Chapter 21
That’s it. My family was nuts. Just when everything was finally going well in my life, Ryan had to get dramatic and call a family meeting. Which obviously cut our skating time short, because that’s what Sinclairs did when someone called an FM—drop everything and get to the binder.
I never even got a funnel cake.
“Why is a family meeting such a big deal, again?” Nick’s voice was low in my ear as we crammed onto the couch alongside Ryan and Lydia. He’d been quiet the entire ride home from the rink, as had most of us.
Family meetings didn’t play.
“You’ll see.” I let out a sigh as I wiggled into a more comfortable position and toed off my boots. “I apologize in advance.”
“You’re not going to hold me down and Christmas me again, are you?” His panicked whisper seemed only half joking.
I choked back a giggle. “That would be preferable to what’s ahead, I assure you.”
“Are we ready to begin?” Dad’s solemn voice quieted even Janie and Mason, who were sitting cross-legged with Olivia on the floor by the Christmas tree.
Dad and Mom sat on stools in front of the stocking-adorned fireplace—yes, stools, like we were about to vote on new city curfews or park equipment or something.
Mom had the official Family Meeting Binder in hand, the one with the floral pattern and the tired, creased spine that had seen many meetings over the decades.
And Kat hadn’t even gotten up from the recliner since we all barged in roughly ten minutes ago, talking over one another in our confusion about Ryan’s demand. She’d simply paused her movie with a scowl and tightened her ponytail.
No one escaped a family meeting.
“Why are we doing this, again?” Chloe frowned, her arched brows pinching together as she leaned into Axel’s shoulder from their snuggled spot on the loveseat. “Ryan saw something?”
“ Heard something.” Ryan leaned forward, which crowded my legs. I scooted closer to Nick.
Nick draped one arm along the back of the couch behind me, his posture noticeably stiffer. I shot him a questioning glance, but he was watching Mom and Dad, worrying his bottom lip.
“As always, let’s start with blessings.” Mom tapped the binder. “I have the list from our last meeting right here.”
We all groaned in sync. Axel perked up. “Blessings? Like, things we’re grateful for?”
Chloe nodded. “Every family meeting is like one giant Thanksgiving dinner.”
“It’s to help remember we’re all a unit. One team.” Dad nodded briskly.
“And that there are always more good things happening than bad.” Mom uncapped her pen. “Who wants to go first? Oh, never mind. I will. I’m blessed that we’re all here together this Christmas.” She wrote with a flourish. “Thomas?”
Dad nodded again. “Same.”
“He does that every time,” I whispered to Nick.
Mom pursed her lips as if she wanted to argue, but, miraculously this time, she didn’t. “Fine. Next?”
Janie raised her hand. “Candy.”
“Basketball.” Mason fist-pumped the air.
Olivia shot Mom and Dad a wide-eyed look. Then smiled down at her kids. “Family.”
“We can’t all put the same thing.” Kat rolled her eyes. “Is anyone creative in this family?”
“I am.” Chloe sat up a little straighter and smiled. “I’m grateful that my last social media reel went viral.” She lifted her chin with pride.
Kat scowled. “That doesn’t count—”
“Next!” Mom barked. Then she stopped, pen hovering over the binder. “Actually, I think we should probably skip this and get to it, Thomas.”
Whoa.
Ryan shot me a look just as my gaze automatically went to find his. Skip the blessings? This was serious.
“You’re right. I think there’s been some confusion.” Dad looked at Mom, then met Ryan’s gaze. He squinted. “And it’s time we get to the bottom of it.”
“What confusion?” Olivia frowned. Then her eyebrows practically darted off her forehead into her hair. “Oh no—Mom, is this about your health? I was right, wasn’t I?” Her voice cracked.
My heart pitched in my chest. What? Surely we’d have known. But Olivia knew, didn’t she? Had I really been so caught up in revenge plans and operations that I hadn’t even noticed my own mother—
Mom coughed into her elbow and Ryan lurched to his feet. “See!” He pointed at Mom. “I told you!”
“Babe.” Lydia grabbed Ryan’s arm and tugged him back down with a quick shake of her head. Next to me, Nick loudly cleared his throat.
“Grandma’s sick?” Mason and Janie exchanged panicked glances. “Are you going to the hospital? What about Christmas?”
“Whoa, Mrs. S. I had no idea.” Axel’s expression pinched with concern. “Can I make you some soup?”
Kat chuckled from the recliner.
“No one is sick, guys.” Dad held up both hands, his confident tone restoring order. He hooked one shoe on the stool footrest. “Let’s take a breath.”
Lydia nudged Ryan in the side, effectively shutting his mouth from whatever he’d been about to argue.
I reached across my chest to clutch Nick’s hand that was resting on my shoulder, releasing a shaky sigh. Talk about a roller coaster. “So, what is this about, then?”
“Yeah.” Ryan braced his elbows on his knees. “I know what I heard tonight.”
