Page 10 of Kortlek

Dad slowly unwraps his arms from me, pressing a kiss to my forehead and bending down to pick up and clean up the mess Mom created when she dropped the wooden spoon. I take a quick glance at the table and see that it’s already set for the five of us.

“Are we expecting anyone else?”

“Yeah, Cove’s coming,’’ Arlo adds, going to reach for another set of utensils and plates.

My brow twitches in annoyance, but I hold my tongue back. Speaking recklessly will provoke Arlo to probe and question me until I cave in, so instead of showing how that sentence alone pissed me off, I simply nod and help him out.

Dad opens a bottle of whiskey, pouring a glass for everyone except me. For me, he gets some sparkling water, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Mom softly grabs my arm and pulls me to the stove, giving me a new wooden spoon to stir the deliciously smelling chicken soup she’s been making.

“You’re acting weird,’’ she notes, adding some spices and grabbing a spoon to taste it.

“Weird how?”

“When you were seventeen, you vowed never to dye your hair,’’ she hums at the taste, putting the spoon in the sink, then turning her attention to me fully. Dad, Arlo, and Blair are at a safe distance from us, engrossed in their own conversation and too busy to eavesdrop.

“I was seventeen,’’ I chuckle. “Don’t take it too seriously.’’

Her deep brown eyes narrow at me, and I know she doesn’t believe a word I’m saying. She’s been quiet for the past couple of days, but I think she’s finally reached her limit. She takes a deep breath and steps forward, placing her hand on my shoulder.

“You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

“I know, thank you,’’ I smile. “But I’m fine. Completely fine.’’

“You’re lying. Why?”

“Okay, I really don’t want to talk about it, and besides, it’s nothing dramatic or life-changing. I’m just in a mood, alright?”

She holds my gaze for a moment longer, though it doesn’t look like she’ll back down anytime soon. She removes her hand from my shoulder, placing both of hers on her hips and giving me a stern look. Immediately, I came up with a semi-lie.

It’s a lie because it’s not the reason I’ve been acting odd, but also not a lie because I’m still hung up on knowing where the next Kortlek games will be held, and I have every intention of attending the game.

“Okay, promise not to freak out?”

She just gives me a stern look.

“I’m sick and tired of being excluded from the games.’’

Mom’s eyes soften a fraction, and a small smile is on her lips. “Oh, sweetheart. You should’ve just said so; no need to go and change your entire personality.’’

I chuckle. “Yeah, easier said than done. Arlo’s adamant on never letting me be a part of it.’’

“For a reason, sweetheart,’’ she takes another step forward, quickly fixing my hair. She pushes a fallen strand of my hair behind my ear, her hand lingering on my cheek. “But, you’re an adult. He can’t command you or order you around. I raised you to be an independent person and not to answer to anybody. So, if you’re that curious…’’

My eyes slightly widened. “Yes?”

Mom leans in and whispers. “I’ll get you the address and the date.’’

My eyes light up in excitement, the whole Cove ordeal immediately shoved at the back of my head. I start feeling giddy, a wide smile tugging on the corner of my lips. I give mom a tight, bone-crushing hug, and she laughs.

“Thank you, Mom. You’re the best.’’

“Yes, yes, I am,’’ she chuckles, kissing my cheek and turning back to the stove. “Now stop moping around; go sit down; lunch will be ready soon.’’

I sit down next to Blair, and Dad immediately flings his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer. He continues to talk with Arlo, and from what I can gather, it’s mainly about business, recent missions, and what they have to do within the next month. During all of this, Blair seems oddly bored, though I don’t comment on it. I can understand why she finds all the details and all the mundane aspects of the job boring. I find them boring, too.

Soon enough, Mom puts the food on the table, and the business conversation comes to an end. Blair and Arlo sit on one side of the table, Mom and Dad at the head, and the spot next to me is empty. A feeling of dread washes over me when I remember that Cove is joining us.

As if on cue, the front door of the house opens, then closes softly. Judging by the footsteps, I can immediately tell it’s Cove. Mom smiles widely and stands up to wait for him. Once he steps into the dining room, she is all over him, touching his face, turning it every which way to inspect for any injuries, giving him a stern look, and making sure he’s not in pain.

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