Page 41 of Frosty Felicity
We’re a close family. We understand one another. Faith is the traditional and girly one. Fred is the dreamer and artist. I am the realist and the meanie. We know our roles, and we play them well. China is an opportunist, someone who came in and blindsided us, but I don’t blame her for any of this. This is Dad’s fault, and his fault alone. She could not be an opportunist had the prospect not been presented for her to do what she does best. She found herself a sucker. It’s not her fault he was ready to be licked…
Felicity wanted to scream.
She wanted to storm out.
She wanted to tell everyone to go straight to Hell.
Instead, though, I am going to stand here and act like I’m fine. I’m going to clap and cheer at their engagement announcement. I’m going to pretend to be happy. I’m going to go against my very nature, and be still…
Full of cheer.
Joyous.
Nice. Not Naughty.
Kill them with kindness, Mom always says, ‘I’d rather just kill them…’
“What?!” she yelled. Her lower lip quivered when she felt a hand tap her shoulder, interrupting her inner thoughts. Her six-foot-two tall brother Frederick leaned in close, brows rutted.
“It sucks, don’t it?” he whispered in her ear. Without waiting for an answer, he looked into her tear-filled eyes, took her hand, and squeezed it. As if speaking in a language only known to them, Faith joined her on her left. She took her hand and held it too. And there they stood.
Grinning and bearing through it.
When the announcements, brag-a-thon, and toasts were over, people maneuvered about, eating tiny desserts. Faith took Felicity by the arm, and they walked slowly around, talking and laughing. She planned to leave in a few minutes to head over to Mom’s house, and so did Faith, but afterwards, Felicity would join Brett at his aunt’s. She was looking forward to it—a place where she could take a deep breath and relax. Being around strangers seemed far more inviting.
“…It’s like we don’t exist.” Felicity looked across the room at their father who was laughing it up with a group of visitors.
“We exist to him, Felicity. That’s why he invited us here. He wanted us to be here because he loves us. He said he didn’t even want to make the engagement announcement without us all there. I think he wants our blessing, but he knew you were the toughest nut to crack.”
“I know he loves us, Faith. I just… I mean, we’re not prioritized. Everything has changed. Everything is different.”
She shrugged. “Dad has felt lost for a long time, girl. Look, I’m not a fan of China, either. I think she kinda uses him and takes advantage of him, but at the end of the day, he’s a grown man.” Felicity nodded. It was a hard pill to swallow. “I think Dad is mesmerized by her youthfulness, and her body. For all we know though, she may really love him. I know it pisses you and Fred off, and I heard that silly ass speech Dad made, just like you did,” she rolled her eyes, “but I’m not going to take it personally.
“You know Dad would die for us. He loves us just that much. He’s just caught up right now, and in spite of his girlfriend not being the sharpest pencil in the box, she makes him happy, Felicity.” Faith grabbed a cookie from a tray, a strange football-shaped thing that looked undercooked, and took a bite of it, then discreetly folded it up into a napkin, planning to pitch it in a trashcan later. “I have to give her credit for that.”
She was right. Dad WAS happy… but at what cost?
