shifts to the woman holding my face, filling my vision with yellow. I can see nothing but her.
“Kenneth. I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
At Mallory’s reminder, I grab her hands. I’m glad she lets me hold them, because it’s the only thing keeping me from bolting out the door.
“You look beautiful tonight, Mallory. Thank you for being here.”
A shy smile breaks across her lips. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be. Just say the word and we can go.”
I look at the door longingly. “Now?”
“We have to go in and say hi at least. Even if your parents aren’t going to celebrate you properly, Nan and Karla will.” She squeezes my hand. “Also, I was thinking we could stop by the lake after. I’ve got a surprise.”
“For me?”
“No. For Nan.” She jabs me with her elbow. “Duh for you.”
Without waiting for an answer, she marches us down the hallway toward the party. “Let’s go party, Gray. I’ve got rich-people food to eat and people to watch.”
As long as she’s here, I know tonight won’t be so bad.
Chapter Thirty-One
How was Kenneth raisedby this narcissistic asshole?
