Page 20 of The Spare
“I will take the grief from them,” I said, turning to look at Marcus, “but you are in the doghouse for missing the last two years.”
He smiled.Thatsmile. The stiff air between us from the car was forgotten. Instead, it was filled with comforting familiarity.
The conversation thankfully changed to reminiscing about previous Thanksgivings, and we gave Penelope a full history of the Amari family dysfunction. She seemed to find it endearing. Sitting in the salon, all of us together again, filled me with a calm I had forgotten existed.
* * *
Dinner was always very formal. My mother, a proper English society woman, would have it no other way. She’d softened over time, but assigned seating and formal dress were required. It meant most of us had to change beforehand. When she and my father married, it was a bit of a scandal. He was new money, which was scandalous on its own. Throw in a first-generation Indian-American and it probably made our Thanksgivings seem friendly.
But true love prevailed. I grew up listening to the stories of how they fell in love while in college together. It was an impossible bar to meet.
“Sloan, when are you going to London?” Xander asked when there was a lull in the conversation, knowing I hadn't told my family yet. He liked to keep me honest that way.
“London?” Henry looked up from his plate.
“I didn’t know you accepted the project.” Penelope perked up in her seat.
“London?” Henry repeated, and my mother joined him.
“Won’t you miss home?” she cooed.
“Terribly, but absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Xander grinned. I threw a roll and mouthed “fuckyou” at him.
“Language, Sloan,” my mother interjected. The entire conversation devolved into what it did every year. Everyone had something to say, and no one was listening.
“I think it's a wonderful idea.” My grandfather interrupted the group momentarily. “Marcus can look in on you while you’re there.”
More discussion erupted. Right on schedule, dinner got unhinged.
I buried my face in my hands for what seemed like hours. In reality, it was probably only a minute. Everyone needed to weigh in on whether it was a good idea. The promise of six months away sounded sweeter with every minute that passed.
“I don’t need a nanny.” I finally snapped into the cacophony of arguing voices. “I’m going, it’ll make me a partner, and I do not need supervision.” My voice rose until I was screaming. I pushed myself back from the table. My hands shook in anger as I got up and left a table of shocked faces.
* * *
I found myself angrily pacing on the patio overlooking the back of the estate.
Xander would come looking for me out here soon enough. This wasn’t the first time I ended up out here after a tense dinner. Most years, after whatever caused me to end up on the patio, he would come out and let me rant awhile. Eventually, he would change the subject, and we’d laugh, drink wine, and head back in.
My pacing halted when I heard the door click open and closed. I turned to see Marcus walk out onto the patio, a blanket in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other.
“They're setting up for a rousing game night.” His voice dripped with sarcasm as he handed the blanket to me. I was freezing; this dress was meant for indoor events, and the blanket was appreciated. It didn’t help the argument that I didn’t need someone looking out for me.
Marcus didn’t acknowledge my taking the blanket, letting me hold onto a semblance of my pride.
“I figured I’d check on you and try to avoid aggression-related injuries this year.” He walked past me to the railing. He leaned his arms against it and kept his gaze forward, not looking at me. I was grateful for it, still a bit embarrassed at my outburst. The autumnal evening sky was ablaze with bursts of red and orange, casting shadows along his sweater where his muscular arms and back made enticing dips.
“I’m okay.”
He nodded. “London?”
“Yeah. I meant to tell everyone today anyway. I just hadn’t planned on screaming it.” I crossed my arms, keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around my torso. “I leave a week or so after the New Year.”
“Sounds like a great opportunity.” His tone was bland, bored. “To become a partner.”
“Yeah. You’ve been in London this whole time?”
“I’ve been all over, but global offices are there, so that’s where I stayed between trips.”
