6. Biscuits & Gravy with Extra Sausage
Tracing a line around the entire edge, I slather it everywhere with the lid the best I can. I push the gas cap closed and hold it there for a moment. When I saw Jared’s car in the parking lot, I double checked the license plate and ran back to grab the super glue in my car. It’s petty, but the thought of him stranded at whatever gas station, unable to fill his tank, makes me giggle. I step back and press on the edge of the metal circle. When it doesn’t pop back up, I grin and head into the country club, tossing the glue into the trash can.
I make it a few steps into the front lobby before I pause and shake out my hands. I’m not a coward, but dealing with my mother is exhausting, and she isn’t someone I particularly want to deal with today. Not after I was thoroughly fucked last night to the point that I can still feel the twinge between my legs and his cum on my lips.
“You need anything, ma’am?” the host asks me after watching my minor freakout.
I groan and respond so quietly, I doubt she hears. “A stiff drink.”
She smiles and nods. A minute later, a thin flute is handed to me. It isn’t strong enough, but it packs enough punch to fuel my walk to the table. I chug the mimosa quickly, giving her a grateful smile as I make my way in.
When I get to our usual spot on the outside patio, I’m thankful my brother Nick has saved me a seat next to him. Unfortunately, that means I’m directly across from my home wrecker of a sister and my cheating ex-fiancé on one side of her, with my vile snake of a mother on the other. My dad sits at the end, the peacemaker of our constant family divide.
I step up to the chair, pulling it out and letting it scrape across the floor as all conversation dies. Dropping into the seat, I kiss my dad”s cheek and glance at Nick.
“Thanks for saving a seat for me. I know I can always count on you,” I say to my brother.
He smirks, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Anything for you.”
“What have you done to your hair? Sunglasses off, Jenica,” my mother snaps, fiddling with the menu.
“Of course, Mother.” I roll my eyes, sliding my glasses on top of my head. “And I wanted something new, you don’t like it?”
She scoffs, turning back to the menu as if she won’t order the same small bowl of fruit and half a salmon like she always does. I know she’s upset I got rid of the blonde, a family trait that we all have. They all have blue eyes as well, while mine are more hazel. I grab my menu, deciding to get something else for once. “Haven’t ordered yet?”
“No, darling. Just drinks,” my dad answers, grabbing the pitcher of mimosas and filling the empty flute in front of me.
Jared and Amber haven’t said a word or acknowledged my presence, but I can feel Jared’s eyes on me, and I can see the tilt of my sister’s head as she keeps her attention on the table.
“Good, I’m starving. I had a very long night,” I say, looking over the food options.
Nick snickers into his drink. “Do share.”
I bite back my smile and send silent thanks for support to my brother. He’s always been one of my best friends, and I think it’s because he and I are like our father, while Amber takes after our mother. Surprise, surprise. We can’t stand either of them.
“I’ll tell you all the dirty details later.”
My dad coughs, smothering his curiosity, and my mother lets out a loud, disapproving sigh.
“Were we all ready to order?” the server asks, gracefully saving us from one of my mother”s tedious lectures about appropriate public conversation.
I sit up, smiling at him, eager to order first. “Yes, I’ll take the biscuits and gravy. Can we add extra sausage? I love as much meat as I can get in my mouth. Oh, and extra gravy as well, I want it like dripping with every bite.”
His face flashes red, and Nick makes a strangled noise from the back of his throat.
“Jenica!” my mother scolds.
“I understand the allure of a good wiener and tasty sauce,” Nick adds, his tone drenched with amusement.
“Nicholas!” my mother hisses.
My dad takes the time to clear his throat and give his order. Nick and I exchange knowing glances and let the rest of the table order in peace. Once the server is out of earshot, my mother turns her wrath on us.
“That was incredibly distasteful.” She rubs her temple. “Imagine if someone had overheard you, what would they think?”
