“Morning, Na-Nana.”
“Morning, Precious,” Evelyn replied, kissing Saura’s forehead before she walked back to Nari, who sat opposite of me. Her hair was slicked back into a ponytail, and she wore a deep orange sweater and brown trousers. Evelyn glanced to the door, wondering where her husband was. “Where’s Jason?”
“He got called into the city. Apparently, the market is going a little crazy,” Nari replied, taking her seat on the other side of Sedric. Uncle Neal sat at the head, to the right of Evelyn.
I noticed that, because Ethan and Dona weren’t here, the table seating had changed.
Ethan normally sat at the head. His wife would sit to the right, Nana to the left, and Dona beside her. Wyatt was never here, but he would have sat on the right, next to Ethan’s wife, until…Nana wasn’t here, then he’d sit on the left of Ethan.
The Callahan family table was a hierarchy. And Evelyn enforced it strictly.
So while Nari was older than Sedric, she actually moved down and Sedric up after she got married to Jason. I knew the same would happen to me eventually, but it was kind of weird now because I always knew I could count on Dona breaking the rules and sitting near me just to chat because she was “bored.”
If I was married to Wyatt, I’d actually end up sitting ahead of my father—What the hell was I thinking? That was impossible. It’s wrong..Helen. Don’t cause any more problems than you have already.
“Is it about last night’s shootings?” Nana asked before looking to O’Phelan to start bringing out the food. “Have they announced who died?”
“Governor Orton’s wife, Brigitte Orton. Major Gutpa’s wife, Fatimah Gutpa, along with his grandmother. Commissioner McCoy lost his two teenage sons, and Chief Mataka lost her granddaughter,” Wyatt answered as he came in, and I immediately looked away, picking up my water as he moved to his seat ahead of my father. Evelyn most likely sat in the head chair to remind everyone, even the staff, that Wyatt was not the head of this family. That spot was for Ethan…knowing Wyatt, he probably preferred it that way.
“There were a few others, but those are the only ones we should really pretend to care about,” Wyatt said, tearing apart the bread O’Phelan had placed on his plate.
“How sad, I’ll have flowers sent—”
“I already had them sent,” Wyatt said with a grin. Evelyn looked at him for a long time; he looked right back at her. But they didn’t say anything else on the matter. Instead, Evelyn cast her gaze on Darcy, then Sedric.
“You two have a big day today. I’m looking forward to your press conference.”
“Is it in good taste to do it after what happened last night?” Aunt Mina asked, sipping her tea slowly. “We wouldn’t want to look insensitive.”
“Actually, it helps our cause,” Darcy replied while pouring milk into his coffee. “The whole reason Sedric and I are planning it is wanting to do more, because life is short. Last night only further emphasizes that. If they still don’t get it, one of us will make sure to offer our deepest, fakest condolences to those who lost their lives in last night’s senseless massacre.”
Sarcasm dripped off his voice, making Wyatt snicker as he looked down at Darcy. However, I was right between them, and because I was overly conscious of him, our eyes met. Whatever dark joke he was going to make faded away as he looked at me. For a second it looked like he was scowling at me. I wanted to look away, but if I did he’d know I remembered. So I just gave him a surprised look and mouthed, “What?” Annoyed, he looked away.
“What’s wrong with Wyatt?” my mother whispered to me.
“I have no idea.” I shrugged.
She looked back over at him but then shrugged it off, asking, “Wyatt, are you going to be at the press conference, too?”
“Nope, I’m going to the barber shop.”
I didn’t listen any further than that, and my father and Uncle Neal started to speak about how in their day…blah…blah…we’re gods…blah…blah.
I didn’t have time to go down memory lane with them. I was panicking!
How the fuck was I supposed to make us go back to normal?!
I didn’t want to lose Wyatt or this family.
I didn’t want to lose my place at this table.
This was my home.
He’ll never let me step out of the cousin zone. I have to let it go. Get over this stupid crush before I end up screwing up everything.
WYATT
“The latest numbers, David, the death count has risen to thirty-seven, with forty more people, ages ranging from seven to seventy-seven, who were critically wounded after a series of drive-bys throughout the city and state last night. Among the dead are both wives of the current governor and mayor. People are shaken and confused, wondering why this happened…how this happened. So far, local authorities have not been able to release a motive. The FBI has been notified, and the president has released a statement, which in part reads, I’m deeply saddened by the news of last night’s massacres. Chicago, which had finally reached peace and stability after so long, was shaken to its core. My heart and prayers go out to all who were so tragically affected, and I’ve spoken directly with Governor Orton and Mayor Gutpa to let them know that anything they may need during this time will find its way to them. There will be justice for this. Those are the words of President Tarleton, David. The White House has stated that President Tarleton will make a visit to Chicago some time later this week to speak to the victims directly.”
God her voice is annoying, I couldn’t help but think as I listened to the television playing behind
