Chapter 33
K enyon shifted nervously in the living room armchair. She had to leave in an hour to meet Dalia and Dr. Crow to go to Amberton. But her parents had insisted on a big family meeting this morning, something they’d never done before on a Sunday.
She considered telling them what she was up to but waited to see what they had to say first. It might be something about Zach leaving for college soon and how their lives would all change now or something.
They’d done that when she went to college, even though she’d never left home, choosing to live right there in her parents’ cushy house instead of a crowded dorm room or sorority house.
Best of all, rent had been free and the food was great.
Zach came in looking exceptionally adult in clean khakis and a polo shirt.
Sometimes he seemed twelve, like when he graffitied a billboard, and sometimes he seemed thirty-two, like when he said he didn’t do drugs or have unsafe sex.
Only after he sat down in the armchair next to hers did she notice he had on his shiny black leather Sunday shoes and black socks, just like a grownup.
What’s up with that , she wondered.
“Hey, sis. What’s up, Ken-Ken?”
Ah, he was twelve again. “Nothing,” she lied.
Their parents came in looking all chirpy, so Kenyan’s guess changed from a talk about lifestyle to maybe a nice family vacation, perhaps even overseas or something. They’d done that three times – to the highlands of Scotland, to Ireland, and on a cruise of Scandinavia. She waited with anticipation.
“Hi, kiddos,” their dad said cheerily.
“Hey, sweethearts.” Their mom seemed rested, as usual on a Sunday morning, unlike her groggy Saturday morning self after a long week at work.
They sat side-by-side on the sofa facing their children.
“Well, you’re no doubt wondering what this is all about,” their mom said.
“Yes, so we won’t waste any time.” Their dad always liked to get straight to the point.
His children had long enjoyed the practice of trying to divert his attention.
Kenyon said, “Do you two always talk in turns?”
“What do you mean?” her mom asked, confused.
“I mean do you always finish each other’s statements and agree on everything?”
Llayne and Mack paused to absorb the question, then burst into laughter.
“Goodness no!” Mack declared. “We’ve tried to keep our disagreements away from you kids.”
“We’ve even disagreed about that,” Llayne added. “I’ve always thought it would do you good to know that people can disagree and still love one another.”
“Tell us one thing you’ve ever disagreed over,” Zach said, more than willing to play the game of “let’s roll our parents.” He and his sister shared knowing grins.
“Well, let’s see,” Llayne said, “we disagreed about raising you kids. How’s that for an example? Ha. Your dad here…” she jabbed a thumb at her husband “…was way too lenient. You’d both be spoiled rotten if I hadn’t stepped in.” She stuck out her chin and glared at her husband.
Mack shrugged. “Guilty as charged. I could never bring myself to punish you.” He gestured at his kids.
“I remember once when you told him to talk to me about yelling at my brother,” Kenyon said, addressing her mom. “He took me to the Dairy Queen in Chelsea.”
She and Zach chuckled while Llayne reared back in mock disbelief. “No kidding?”
“Well,” Zach interjected, “when he was supposed to talk to me about stealing Kenyon’s Etch a Sketch and trying to take it apart to see how it worked and she cried, he took me to Dairy Queen, too.”
Mack defended himself. “And look. They turned out great.”
Llayne couldn’t deny that. “Yes, they did. I guess it was the balance between the two of us.”
“I think our biggest fight was about buying this house,” Mack said, going back to the original question about their disagreements. “Your mom wanted it and I didn’t.”
“Dad! You love this house.” Kenyon was surprised.
“Yes, I do. But at the time it seemed like an awful lot of money. I was worried about our budget.”
“He’s always worried about the budget.” Llayne rolled her eyes. “And here we are fifteen years later with the mortgage paid off and we’ve lived in this beautiful home all this time. And we will for years to come.”
“Okay, okay. You were right about that one,” Mack agreed. “She informed me she was buying the house and moving with you kids whether I wanted to come or not.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “So I came.”
“Okay,” Llayne said, “now that you two have entertained yourselves by diverting us from our reason for being here, here we go: I am leaving television and going to do my best to write mysteries. I’ve been wanting to do that for a very long time.
We’ve decided it’s the perfect time for me to make the switch.
I’ll be done at the station in a month.”
Her children couldn’t find any words.
Finally, Kenyon stated what she thought was obvious. “Mom. I’m shocked. You love television.”
“I do. But I hate the hours. For eighteen years I’ve been getting up in the wee hours of the morning.
It’s either that for the early morning and noon news or the evening shift at five and ten.
I’m done with that. I’ll be doing two prime-time specials on cold cases for the station each year for the next three years and writing full-time for a long time, I hope.
I’ll be able to set my own schedule. That will be heaven for me. ”
Kenyon didn’t know what to say. She knew from her classes that a well-established newscaster would make considerably more money than a government employee, even the director of a department like her dad.
Her parents never discussed their wages with their kids, so Kenyon didn’t know that firsthand, though.
But she felt certain her mom had always made the most money of the two of them.
It'd been Zach who sounded mature, while Kenyon remained confused. He said, “Congratulations, Mom. That sounds fantastic for you.”
