Page 43 of Fierce-Zander

She laughed. “Or gain them. It makes me human,” she argued. “No one follows the rules exactly and don’t you dare say you and Mom do. You don’t drive the exact speed limit. You’ve run through a red light before because I’ve been with you when it’s happened.”

“It changed while I was under it.”

She loved how they just argued they were so perfect. “Whatever, Dad. I’m telling you right now to let Kellen go and live his life. He’s got a good job and takes care of himself. There is nothing to worry about in terms of lapses because there were no problems. End of story. Go focus on Lori’s kids and grandkids.”

Her stepmother had two daughters that were married with two kids each. They probably had white picket fences around their brick homes with a nice front porch they sat on and sipped lemonade.

“Lori’s family is doing well and I’m not sure the reason you would say that.”

Lori’s family was doing so well because they followed the same societal norms her parents had in their heads.

College, marriage, family.

She and Kellen got the college part down. Neither of them was doing so well with a relationship to even get to a marriage.

“Never mind,” she said. “You are calling about Kellen. I’m telling you there is nothing to worry about. Or aren’t you looking for a professional opinion on this?”

She always loved to put it right back at them.

“I believe you,” her father said. “I just hope you’re right.”

Her lips were twitching in her frustration. Her parents never expressed any emotions that she and Kellen did and it annoyed them both and made it harder to get a read on things.

She’d finally let it go and decided to ask bold questions upfront. “I am,” she said. “But better yet, have some trust in your son.”

They hung up after that and she was going to call her brother and decided not to. He didn’t need this on his shoulders. He didn’t need to worry that maybe he’d never be enough for their parents when she’d told him so many times that he was.

When her phone went off twenty minutes later with a text, her coffee was cold and videos of kittens playing with strings hadn’t lightened her mood as much as she would have hoped.

But the text from Zander did, asking if she was up for an outdoor date.

She replied back absolutely.

Her phone rang in her hand. “Good morning,” Zander’s deep voice said. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“What do you think?”

“I think you’ve been up for a few hours and probably got more done than most do by lunch.”

“Not quite all of that,” she said and found herself smiling. “I’m a little lazier on the weekends. But I have been up since a little after six. Got my yoga session in, had a light breakfast, was reading the news and had a pleasurable chat with my father.”

“Your voice got dry with the mention of your father.”

“Caught that didn’t you?” she asked. It’s not like she was trying to prevent it from happening but didn’t think it was that obvious either.

“Sounds like it’s been an interesting morning.”

“Aren’t they all if you look at them with an open mind?”

“I suppose,” he said. “Speaking of opening the mind. How about going to the Animal Park at the Conservators Center.”

“I’d love it,” she said. “I haven’t been since I was a kid and went with a friend’s family.”

“Perfect,” he said. “I can pick you up at nine or we can meet.”

“No reason you can’t pick me up,” she said. “I’ll text you my address and be ready.”

“See you then,” he said and then disconnected the call.

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