“And what I heard last week.” Olivia raised her hand, nearly knocking Mason in the forehead.
“I kind of feel like I shouldn’t be here.” Nick’s words, so quiet I barely caught them, murmured into my hair.
I pulled back to look at him. “I promise it’s fine.”
“But I’m not family. All of this sounds like a family-only matter.” He shifted on the cushion, moving his arm back to his side. I immediately missed the warmth.
“Axel is here.” I nodded toward the sofa. “Don’t worry.”
But Nick looked very worried. Was he concerned about Mom’s health too? If so, that was really sweet.
But it didn’t seem like that was it.
“It’s time to tell the truth.” Dad cast Mom another glance and my nerves kicked into high gear. All around the room, my siblings’ faces registered various forms of discomfort and unease.
If it wasn’t about Mom, what was it about?
“I can explain.” Chloe edged away from Axel, sitting up straight and smoothing her short skirt over her leggings. “I don’t know how you guys found out about this, but…it’s me. I’ve been keeping a secret.”
Dad’s eyes narrowed. Mom tilted her head. “What is it, sweetie?”
Chloe lifted her chin, but I still caught the tremor. “I’m quitting UCLA.”
“ What? ” The word exploded from Dad’s lips, followed by the first half of another word he bit back after a quick look at his grandkids.
Mom laid a calming hand on Dad’s arm, much like Lydia always did to Ryan. “You’re quitting school?”
“Ha! It’s his fault.” Ryan pointed to Axel. Yep, there went Lydia’s arm, pushing Ryan’s down.
Axel flinched. “ My fault? I’d do anything for Chloe. This was her decision after I—”
“Chloe, you’re not quitting school. Don’t be stupid.” Kat released a huff from her chair near the sofa.
“Why not? You always tell me I am, anyway.” Chloe sniffed.
Kat’s eyes rounded. “I do not! I think you over-tan and under-apply yourself, but you’re far from dumb. ”
Chloe frowned. “Really?”
“I thought you said you were transferring.” Olivia frowned, pulling her legs up to her chest. “Quitting completely is very different, little sis.”
“Wait. You two knew about this and didn’t say anything?” Mom glanced between Olivia and Kat.
I half-raised my hand in the air. “Chloe mentioned it the other day but said it was no big deal.”
“No big deal?” Mom’s eyes bugged.
I shrugged. “We had bigger fish to fry at the moment.” Probably not a good idea to mention said fish was my love life. I peeked at Nick, who kept a stoic, unreadable expression.
“Bigger fish to fry than nonrefundable tuition?” Dad choked. “Chloe, you’re midterm.”
Kat winced. “About that…”
“Wait.” Mom waved both hands in the air. “Chloe, we weren’t talking about you when we said it was time to tell the truth.”
Chloe’s face paled under her fake tan. “You weren’t?”
“No. But we obviously do need to talk about school.” Mom elbowed Dad in the side. “Just…later.”
“Fine.” Dad cleared his throat, visibly reining himself in. “Yes. You’re right. Later.” He narrowed his eyes at Axel, who squirmed on the sofa.
“So who were you talking about?” Chloe leaned back against the cushions, crossing her arms over her chest. Axel started to put his arm around her, then quickly removed it as Ryan growled.
“Me.” Kat closed her eyes briefly.
“Oh, come on.” Ryan scoffed. “You only pretend to be mysterious and annoyed. You don’t have any real secrets.”
Kat sighed, then cranked the handle of the leg rest and lurched to an upright position. She turned sideways, lifted the hem of her baggy sweatshirt, and patted one hand against her lower stomach—her definitively rounded lower stomach. “Happy?”
I gasped.
Axel’s eyes widened. “Whoa.”
Mom squealed. “You’re pregnant ?”
Olivia leapt to her feet, using Janie’s head to push off with. “You stinker!” She grabbed Kat into a hug seconds before Chloe and Mom did the same. I jumped up to join them, then held back as Lydia crowded in next.
Ryan shoved his hair off his forehead and grinned. “I take it back, sis. Congrats.”
“Great news.” Dad stood and caught Kat’s hand, palming it between both of his. “I hear I make a pretty good Papa.”
“The best.” Kat wiped at her eyes with her free hand and chuckled. “Now you know why I’ve been so grouchy.”
“Like you need a reason,” Chloe and Ryan said at the same time, to which they received simultaneous reprimands from Axel and Lydia.
I finally weaseled in next to my sister. “That’s awesome.” I pulled her into a brief hug, knowing she’d probably already met her touch quota for one day. “That’s why you bailed on ice skating and horseback riding isn’t it? And the decaf coffee!” I groaned. “I should have known.”
“Exactly.” Kat grinned, then stuck her tongue out at Ryan. “I’m plenty mysterious.”
“Wait. There’s a real baby in there?” Janie stared at Kat’s stomach.