Page 93 of Misconception (Unrequited 2)

Michaela

Ileaned into Mo, content and full of barbecue on this late summer evening. Astrid had taken the kids inside to get ready for bed, giving Rosa a bit of a break after chasing them all day. Although, I’d never seen my sister-in-law tired.

“This day has been perfect,” I murmured to Mo while the others were immersed in conversation.

He brushed my hair aside. “Yeah?”

“Mmhmm.”

He nodded, glancing around the darkening yard and my family discussing the latest K-Pop craze. “You’re right. Not too much I’d complain about.”

“Oh, so you do havesomethingto complain about?” I teased.

“I mean, Logan stealing my watermelon was pretty fucking lame.”

His answer surprised me so much, I barked a loud laugh and nearly peed my pants. Mo’s eyes went wide with shock at the sound of my canine-laughter.

“That’s some laugh, Mic.”

“You want me, you have to take my awkward laughs.”

“I’m just wondering what I have to say to get you to do it again.”

We were in our own world, snuggling together as much as our chairs would allow, so neither of us noticed when the conversation across from us ceased and all eyes landed on us. But then, I felt them staring, and I sadly couldn’t pretend I didn’t.

“What?” I asked.

“Have you given our granddaughter a name yet?” my dad asked.

“No, we haven’t even talked about it.”

Mo squeezed my knee. “I’m gonna vote for nothing biblical unless it’s, like, Sarah. I’m not going to do to my kid what my parents did to me.”

I frowned at him. “I love your name.”

“That’s because you didn’t grow up with it. Try being asked how big your staff is, or if you’d parted the Red Sea all through school—and I’m talking the Urban Dictionary definition. I even get some of that now. I don’t know what my parents were thinking when they chose it.”

“Awww, poor baby Mo.” My fingertips glided over his cheek.

My mother rubbed her hands together. “You must explain what parting the Red Sea means.”

My dad leaned over and whispered in her ear, and I’d never seen Gabrielle Ellis so aghast. She looked like she needed to take to her fainting couch.

“Should I get out the smelling salts?” I giggled at my poor mother, fanning her face.

“Oh, Moses.” She clutched her layers of necklaces. “You poor, poor child.”

For Mo’s part, he looked absolutely stricken for having upset my mother so deeply. What he didn’t realize was Gabby didn’t do anything small, including her reactions. She’d recover from this terrible shock in moments, then move onto her next drama.

“I survived,” he said.

“I’m guessing Hepzibah is off the table?” Ansel offered.

“You make it sound like Hepzibah was ever on the table,” I said.

He lifted a meaty shoulder. “Has a certain ring to it. And you know how famous people are. Always naming their kids Apple and Moxie Crimefighter. You gotta keep up.”

“Our child isn’t a celebrity,” I said.

---