Chapter 29
It’s one thing to lose at the Game of Life, but in real life?
I can’t make the same mistakes. Last night was a reminder that living here with my family is not a winning strategy and definitely not a long-term solution.
But if I want to be able to live on my own, I have to find a way to earn a proper living.
And that can’t happen until I hire Kiki back.
I’ve accepted the fact that I have to lower my standards in order to achieve my goal.
That means being open to any opportunity that comes my way, including the charity event for the sad and unwanted animals Kiki suggested in our last call.
There’s still time to be considered for it. That is, if I can hustle.
After thinking about it for the rest of the week, I come up with an idea that I plan to present to Callie when we meet at the cafe for tea.
Instead of selling my clothes to a consignment store, I decide to propose the idea of sectioning off part of our farmer’s market table for some gently used items. In exchange, I’ll offer half of what I earn from selling my things to the town’s beautification proceeds.
I figure if I have to split the profits with anyone, I’d rather they go to Blaire than a consignment store.
“What are you doing?” I ask when I see Gavin and Mom in the kitchen, hovering over a giant bowl in the sink.
“I’m teaching Gavin kimjang.” Mom smiles affectionately at me.
I smile back at her. At least Mom isn’t reverting to the gender-normative thinking from her day.
Gavin slips on the pink rubber gloves, eager to get started.
It lifts my mood to see Gavin so motivated.
After the botched game night, I would have thought Dad had discouraged his culinary pursuits.
Speaking of…“Where’s Dad?” I ask, realizing he’s nowhere to be found.
“Where do you think?” Mom says, and Gavin nods toward the window, indicating Dad’s whereabouts.
I sigh knowingly. Ever since Dad realized the profitability of kimchi in Blaire, he’s been so extra about it. At least he finally came around to Mom’s idea, which makes her happy. And busy. So busy. Is it possible the bowl has grown in size since we got here?
“Where are you off to?” Gavin eyes me.
“I’m going to meet Callie. Wanna come?” I ask in a mildly playful voice, which Mom doesn’t pick up on but Gavin certainly does. His ears and neck are almost as red as the bag of dried red pepper flakes.
“Nah, I’m going to stay with Mom. Tell her I said hi.”
“Tell her yourself.” I stick out my tongue at him teasingly just before I leave. He smiles, rolling his eyes.
Not too long after, I’m at the cafe with Callie.
Apparently, when she suggested meeting up for tea, she meant actual tea and not, like, the inside scoop on the local goss.
Which is a huge letdown, not gonna lie. We get seated, and the waitress takes our order.
I get chamomile, and Callie gets oolong.
“Is Gavin coming?” Callie asks.
I shake my head. “He’s making kimchi with my mom.”
“Oh, okay.” Callie tries to pretend she’s not disappointed, but the frown on her face tells me otherwise.
Neither of us has addressed the elephant in the room, so I decide to rip the Band-Aid off. “I know he’s my brother and all,” I start slowly, “but I’m also your friend, so I hope that whatever happens between you two doesn’t make things weird between us.”
She sighs, relieved. “I’m so glad you said something. I didn’t know how you’d feel about me and, you know, your brother.” She peers up at me shyly.
“Are you kidding? I wanted this to happen.”
“What a relief. I was worried I’d have to choose between you two, which would be impossible because I like you both so much.”
“But, like, in different ways, right?” I wiggle my brows suggestively.
Her face grows a darker shade right before my eyes. “Elena!” She slaps me playfully. We laugh.
“Of course I’d never make you choose between us. That would hurt me as much as it would the both of you,” I explain. “Gavin and I have never had mutual friends before.”
“Really?” The pitch in her tone is one of genuine surprise. “You two get along so well when we’re together, like it’s natural to be in the same social circle.”
Thinking back, I realize she’s right. “I guess we do get along.” Now.
The teas arrive, and while we wait for them to cool down, we go over the new products we’ll be bringing with us to the farmer’s market next Saturday.
After the rave review I gave Jean on her lavender bath salts and sachets, she’s working on making a small batch to take with us.
Dr. Blaire can make a big tub of honeycomb ice cream but is still working on the lavender-honey combination, since Jean was tied up concocting the other items.
“Maybe we can bring your mom’s kimchi with us instead. Gavin told me she’s made more than your family can eat.”
“What a great idea. I’ll tell her. She’ll be so thrilled.”
“It’s so exciting to see our booth expanding.”
