42. Family Fun Night
FAMILY FUN NIGHT
I sit in the middle of Conner and Charlotte.
She hands me the red controller and tells me how to hold it.
I listen as she explains when to push down on the button at a specific time for a speed boost. Conner leans back, the strap of the controller around his finger, spinning it.
His other hand rests on my back, and I sit up straighter.
Noah crouches on the lounge, his feet sinking into the cushions. Mr and Mrs Jones sit on the other side. Mrs Jones doesn’t have a controller, but she holds a camera. I blink when the flash goes off after she aims the camera toward Conner and me.
“I found out what your name means,” Charlotte says with glee.
I smile encouragingly at her.
“It means the Beauty of God. At least, that’s what Google says.”
The beauty of God. I grimace at the thought. I wonder if Mum and Dad knew the meaning and who out of the two named me.
“Thank you for telling me.”
I raise the controller and say, “Wish me luck.”
“Hold it now,” Charlotte says when it counts down to two.
I press the button, and when it says GO, smoke puffs out from behind while the other cars and bikes zoom ahead. Conner chuckles, and I’m a little embarrassed as I chug along behind the speed racers.
“Tilt left and right and make sure you get the boxes.”
I missed the first two boxes. I overshot it and hit the wall the first time.
The controller is sensitive. The second time, the car in front of me with this character in a pink dress hit the box before I could get to it with my green elf beanie and tunic.
My character is coming last, and I think – aside from my horrible driving—that it is because I keep hitting random green shells and bananas.
“They are the worst,” Charlotte says with a shake of her head.
I jolt, leaning forward when I finally hit a box.
It randomises before a bullet with eyes appears.
Charlotte points to the arrow button and tells me to push it.
I then turn into a bullet, and at first, I think I’m steering better until Conner laughs, telling me I don’t have to steer it when I’m in bullet form.
I press my lips inwards and prepare myself for when I get out of that form.
“Dog!” Noah barks, kicking Conner.
“Stop bum-rushing me, then,” Conner laughs.
“I was beside you, not behind you,” Noah seethes. “This game is rigged A.F.”
“Noah,” Mr and Mrs Jones chastise.
“What! Conner started—Dog, enough with the red shells!” Noah slams his feet into Conner’s arm while Conner laughs, unbothered by his brother lashing out.
While they are on a mission to one-up each other, I bypass a few, coming in sixth now. Although I’m still behind them as they are coming second and third, Mr Jones is fourth, respectively, keeping his distance from them.
Conner passes a monster character with a shell and spikes on its back, coming in first. I hit another box, and it randomises before a blue shell with wings pops onto the screen.
I look at Charlotte and ask, “What’s this one?”
“Do it,” she says, grinning.
“Wh—no, baby,” Conner says as he shakes his head. “Use it after I get over the finish line. It won’t work until I complete it.”
“He’s lying!” Noah barks.
I push the arrow, and the blue shell flies away. A red indicator blinks on Conner’s character, and he looks defeated when the massive explosion slams into him, stunning him.
Noah stands on the couch, pointing toward the TV. “How did I get hit?!”
Conner laughs and says, “Because you’re up my arse all the time!”
“Wh—Mum, did you see that?” Noah complains. “I was nowhere near Conner!”
“I win!” Mr Jones announces.
Conner comes second, and Noah comes fourth, muttering to himself. I came sixth, but I don’t think much happened to me. However, it looked like chaos where Conner, Noah, and Mr Jones were. I wouldn’t want to be there. That’s where the family feud lives.
“Here,” I say to Charlotte, handing her the controller.
“I’m going to sit out of this one,” Conner declares.
He leans over, handing Mrs Jones his controller. She smiles appreciatively.
They go into another game mode… thing… called Rainbow Road. There aren’t any walls, and I am glad I sat out because I’d have run off the edge a lot.
“Are you having fun?” Conner asks.
I perk up, smile, and answer, “Yes.”
Conner shifts on the couch, and I assume he is growing nearer. I lean away, and as I do so, his hazel eyes soften. He sits back more comfortably, and my body relaxes slightly.
“Sorry,” Conner murmurs.
I flick a look at Noah barking at the TV before turning my attention to Conner and saying, “About what?”
“Sometimes, I get a little excited about being near you,” he says.
His voice is so soft that I have to strain my ears.
However, I know it’s because he doesn’t want his voice to carry further.
“It’s something I need to be better at. I’ve noticed you flinch whenever I touch you in public.
You don’t like affection, and you often get embarrassed.
I get it, so I need to do better at controlling my affection,”—he smirks—“at least in public.”
I smile while resting my hand on the back of his hand. “We can work on it together. We’re a team.”
