Page 24 of Unhurried Hearts

Chris’s mom disappears into the kitchen with the dirty glasses before hurrying back for goodbyes.

“Talk about good timing coming home and getting to meet my big brother’s girlfriend,” Carolina says to me.

Girlfriend?

I glance up to Chris, cheeks turning pink and staying that way when he doesn’t correct her. I mean, that’s probably what his parents think too, even though he simply introduced me by name.

“Dad, will you put my bag in my room for me?”

She turns to me again. “I havesomuch laundry to do.”

“I bet. I have no idea how you lived out of a backpack for so long.”

Ted picks up her huge bag but doesn’t seem to know what to do next.

“Carolina,” Ted says.

She looks up at him.

“Your room is now my office,” Sam says.

Her delivery is not at all that delicate. I’ve had enough of my own mother-daughter conflict. I don’t need to witness someone else’s.

“Where am I supposed to stay?”

I try not to listen to anymore of the conversation as I hastily slip on my shoes and escape into the cool night.

***

“When you said you had a sister that was travelling…I didn’t think you meant forthreeyears!”

Chris scratches the back of his neck as he drives, muscles bunching beneath the collar of his sweater.

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a sore spot for my mom. We didn’t expect her to be gone so long and not come home to visit.”

I feel kind of itchy.

Chris continues, “Who the hell leaves their family and doesn’t come back to visit?”

My cheeks burn in the dark of the Jeep.

“Not everyone has the perfect relationship with their family.”

Chris scoffs, blowing over what I’m saying.

“I haven’t been home in a long time…”

“Three years though?”

I swallow. “Longer.”

We’re heading to grab an ice cream but the vibe in the Jeep is tense. Dessert is the last thing I need.

“I guess I can’t imagine that.”

“Good for you.” The sarcastic tone in my voice is biting.

Chris is obviously the golden child in his family, just like Thad’s sons were in mine.

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