“Carla.” Lauren’s dad was obviously trying to steer the Titanic away from the iceberg. It didn’t help that the iceberg itched for the collision.
“Mom,” Lauren whispered, her attention lingering on Sylvie’s mother. The elder Campos had Sylvie’s fine, heart shaped face and expressive honey eyes - even if they were concealed behind colored contacts. She turned toward her own mother. “You don’t want a viral moment.”
Ms. Campos smirked before shifting her attention to her stout husband. “I heard she had a viral moment back in high school, though that was well before social media. Mononucleosis was quite the popular party favor when Carla was around.”
Lauren glared at her, but forced herself to keep her mouth shut. It would hurt her mom’s chances at the competitive city council seat just as much if Lauren was the one engaged in the argument.
Lauren’s mother’s reply was a shriek of laughter.
Oh, no. We’re getting into dangerous territory. She glanced at her father with wide, pleading eyes. Steer away! Steer away!
“I remember that year,” Carla Machado agreed, her smile chilling. It was the harbinger of a death blow. “What was his name? You remember that boy that stood you up for prom?” She made a show of trying to recall. “Oh, yeah. Bobby.” She smiled as if enveloped by the warmest memory. “Oof, was he worth that sore throat.”
Sylvie’s mother started to lunge, but her husband caught her by the waist. Lauren wondered if he practiced those moves in his garage. His hands were like lightning.
“Let’s go mom. Jenny got us a table,” Lauren said as she blocked her mother’s view of Sylvie’s mother with her body. Maybe if she broke their eye contact she could snap her mother back to her senses. “You don’t need her drama,” she whispered when her mother wouldn’t move.
“Vamos, Barbara,” Sylvie’s dad whispered loudly. He was probably having a hard time dislodging his own anchor.
As they struggled to get the grown women in their late fifties to stop throwing barbs at each other like hormonal teens, Lauren had a glaring moment of clarity.
Is this how ridiculous Sylvie and I look?
Lauren grabbed one of her mother’s arms while her father took the other. They managed to turn the warhead away from Barbara Campos, but the old anger coursing through her body made her rigid.
Glancing back at the Campos’, Lauren confirmed her suspicion. Ms. Campos was still standing there glaring with Mr. Campos’ arm firmly around her waist.
Lauren couldn’t imagine feuding with Sylvie for another twenty years. It was such a waste of energy. Energy she was sure could be better spent for better returns.