Page 90 of Unforgettable

“This is Oz’s page,” she explains. “He just recently hit twenty-six thousand followers.”

My mother’s head snaps up, her eyes widening. “Oz, that is fantastic.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “You don’t even know why they’re following me. I could have my own Onlyfans, for all you know.”

“What’s an Onlyfans?” my dad asks while my sisters snicker in the background.

“It’s clearly got something to do with food,” my mom says, ignoring our commentary and looking back down at the screen.

“Every time Oz has been ‘gallivanting around the country,’” Maddy says, quoting my parents, “he’s been going to food and music festivals.”

I watch my parents’ every facial expression as Maddy explains to them, and my sisters, the ins and outs of Meals and Melodies. How I started, and how well the last two weeks have gone now that I’ve put my new business plan into motion.

It aches to have M and M grow and not have Reeve to share it with, but it’s even more bittersweet to be telling my parents and not have him by my side.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” my dad asks. “You’ve had so many opportunities to tell us. So many opportunities to allow us to be proud of you. Why didn’t you?”

Rubbing the back of my neck, I take the plunge and lay it all out on the table. “You both made it sound conditional,” I explain. “Like you would only be proud if I achieved things that were important to you. Like college and long-term relationships.”

“We didn’t say that,” my mom argues.

“You didn’t not say that. ‘Where’s your boyfriend, Oz? When will you settle down, Oz? What about med school, Oz? It’s never too late for college, Oz,’” I mimic every single thing they’ve ever said to me, and their faces fall.

I ignore the guilt, because I have every intention of making this right with my parents, and in order to do that, I can’t be quiet because I feel guilty for telling them the truth.

“Okay,” my mom corrects. “So we did say that, but, honey, we didn’t mean it. We’ve always wanted you to use your full potential doing whatever it is you want to do.”

She points at Maddy’s phone. “This is a brilliant idea, Oz. And people love it.”

“And you’re making money off it?” my dad asks incredulously.

“I have been,” I answer. “Inconsistent amounts so far, but it’s shaping up to be something big, I think.”

My dad rounds the table and takes the seat beside me. “I know we have our family dinner dates every week, but if there’s a time where we can go to one of these festivals with you, I would love for all of us to come and support you.”

I fight the urge to tell him it’s not necessary, or that it’s no big deal, to downplay my achievements the way I always do. But then I think of Reeve and his insistence that I take more pride in the things I do and love and want, and I nod at my dad. “I would love that.”

“Now, which one of you is going to help me open up an Instagram account so I can follow Oz?”

A wet laugh escapes me, filled with both gratitude and disbelief that even at my lowest, I can still feel overwhelmed by the warmth, love, and pride my family has for me right now.

“I want one too,” my mom says. “There’s no way I’m sharing with your father. I want to be able to see it any time I want.”

I smile for the first time in weeks, feeling like maybe, even with the gaping hole inside my heart, I can move forward.

“We’re all going to need to follow you now,” Dixie says, my sisters now re-joining the conversation.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell anyone else besides Maddy,” Kat adds.

“I’m sorry,” I say to them both. “I really didn’t think it would get this big when I started.”

They each take a turn kissing me on the head, Maddy included.

“All is forgiven, little brother,” Kat says. “All is forgiven.”

For a good half an hour after, there’s a flurry of excitement as my parents each acquire new Instagram accounts. Successfully following four of their children and three of their sons- in-law.

My sisters leave the kitchen, sitting around the television with their partners, while my parents ask me questions on almost every single photo.

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