Page 51 of Audiophile

“Anita,” Papa pleads, and I back cautiously toward the hallway. Though their argument is about me, it’s a chance for them to needle each other. They love to do it and pretend they don’t.

“Hold it right there, Petronia!” Mama yells, waving the knife in my direction between chops of potato. “You’re not getting away that easily. Who is he? Who are his parents? What does he do? Where did you go? Were you being safe?”

“I—”

“Trick question! You weren’t being safe because you didn’t call your parents to tell us where you were!”

Though the knife is intimidating, her accent is extra thick in her agitation, and I have to purse my lips to hold in my laugh. “Sorry, Mama.”

“You think it’s funny?” She drops the potatoes in a pot and adjusts the temperature as she stirs it, but her focus is all on me.

“No, Mama. But can you hold all the other questions for later? I invited Reed to dinner.”

“What?” Ma screeches. “And you don’t tell me so I can prepare enough food?”

She always makes enough dinner to feed an army. I’m in the line of fire, though, and I transfer the heat to Livi. “Sorry, Mama, Livi was supposed to tell you. But I’m telling you now, and I can help cook, I just need to shower and change. Reed and I went hiking.”

“Hiking?” Mama’s eyes meet Papa’s in a silent conversation I don’t understand. “Is he really named after a stupid weed, or did you make that up?”

She has no room to talk after naming me Petronia. “His name isReed, and he’s nice, and hasn’t had a home cooked meal in weeks.”

“I guess we can’t let the man go hungry,” Mama huffs, waving a wooden spoon, but her eyes soften. She gestures for me, and when I come closer, she pulls me into a tentative hug. “Hiking, really? What hold does this guy have over you?”

I laugh, though it’s watery. I can’t remember the last time Ma hugged me out of something that wasn’t pity. It’s not the reactionI was expecting. I relax into her hug, but then her spoon comes down hard on my ass.

“Andthatis for not calling! You might be sixty-five one day and suppose you’re old enough not to call, but you would be wrong! Understand?”

I nod, rubbing the sore spot on my butt. “Understood.”

“Good. Go shower. You don’t need to help me—spend the time making yourself pretty. No man falls in love over a hike.”

I pull a face at her. “Can wenotbring up love around Reed? That’s not us.”

“You’re always beautiful, my Petra,” Papa chimes in too late.

“Oh,” Mama grumbles and smacks me again with the spoon, but not nearly as hard. “He’s meeting your family, Petra. Don’t be dense. Shower, now!”

“Yes, ma’am,” I mumble, but hurry out of the kitchen before she can use the spoon again. I turn on the water and undress in a daze. Ma has a lot of ridiculous notions, but Reed wanting to meet my familyisodd. It’s got to be a game ofmake Petra wish she were anywhere else.

The more I can laugh about it, the better it will be. It’s one night. Nothing is going to fall apart.

My phone dings with a new text from Silla.

Reed is coming to family dinner?!

Not my idea, but yes.

No heads up? I’d have come!

What about Josie’s PTO?

Are you kidding? This is going to be epic. Josie would’ve been left behind! Lol.

Nice, Silly. Great way to treat your wife.

Did you prep him? I’d pay to see this.

Stop making me nervous, you jerk! If it’s not fine, he’s a stranger and I won’t see him again, anyway.

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