Page 43 of Doctor Daddy

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. No one expects you to wait on us.”

“But that’s kind of what’s happening. You and Mimi just came in here and demanded that Angela and I start fetching things from the garage so you can make dinner. You went out on the boat all afternoon, and when you got back you were in a huff that we hadn’t made dinner, and you started ordering us around.”

“Well, I’m not your personal cook. You should have taken the responsibility upon yourself to notice we were out late and just started dinner.”

“Mom, that’s never been an expectation from you. You’re changing the rules to fit your narrative.”

“You embarrassed me in front of my friends.”

“And what do you think you did to me in front of Angela? You said I could invite her up here, and then you act like we’re supposed to be working. She’s really upset at how you and Mimi treated us. She’s packing right now. And since we drove up here together in my car, I’m taking her home and not coming back.”

Fuck, she was leaving. I definitely wasn’t going to have a chance at sneaking off with her in the middle of the night now. Howard came down the hall and headed toward the kitchen.

I grabbed his arm and tilted my head in that direction before shaking it. He did not want to walk in on the middle of their argument.

“I think you’re overreacting. I think your friend is overreacting, and that you should have a talk with her.”

“Mom, no I’m not. And if anyone should have a talk with their friend it’s you. Mimi was a total bitch just now.”

“Brooke!”

Peyton appeared moments behind Howard.

“What’s going on? Where’s the beer?” Peyton asked.

“Sounds like a family discussion,” I said.

He let out a long breath and shook his head. “I’ll take care of it.”

Peyton turned the corner into the kitchen.

“We should—” I nodded my head in the direction of the patio.

“Hell no. I want to hear what happens.”

I missed the next few words.

“She’s being unreasonable, Peyton.”

“She’s an adult Karen, and she is sticking up for her friend,” Peyton said.

“And what do you think I’m doing?”

“It will just be easier all around if we leave. You and Mimi can queen bee over everything. Angela and I can focus on our applications.”

What did Brooke mean by her application? I thought only Angela was applying to graduate programs.

“Besides. We both have to be back at work on Monday. We don’t get vacation days. And this isn’t relaxing.”

Brooke stormed down the hall past Howard and me. The glare she gave us, gave me, would have cut through steel. She was angry, she had been mistreated. It hadn’t surprised me one bit that Mimi had been a bitch. She seemed the type to be friendly and act like your best friend unless she didn’t get things done the way she wanted.

I wanted to follow after Brooke. I wanted to soothe her angry brow. I wanted to take her side in this argument. But I was there as her parents’ guest.

“Kids, they can be really ungrateful. Am I right?” Howard asked. He seemed like a much better fit for Mimi than I was. Why wasn’t she fawning on him?

“I wouldn’t know.”

I followed Brooke down the hall. I tapped on her door. Inside she and Angela were shoving clothes into their bags.

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