Charlotte jumps up, a grin on her face, when she comes first. I give her a high-five. Then, she sticks her tongue out at Noah after he falls off the rainbow road again, forcing this cloud to help him back up.
“I win!” Charlotte announces. “Your turn, Noya.”
“I think my controller is broken,” Noah claims. “First, it thinks I was close to Conner. Now it keeps making me fall off the map.”
He tosses the controller onto Conner’s lap and leans toward Mr Jones. “Dad, give me yours…” Mr Jones eyes him, forcing Noah to say, “Please.”
Mrs Jones hands Noah the controller and stands. “Dinner is nearly ready. I will set the table.”
“Do you need any help?” Mr Jones asks. “I can get one of the boys to help.”
“Wh—Dad!” Noah barks. “I need to beat Conner.”
“Did I say your name?” Mr Jones questions.
“Yes. Literally. Conner is here with his girlfriend, which only leaves me.”
“It’s all right. Enjoy your games,” Mrs Jones says with a hint of laughter.
Part of me wants to offer my services, yet the mere thought of trying to help in a field I’m not very good at scares me more than staying silent and watching Mrs Jones leave the lounge room.
If she asks me for a staple ingredient, would I know where it’s located or what it looks like?
Unless she’s cooking pasta from a tin or two-minute noodles, I am unsure how useful I’ll be in the kitchen.
“We’re starting,” Charlotte says, pointing to the TV.
I hold the controller and push down the button. This time, I don’t stall but speed forward. The rush is getting too much, and I drive off the cliff, but I got the box, so it isn’t too bad.
We play four more games. Charlotte and I pass the controller between each other.
I got the hang of it after the second game when I watched everyone else play.
The way they were tactical, taunting, and egging each other on truly amuses me.
The fear in Noah’s eyes when he saw Conner with a red shell, and the frustration on Conner’s face whenever he didn’t come first, amused me. He truly is a sore loser.
Mrs Jones calls us into the kitchen when dinner is ready.
I check my phone on the way and sigh with relief when there are no new messages or missed calls.
I’m having so much fun that I completely forgot I told Andy we would talk sometime tonight, and I’m certainly not looking forward to that conversation.
I wouldn’t know where to begin or what he has to say for himself.
Even if he apologised and promised never to touch me again, I don’t think we could ever be friends. The thought sickens me.
“You okay?” Conner questions while we sit down. “You kind of went off into your head.”
I blink, noticing him, the surroundings, and that inviting, salivating aroma. “Oh… yeah,” I say, forcing a smile.
The table has glistening plates before each chair. There is a pork roast in the centre, which makes my mouth water at the sight. Roast vegetables around it, with gravy on the side and a garlic bread log.
Sometimes, when I stock the shelves—always near Christmas time—there are massive kilos of pork, lamb, and chicken.
I remember Olivia also got me to chop raw vegetables, toss them in a tray, and place them in the refrigerated section.
Once we started chopping vegetables, the more sales of vegetables we had.
And around Christmas time, the chaos hit the meat section.
I’ve always wanted one. I’d imagine myself sitting at a table like this, surrounded by a loving family. There was no shouting the way it was at home. Vibrancy, love, and a house with no cracks always played in my mind.
Mum would hand over the roast and slide the gravy towards me.
Dad would have a beer in his hands, but it didn’t control him.
A smile would be on his lips, and he’d ask about my day.
No one shouted, screamed, or had food splattered on the ground.
The juice from the roast stayed on the plate, not dripping across the wall.
But here, now, at this moment, I watch the life I wanted to unfold.
Mrs Jones reaches over with the knife, asking how much I want.
Mr Jones helps Charlotte with her drink, and Noah points to the end pieces of garlic bread, already claiming them.
Conner has the tongs, grabbing bits of roast vegetables marinating in meaty juices and putting them on his plate.
And while we eat, they ask me questions.
They aren’t bothered when I pause, cover my mouth as I chew, and they wait until I finish eating to answer.
They call Conner out multiple times whenever he grows too excited, talking with his mouth open.
I feel comfortable and at ease. This family makes me feel more at home than the home I have, and I don’t want it to fade.
I don’t want this moment to fade. And so, I reach for the box with the phone, and while they eat, I ask if I can take a photo of them.
Mr Jones then rises, declaring he hates pictures.
He takes the phone from me while Conner grabs my hand and pulls me into him. I grow red, and my eyes widen in shock.
“Say cheese,” Mr Jones calls.
Charlotte raises her hands, doing the peace sign. Mrs Jones leans back, smiling. Noah reaches for the end piece of the garlic bread but freezes mid-reach to smile. Conner rests his chin on my shoulder, grinning. I sag into him and smile, feeling the embarrassment fade.
“Cheese!”