“There’s more,” their mother said, gesturing at her husband.
“Yes, I have job news, too.” Mack squared his shoulders and took a breath.
“I have been asked to run for lieutenant governor in the next election on the ticket with our present governor. As you know, he’s quite the popular guy, so we hope all goes well.
The present lieutenant governor is retiring at his wife’s insistence after fifty-three years of public service.
What that means for us as a family is that nothing much will change other than your mom’s schedule being so different.
Zach, you’ll be in college but you’re still living at home, right?
I’ll still go to work in the capital every day, like I have for all your lives. ”
Mack O’Brien was a humble enough guy but his pride in being invited to run for that highly esteemed position shone in his beaming face. His kids both knew he’d worked hard all his adult life to serve his community, state, and country. He deserved this honor.
“Dad, that’s awesome.” Zach stood up and put out his hand.
Mack got up to face his boy. “Thank you, son.”
They shook hands and fell into an embrace.
“Mom,” Zach said, turning to her, “congratulations to you, too.”
Llayne stood up and threw her arms around both men.
Kenyon felt left out, unable to catch up.
It didn’t escape her notice that no one had mentioned what she’d be doing because no one knew.
Not even her. All she could think of to say was, “Wait! What?” But somehow the appropriate words came out.
“Gee, Mom, Dad, that’s great.” She hoisted herself up out of her chair to join the huddle of hugs.
When they unraveled themselves, Zach, once again having morphed into an adult, said, “I have news, too, and would like you all to sit down while I explain.”
Kenyon’s first thought was he got a girl pregnant after all. She’d bet her last dollar her parents had that same thought.
They all sat down, this time on the edges of the seats with this unexpected turn of events.
Zach, his spine straight, his voice strong, announced, “I won’t be going to college at the University of Michigan this fall. Mom, Dad, don’t worry. I’ll be doing something I’ve been wanting for a long time, something I’m sure I’m going to love.”
“Honey,” Llayne said, “your soccer scholarship is for this college year. You’ll lose it if you travel around for a year or something.”
“No, Mom, that isn’t it.”
Kenyon watched their dad’s expression go from surprise to knowing. That was when it struck her. Their mom was the one who couldn’t catch up this time.
“What?” Llayne croaked as if afraid to ask.
“I’ve joined the Air Force. I don’t want to play soccer in college. I want to be a tactical aircraft maintenance specialist. A mechanic. And eventually, I want to learn to fly.”
No one spoke until their mother said something that made Kenyon want to laugh. She didn’t dare, though, lest she hurt her mom’s feelings.
“Up in the air?” Befuddled, Llayne pointed up as if trying to figure out where the air lived.
Zach went to his mom, bending to take her hands in his.
“Yes, Mom. Airplanes in the air,” he gently explained.
“I’ve always loved fixing things.” He straightened up and looked at his dad.
“You taught me that, teaching me how to tinker with cars ever since I can remember. The first thing I remember is you teaching me the difference between a wrench and a ratchet. Now I can’t think of anything more exciting than fixing giant machines that fly through the air.
I didn’t say anything because it’s hard to get into the Air Force.
I was afraid I wouldn’t make it. I took the Aptitude Battery Test and passed. ”
“With flying colors, no doubt,” Mack noted.
Zach grinned. “Yes, sir. And last week I passed the physical exam.”
“Huh. With flying colors, no doubt,” Llayne groaned helplessly, wiggling a finger at her son’s strong, young body.
“Yes. That, too. I leave next week for basic training in San Antonio.” Relaxing now that he got it out, Zach sat back down.
Llayne gasped, “San Antonio! That’s so far away. Why, that’s in Texas .”
“Not so far, Mom, when I’ll be working on airplanes and can get home. You know airplanes, the ones that fly up in the air.” His gentle tease hit its mark.
Llayne grinned. “Okay, give me a break. This has all been a shock. But Zach, I’m so proud of you.”
“Are you sure, Mom?”
“Well, I will be once it all sinks in. This is such a huge change.”
“Son,” Mack said, “seeing our boy transition into a man who makes his own decisions is an exciting rite of passage. I am so proud of you. But don’t forget, we will always be here for you. You will always be our boy.”
“I know Dad.”
They all stood up and the hugging ceremony commenced again. And once again Kenyon felt like the ne’er-do-well looser tagalong, the spinster daughter that townsfolk would gossip about and shake their heads at in pity.
She decided not to tell her family where she was going that day.
First of all, she didn’t want to steal anybody’s thunder after all their spectacular announcements.
Secondly, her baby brother was a man now, and he would no doubt be fantastic at that job.
She was thrilled about his spectacular new adventure that would lead him into real adulthood.
This had been his moment to shine. She had to give him that.
Besides, what would she say about her paltry plans? “Hey fam, I’m on my way to see a crazy old lady about the remote possibility she knows something that’ll help me solve a cold case. Oh, by the way, I very well may end up in jail. Again. ’Bye!”
When her mother asked where she was going, she hedged. “Ah, Dalia and I are going to drive around to see if I can come up with a story to write. See ya!” She trotted to her car and got the hell out of there.