I sip on my drink and flip my sunglasses back down as I look over the patio. “Hopefully something like... Good for her, knowing what she wants, sampling what the world has to offer.”
Jared slams a hand onto the table, but I don’t dare look his way. Amber still refuses to move or say anything as well. It’s getting harder to continue to focus my attention on my mother.
Nick hums. “Speaking of that, I’m interested in what—or I guess who you were sampling last night.”
“A blue-horned devil.” I smile at him. Nick sits up straighter, staring back at me with his curiosity almost tangible. He tilts his head as he tries to figure out who I mean by that when my mother’s clicking tongue has us turning to her.
“Can we refrain from this kind of talk?” she asks tiredly.
“Sure, Mother. How about we go back to whatever you were talking about before I arrived,” I say.
The table goes silent, and there’s a tension that has my mouth drying. I clench my drink harder.
“Let’s all not talk at once now,” I add hoarsely, followed by a humorless chuckle and shrug.
Jared clears his throat. “I asked Amber to marry me.”
I snap my head to him, both of their eyes cast downward. The cowards won’t even look at me. “Are you serious?”
Amber whimpers, tucking herself into Jared’s shoulder and he stiffens, not moving to comfort his new fiancé. He looks up at me with a grim expression and I scowl at him.
“Was this before or after you begged me to take you back and said that you needed and supposedly loved me?” I hiss at him, then I look at the hand wrapped over his arm as she leans into him and laugh. “Oh my god. You didn’t even get a new ring?”
Amber lets out a sob and quickly gets up from her seat, running to where the restrooms are located.
“Now look what you”ve done, Jenica.” My mother huffs, shaking her head.
I jerk back, staring at her. “Me?”
Setting down the glass slowly, I’m so close to smashing it into one of their faces. “What have I done, Mother? I have done nothing. I am not the one who cheated, I am not the one begging to be taken back, and I sure as fuck am not the one who clearly can’t accept the consequences of their actions.”
I snap my wrist in the direction my sister ran off, glaring at my mother and Jared, and then continue. “That is her own guilt. I do not need to hold back anything I say, nor do I have to comfort her. She betrayed me.”
My mother looks at me, the cold malice in her eyes stabbing me like a sword. “This is a delicate situation. It does no one any good to act so harshly.”
“Perhaps we should discuss this at home,” my father interrupts, trying to pacify us both.
“That’s no longer my home,” I say, ignoring the flinch on his face as my mother’s eyes turn even more glacial and she tilts her chin up. Nick is shifting in his seat, and I move to lean over the table to ensure she doesn’t miss a word as I speak to my father. “That stopped being my home when your delusional bitch of a wife chose the cheating whore over me. I am the victim in this delicate situation.”
“Jenica,” my father warns. I know I’m testing his patience. For whatever reason that we can’t possibly understand, he loves my mother, and won’t stand for her being disrespected.
I toss the cloth napkin I had laid across my lap onto the table. My throat aches from the strength to withhold my tears as I glance at my parents. “I’m your daughter too. And what she did to me, what they’ve both done to me…”
I blink up at the blue sky, swallowing the lump that’s formed and then shake my head. “I’ll never understand how you couldn’t take my side.”
My mother sighs, her lips tight with annoyance. “We don’t take sides in family matters, Jenica.”
“She stopped being my family when she slept with my fiancé,” I spit out. I point a shaking finger at Jared. “And he became unworthy of joining this family the minute he fucked my sister while being engaged to me.”
“Jenica, Sweetheart—” my father starts to say. and I move around my chair, waving him off.
“Forget it. I shouldn’t have to beg people who supposedly care about me to see why this hurts.” I kiss my brother on his cheek and squeeze his shoulder. “Call me later.”
He grabs my wrist, his pitying gaze locking with mine. I give him a small smile that says it’s okay to stay. Our father invested heavily in his new app. He can’t exactly cut ties with the man who holds the financial strings to his future.