Page 61 of Faux Real
“Agapyear?” Charles muses, expelling a derisive laugh as he looks at Malcolm. “Children these days, I will never understand.”
“How about you Oliver?” Malcolm asks, his gaze drifting to our clasped hands. “Will you be attending Harvard with Kennedy? I take it you two are—” He blinks. “An item.”
“I’m not—” Oliver begins to say but I cut him off.
Sorry, Knight. I’m taking the reins.
“Ollie’s trying to keep his options open,” I state. “But I’m hoping he’ll stay in the States for college.” I rest my head on his shoulder. “I think the UK hogged him long enough.”
“What are you doing?” Oliver asks under his breath.
“Saving your ass,” I hum. I clear my throat, looking at Corrine. “So, travel? Where do you want to go? When we were little, you mentioned South America, is that still the plan?”
Corrine’s body tenses. “Nothing’s set in stone,Kennedy,” she states in a bitter tone. “Maybe I’ll go to college,we’ll see.”
I frown. Did I say something wrong?
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with taking some time to figure out what you want to do with your life. A gap year’s pretty normal.”
“Well, not everybody plans their entire future when they’refive,” Corrine snaps.
“Uh—”
Is she getting mad at me? Seriously?
“Since you were five?” Charles asks, raising an inquisitive brow. “That is quite impressive. And whatareyour career aspirations?”
“Kennedy wants to be asenator,” Oliver pipes up. “She’s going to change the world, you know, when she’ssixty.”
“Oh, shut up.” I cast him a playful scowl before turning my attention to the grown-ups. “That’s the long-term plan but yes, eventually a senator.”
“Strong ambitions for a teenager,” Charles notes with an approving nod. “Rare to come across these days.”
“Are theseyourambitions, Kenny?” Corrine asks with a bitchy smile. “Or your daddy’s? Didn’t you want to be a—” She pauses, scrunching her nose. “Social worker or something?” My gut clenches. “What happened to that? Hmm?”
“You wanted to be asocial worker?” Charles asks in a condescending tone.
“Oh yeah,” Corrine says. “Kenny was going to help kids from broken homes because you know—” She pouts. “Her mommy left and everything. But a senator’s cool too. Probably way more money, not that you need it.”
“Corrine,” Sawyer says, shaking his head.
“What?” Corrine says, rolling her eyes. “It’s the truth.”
Why?Whydoes she do this?Whydoes she hate me so fucking much? What the hell did I ever do to her? What? I bite the inside of my cheek, my eyes threatening to spill tears.
“It was a phase,” I say, my voice wavering. “I grew out of it.”
“Excuse me, Mr. Redford,” a man with a camera says, thankfully putting an end to that conversation. “Can we get a photo with all of you together?”
“Of course!” Malcolm exclaims. “All right, huddle up!” We all squeeze together for the picture, me and Corrine bookending the shot. “On the count of three, say ‘Family First’.”
“I fucking hate politics,” Oliver mutters as we smile for the camera and take a few shots.
“I hate pictures,” I whisper, trying so dang hard to smile.
“Thank you so much,” Malcolm says, shaking the photographer’s hand. “Please send copies to my office.”
“Well, it has been a pleasure chatting with you all but I’m hungry,” Oliver says, addressing his grandpa. “I think we’ll go get something to eat, yeah?”