I see this as a segue to suggest my other idea of selling my gently used, name-brand clothes.
“I love the idea of having a section for clothes.”
“Really?” Callie’s enthusiasm for my idea exceeds my expectations.
“I’d rather have the profits go to the beautification fund rather than a consignment store.
But if it’s okay with you, would it be possible to split it fifty-fifty?
It’s just that I want to buy my parents an anniversary gift, and I want to surprise them with something nice,” I add, feeling the need to come up with an explanation.
“Of course you can,” Callie says. “And that’s sweet that you want to surprise them.”
“Er, yeah.” I shift uncomfortably at the lie.
“How long have they been together?”
“Twenty-five years strong,” I say. Although, after last night, I’m not so sure how strong they are.
“Speaking of relationships, that reminds me.” Her expression changes. “Last week at the lab, Brennan mentioned there’s someone he’s interested in.” She presses her lips together, arching her brows high.
I gasp. “Who, me?”
“No, Gavin,” she deadpans, then slaps my shoulder playfully. “Of course you!”
“Do you really think Brennan has a crush on me?” I ask skeptically.
“I mean, there was a time I thought he might have been flirting with me,” I admit to Callie.
“But when I noticed that Brennan acts that way with everyone, not just me, I realized it must be his personality to be overly friendly. If anything, I thought he was interested in you more than in me.”
“There’s no way,” Callie says, not entertaining the thought for a second. “We’re like family. Besides, Brennan said it was someone new to the town. I checked the county registrar’s office. Your family is the only one that moved here in the past three months, so it can’t be anyone else.”
I’m still unconvinced. How can Callie be so sure when Brennan hasn’t shown me any more attention than he’s shown anyone else? Unless…
“I thought we might have had a moment when we were deciding what color to paint the convenience store,” I recall. “Like we were reading each other’s minds thinking about the same color. But that’s ridiculous.” I swat a dismissive hand at Callie. “I mean, it’s just paint, right?”
“Maybe it’s not just paint.” Callie wiggles her brows.
“Maybe it’s not.” I brighten. It’s a good thing Brennan signed up as a volunteer to fix the convenience store. Callie may be onto something.
“But you didn’t hear it from me.” She zips her lips.
“Of course.” I zip my lips. So maybe I did get some tea after all.
—
On Monday morning Gavin and I get ready to work on fixing up the convenience store like we planned to. What I didn’t plan on, though, is Mom and Dad joining us.
“You’re coming?” I ask.
“Of course. The town has been generous to us,” Mom says, tying a scarf around her hair. “I couldn’t say no.”
“And attending could be a good networking opportunity,” Dad adds, slipping on his suit jacket.
“Dad we’re going to remove and replace decaying wood,” I remind him, inspecting his attire skeptically. “You might want to reconsider your suit.”
He shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Every encounter is a business opportunity.”
“Suit yourself.” Honestly, if Dad doesn’t care, I shouldn’t either.
“By the way, how is Sonya taking the news?” Dad asks Gavin out of the blue.
Gavin instantly tenses up. “She’s taking it okay.” He fidgets, unable to keep his eyes focused on anything. I can tell he feels like he’s being disloyal to Callie.
“Good.” Dad nods. “Once I’m assigned my new role at It’s Ok! and you go back to USC in the fall, everything should revert to the way it was. Like you and Sonya.”
The last time Gavin and I talked about Callie, we had planned on telling Mom and Dad about his budding relationship with her. But the strained look on Gavin’s face is making me think he’s changed his mind.
“Hey.” Gavin pulls me aside when Mom and Dad walk ahead of us. “Um, so, yeah. Callie’s going to be there today, so…”
“Let me guess. You don’t want to tell Mom and Dad about her.”
“After the way family game night went, I don’t think Dad’s position has changed enough. He wouldn’t be able to handle learning about Callie and my expulsion at the same time. And he’s bound to find out about USC sooner rather than later.”
“Yeah,” I say. I can’t disagree with him there.
“But I’ll tell Mom and Dad the truth soon. I promise.”
“And Brennan and Callie too,” I add. Even though I can understand why the deception is necessary, it doesn’t sit easily with me.
“And Brennan and Callie too,” he promises.
When we get to the convenience store, there’s a large crowd already gathered in front. I find Callie right away and tell her that our parents don’t know yet and that Gavin wants to tell them before they find out.
“I totally understand. I wouldn’t want to start off on the wrong foot with your parents.”