Page 52 of Hale Yes
“I told your father you probably wouldn’t be able to come, but he said we should still call to invite you,” Ma replies, her lips tight, and suddenly, I get it. They don’t really want me there, but Pop insisted I be invited.
Something stubborn rises up in me, and I add a mental spit-shine to my spine. “I’d love to come. When is it?”
It’s almost imperceptible, but I see the disapproval in their eyes, and now I’m even more determined to go. Don’t ask me why. Maybe it’s my way of sayingfuck youto the both of them. They’re being forced to invite me, and I’m damn well going to accept.
“Welllll,” Angelica draws out with mock-sweetness, “I’d love to see you, but the party is couples only. Would you be able to find a date by next weekend?”
“N-next weekend?” I stammer. Shit.
“It’s fine if you can’t come,” Ma pitches in quickly, pretending to be disappointed, though I can see the glee shimmering in her eyes. “I’m sure you’re busy with your work stuff and haven’t had time to make friends.”
Angelica snickers. “Or a boyfriend. Can you even imagine Nicolette with a boyfriend, Ma?” They both laugh like we’re in the middle of an Eddie Murphy standup routine.
My shiny spine dulls in a split second, and I can feel my confidence retreating into itself until it disappears with a pop.
“We’d love to come,” a deep voice says from behind me, and my eyes widen. I recognize that voice. It’s my boss.
He leans down over my shoulder and works his face into the frame of the camera with mine, grinning with a winning white smile. “Hi, I’m Helix, Nicolette’s boyfriend. Is the party on Friday or Saturday?”
Every single one of my mom and sister’s flabbers have been gasted, if their gaping mouths are any indication.
Then Helix hands me a small cup and kisses my cheek. “Here’s your gelato, honey.”
Boyfriend? Honey?
What the actual fuck is going on here?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The baby elephant story
Helix
Yeah, I just did that.
Was it a rash and stupid thing to do? Most likely. Am I sorry? Not one tiny fucking bit.
I walked up just about the time those women, who I assumed were Nicolette’s sister and mother, extended that insincere invitation. I was about to retreat to give her privacy when the mother got that pissy look on her face and commented that the father insisted. Like they wouldn’t have invited a member of their immediate family otherwise.
After that? I eavesdropped without an ounce of shame. Even though I couldn’t see her face, I could tell from Nicolette’s body language that she was shrinking into herself in the face of their verbal jabs.
And that was absolutely unacceptable. So I did the only thing I could do and inserted myself into the situation as Nicolette’s “boyfriend.”
And here we are.
I rest my chin on her shoulder as the two women on the screen flounder for at least twenty seconds before the mother finally answers, “The, um, party is on Saturday evening.”
The sister is scowling like someone pissed on her favorite blanket. “But you really don’t have to come. It’s a long way, and I know this isn’t much notice.”
That makes me wonder how long they’ve been planning this shindig and if they purposely waited until the last minute to invite Nicolette.
“No problem,” I answer with the fakest smile I can muster. “That’s what planes are for, and we wouldn’t miss it for the world. You’re Nicolette’sfamily, after all.” Emphasis onfamilyfor their benefit.
“Okay, well…” the mother says, seeming to be searching for what to say next. She’s not so fucking strong when the person she’s bullying has backup. “I guess that’s that. We’ll see you both next weekend.”
“Just send Nicolette whatever we need to know. Time, location, dress code. I look forward to meeting you all,” I say, and their faces disappear a second later without another word. Coming around the bench, I sit beside Nicolette. “Well, they seemed nice.”
She ignores my sarcasm, her wide-eyed face turning slowly toward me. “What the hell was that, Helix?”
