Page 82 of A Lick and A Promise
Dad had an announcement.
Shit.
Dream and I looked to each other.
She turned her attention to go between Mom and Dad.
I shifted mine to Knox, who was studiously slurping up pappardelle noodles.
He was uncomfortable and I knew this because, until that point, he was completely at ease at our family table.
As such, I asked quickly, “Is this a decision that can be shared in front of company?”
Knox’s head came up.
“Company?” Dad asked, openly puzzled.
“Knox,” I said, flipping my empty fork his way.
“He’s extended family,” Mom decreed.
Both Dream and I turned to her.
“He was here for Thanksgiving, two years in a row,” Mom explained. “Nothing says family like sitting at the table for Thanksgiving dinner.”
This was true.
All of it.
Indeed, a little over a month ago, he was sitting at this very table for the second year in a row, celebrating Thanksgiving with us. So was Cap, Raye, Shirleen, her husband Moses, and Roam.
Tex and Nancy were there the year before, but last year, they went up to Denver to have Thanksgiving with Nancy’s daughters, Jet and Lottie, and their broods.
Knox smirked at me.
“This is important,” Dad said, gaining my attention. “And it’s decided. Though I don’t know why either of you would argue.”
“What’s decided?” Dream asked.
She was feeding herself and Feather (Mom had Harmony, who didn’t yet really do big people food, I was watching over Dusk).
“We had college funds set up for you,” Dad said. “Neither of you went to college.” He shook both hands in a don’t say it gesture even though no one said anything. “You both know we want nothing for you but to follow your bliss, so that was a statement, not a judgement.”
“Dad—” I tried, not thinking with this intro that this was something Knox should hear.
“So we changed them to wedding funds,” Dad spoke over me. “But, even if your mother and I made the most beautiful memories while making each other our own on our special day, we totally understand that marriage is an antiquated concept that did not serve women well. However, if you think that’s in your future”—he gave me a close look, which meant Dream’s eyes narrowed on me—“you can elect to keep that fund where it is, and growing, until that happy day.”
That was when his focus shifted to Dream.
“But if you want it for another purpose, say, to put a down payment on a house—” he went on.
But that was as far as he got.
Dream snapped at me. “You and your big fat mouth.”
I dropped my fork in pasta, red sauce and lentils, and lifted both hands, just like she had twenty minutes ago. “I didn’t say anything.”
“I saw a Zillow listing on your tablet, dollface,” Mom told her.
