Page 60 of Demo
My mother came rushing out of the kitchen, through the dining room, wiping her hands on her apron and barreling right at Lyzbeth like a hurricane. She grabbed the pie from her and handed it off to my dad who was also approaching, then scooped Lizzie up in her arms and swayed. She stepped back and held her at arm’s length, hands on her shoulders, then pulled her back in again.
I couldn’t hear what my mom was saying to her because after my dad deposited the pie on the table, he was pulling me into the living room to tell me who was winning the football game.
“Hey, bro, s’up?” Bram greeted me, without ever looking away from the TV.
Emily came out from the kitchen and joined the ladies in their hug fest.
Lizzie looked over her shoulder at me, and I mouthed “You OK?” and she nodded before being whisked off into the kitchen. I pushed up the sleeves on my gray thermal shirt before I sat down on the couch.
When I looked back at Bram, he was watching the ladies leave, and I quirked my brow at him.
“What?” he asked defensively.
“Oh, nothing, brother. Just that I’ve never seen anything take your attention away from the football game before. So, either you’re really into your leading lady these days, or you’re just getting soft.”
Rolling his eyes and tipping his head back to drain his beer, Bram replied, “I was just looking to see if Em was bringing any snacks out.”
Dad and I exchanged glances.
A while later, when I meandered into the kitchen, I heard laughter from all the ladies. I could already tell which laugh belonged to Lizzie. I leaned my shoulder against a wall just inside the kitchen, arms and ankles crossed, as I simply observed.
All three ladies were huddled together as Lizzie held her phone at arm’s length. I wondered if they were taking a selfie, but my girl’s eyes found mine, and she smiled, then waved me over. “Knox, come say hi to my mom!”
Ah, she was on a video call.
“Hi Nora,” I said as I quickly approached the phone Lizzie had turned in my direction. I took it from her.
“Hi, Knox!” she replied in that ever so friendly tone she had. “I just met your mother and sister-in-law. They’re wonderful!”
“Oh, you mean Emily. She’s just Bram’s forever girlfriend. He hasn’t made her an honest woman yet, so I don’t have to claim her as family.”
“Knox Angus Mitchell!” my mother chided as Nora also yelled something I didn’t quite catch, and Lizzie snapped a hand towel at me—getting me right in the side.
“Ouch,” I yelped.
She grabbed the phone out of my hands. “On that note, Mom, I’m gonna hang up. Dinner is almost ready, and I want to help Monica set the table.”
“Of course. All my love to everyone over there! Happy Thanksgiving!”
My mom hopped back into the frame behind Lizzie. “Happy Thanksgiving, Nora! You’ll have to let us know next time you’re in town, and we can meet for real!”
“Absolutely!”
As Lizzie hung up, Mom thrust a spoonful of potatoes into Emily’s mouth, asking, “You think this needs more parsley?”
Emily smacked her lips together a bit, then smiled. “Nope. Perfect as always!”
“Good,” Mom said, then turned and shoved the bowl of potatoes into my hands. “Table, now,” she said, pointing in the direction of the dining room. “And summon up the other men folk and tell them it’s time!” she yelled at my back as I left the room.
We crowded around a too-small dining table and ate too much food, as Mom and Dad told inappropriate stories about Bram and me from our childhood. All the while I noticed Lizzie fidgeting beside me. I frequently placed my hand on her thigh and squeezed, or put my arm around the back of her chair and leaned into her to try to let her know I was with her and that, whatever nerves she was feeling, she didn’t have to.
Bram cleared his throat, bringing my dad’s stories to a halt. “Um, Dad, it’s been great taking a trip down memory lane and all, but I, uh,” he drained his glass of wine in an unattractive chug before ungracefully placing the glass back down with a thud, “I want to think about the future. Well, I mean, the past and the future. I want to bring the past into the future … awe shit.”
What the hell? I leaned over slightly toward Lizzie and asked, “Do you think he’s having a stroke?”
“No,” she breathed, without taking her eyes off him.
Bram ran a hand through his hair, just like I do when I’m nervous, then turned his chair so he was fully facing Emily, who had just shoveled a forkful of stuffing into her mouth. He pulled the fork out of her hand and let it fall onto her plate with a clang while she looked at him and paused, mid-chew, as he took her hands in his.
