Page 21 of Finding Fate

7

Overreaction

“Dinner was great tonight, Mom,” Annie said as they finished their meal sometime later the next week.

“Thanks, honey. I wish I could cook for y’all more often. Maybe I should see about switching to the night shift. The NICU’s not as crazy then, and I’d see you three so much more.”

Isabel shook her head, passing her little brother another roll as she reassured her. “But that only works for summer, Mom. Remember how much trouble your boss gave you trying to switch back once school started last year?”

Bridgette sighed, her expression and features a nearly perfect match for her daughters’ as they discussed the options. “You’re right. But we’re still going to make room for some family time this summer,” she decreed.

“Like what?” Tyler asked, his brown eyes wide as he bounced in his seat. He snatched another roll and tore a bite out of it.

“Well, you and I,” she gave her son a look, letting him know to settle down, “will be going to Granny Pope’s for a few days tomorrow. She’s having a garage sale, and I promised her we’d come help. I figured we could go to the zoo before coming back Sunday morning.”

“But, I have to work this weekend,” Annie said, laying her fork across her plate as she finished her chicken.

“And I have plans with Wesley,” Isabel added, ignoring her sister’s scowl.

“I know. I checked the kitchen calendar. The three of us will be doing a girl's day when Tyler and I get back. We’ll have to do a whole family thing another day.”

“Not a whole family day,” Isabel thought almost errantly, her father’s absence hiding just beneath the surface of the discussion.

“Sweet!” Tyler said excitedly, pulling her focus back. “I love hanging out at Granny’s. She’s always got homemade cookies! I’ll get to eat them all, and you won’t get any,” he smirked at his older sisters.

The twins rolled their eyes as their mother gave him a reprimanding look. “So I’m trusting the two of you to behave yourselves while I’m gone. No parties or anything else you know I wouldn’t approve of.”

“Well, I guess we should cancel that beer order, sis,” Annie joked.

“Very funny,” her mother replied, pretending to give her daughter a stern look.

Annie grinned and shrugged. “We’ll be fine, Mom, don’t worry.”

“So are we really not going to try to throw a party this weekend?” she whispered later while the siblings cleared the table.

Isabel raised a disbelieving brow. “You know we can’t. I’m sure Helen and Jenna will check in, and Stefano and Chuck would have our butts if we tried anything.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Annie said sadly as she scraped the plates into the trash can. “It would have been fun, though.”

Isabel opened the cabinet for the Tupperware to start storing the leftovers as her sister set the dirty plates in the sink. “Do you mind finishing up for me? I kind of need to go.”

“Why? Do you have another date with Wesley tonight?” Annie asked in exasperation, disapproval clear in her voice. “Tucker seriously picked the worst time to get sick,” she carped to herself. This would make three dates since he was supposed to tell her.

Isabel pulled the lids off the containers with a little more force than necessary. “No, Annie,” she grated. “I do not have a date with Wesley tonight, but he is coming with us to the dance hall tomorrow.” Annie’s dislike of Wesley was really starting to make her angry. She couldn’t even talk about him around her.

“Well, that’s going to be a real downer. You know, you really could find someone else to date.”

“Why, Annie?!”

“Nothing…I just kind of wish you hadn’t stopped being so picky. I mean, why lower your standards now? Why Wesley?”

“Because I like Wesley, and I’m not lowering my standards! I like being around him. He’s nice.”

“Is he, sis? Don’t you think it’s weird that none of your best friends seem to like him? Don’t you think there’s a reason behind that?”

Isabel faltered with that comment. She really didn’t understand why her friends didn’t like her boyfriend, or at least the guy who was on the fast track to becoming her boyfriend. He hadn’t officially asked her yet.

“Well, you’re the only one who gives me grief about it,” she said quietly.

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