“Great,” dad said, sharing a secret smile. June pushed another table up against ours. Mr. and Mrs. Kirk went up to order and both James and June sat down. James took the seat directly in front of me surprisingly. I took a bite of my delicious ice cream and let the flavors flow in my mouth and ignored James entirely.
“How are you June, James?” dad asked them. “You started college, didn’t you, June?” he asked her.
“Yeah I did, it’s not very fun, a lot more work but the classes are better.” She smiled. I looked up from my ice cream to sneak a peak at James but he sat there watching me. I couldn’t read his expression but I could tell that the one he had on was fake, which didn’t make much sense because he was frowning. His left eyebrow was the tiniest bit lower, that was his tell, I could always sense his lies by that eyebrow.
“My James, you’ve become quite the handsome boy or, I guess, man now.” Dad laughed, slapping his knee, “Shoot, I forgot napkins, I’ll go get some, don’t say anything too interesting now.” He grinned, leaving us.
“I better go help mom and dad carry everything,” June said exiting as well. I looked at the empty chairs and then at James.
“We’ve been set up,” I announced, pissed, this was seriously about to ruin my eighteenth birthday.
“Yep, I’m surprised they didn’t do it sooner. Two years, they sure waited long,” he responded, crossing his arms over his chest, looking bored.
“It hasn’t been two years,” I told him, feeling very annoyed.
“Yes, it has, we were sixteen then, now were eighteen. Two years,” he stated.
“It’s been a year and eight months,” I corrected him and was mortified by how pathetic I must have sounded. James just looked at me and didn’t say anything. “So, you’re dating Laura now?” I asked, not thinking of anything else to say but needing to change the topic. He nodded, still watching me. “I thought she was Ali’s best friend. That’s kind of low, even for you,” I said, not trying to be mean but the words were just flowing from my mouth.
“What can I say, I’m a jerk,” he admitted. I didn’t disagree like I would have when we were friends. Back then even if he was in the wrong, I always stood by him. “You sure you should eat all that?” he asked, trying to prove his point. I took one last bite and then threw the contents on him, he made me angry by looking pleased at my outburst.
“Why did you have to change?” I asked, my eyes tearing up against my will. “I loved you,” I whispered without thinking and then made my run for it. I couldn’t believe I’d said that, even as I walked to dad who was chatting happily with Mr. Kirk, his ice cream finished. They all saw the tears coming from my eyes and all stopped conversing.
“Dad, I’m ready to go,” I said through a shaky voice. “It was nice to see you all,” I managed to get out, pulling dad’s hand toward the exit. He echoed my bye and followed me out. We passed James who looked shell shocked and sat with the contents of my ice cream and fudge running down his shirt and onto his lap.
“Bye James,” dad said in a clipped tone, looking angry. I continued to wipe at my eyes with the napkin dad had given me.
“Did you all plan that?” I asked him in the car. He didn’t answer, and that was all the answer I needed.
“How could you? And on my birthday! This has been the second worst birthday ever and only because mom and Miguel died on the other one!” I could tell my words hurt him. I saw him flinch beside me as he drove.
“I’m sorry, it’s just been a long time baby girl, and we both noticed you guys have been sad ever since your little fight, we just thought…” He stopped himself short.
“What? That you could make it all better? Is that what you thought because you can’t and for your information, it wasn’t a little fight, it was huge and I don’t want to be friends with him again and tonight just cemented that we never will be,” I said, the tears stopping and my anger coming out.
“What happened between you two that was so bad?” dad asked, worried.
“A lot, but basically Gert told him it was me or them, and he chose them,” I told him, pissed. How could she? She was my sister, well step-sister but still, how could she!
“Gert, as in our Gert?” he asked, shocked into silence.
“How many Gerts do you know?” I asked sarcastically. I’d spoken about it for the first time and it was to dad; I’d also tattled on Gert but I didn’t really care. Dad and I didn’t speak for the rest of the ride home, from the expression on his face he was horrified. Dad knocked on my door just as I was about to go to bed, he came in quietly and sat on the end of my bed.
“I’m sorry I ruined your birthday,” he said, looking miserable.
“No dad, you didn’t ruin it. You were just trying to help and that’s what matters, besides the crepes and ice cream was great, and I always love when it’s just the two of us,” I told him putting my hand on his.
“I love you baby and I wish we could spend more time together but I’m going to London for a couple of days on business but when I get back, we’ll hang out just you and me and I’ll make up for your birthday. I promise.”
“Okay, when are you leaving?” I asked feeling down, I hated it when he left.
“Tomorrow but I’ll be back by next Friday latest, okay hon?” he asked.
“As long as you’re safe.” I nodded. A part of me was always terrified he wouldn’t come back and he’d get
