Chapter 6 #2
Everyone grabbed their drinks and we started into the dining room.
I couldn’t remember the last time my pretty, rustic six-seater table had been filled up.
Chris preferred eating in front of the TV no matter how many times I asked him to join us so we could eat as a family.
Blythe and Tris normally scarfed their food down like they were in a race so they could get back to their own thing, so having all my chairs full for the first time actually felt really nice.
Trick and I were in stitches as the boys kept up a hilarious running dialogue, and Hannah and Blythe rolling their eyes good-naturedly, too cool at their age to laugh at their little brothers’ antics even if they wanted to.
The girls chatted off and on with each other about high school. Hannah was a year ahead of my freshman daughter, but they were still getting along pretty well.
The food was disappearing quickly, the conversation was flowing free and smooth, and I was nice and relaxed, thinking this was going off without a hitch when it happened.
“Hannah,” Trick said in a smooth dad voice, drawing his daughter’s attention. “You’ve hardly touched your food, baby girl.”
It hadn’t been lost on me that the pretty girl had picked at more than she’d eaten, using her fork to push the food around on her plate, but she’d made a concerted effort so as not to offend, and I brushed it off as everyone’s tastes being different, and maybe pork just wasn’t her thing.
“Oh, uh….” Red started creeping up her neck at being called out. “Yeah, I’m just, um… getting full.”
“Darlin’, you love pork chops, so what’s the deal?”
I tried my best to communicate with my eyes, silently sending vibes of shut it across the table in Trick’s direction. Hannah appeared to be stringing tighter as he questioned her, and I had a gut feeling that if he continued to push, it wasn’t going to be good.
“No deal, Daddy,” she replied, her voice getting thin with frustration. “I just had a big lunch, so I’m still kinda full.”
“That’s okay, sweetie,” I broke in, hoping to cut the tension building in the air around the table. “That’s totally understandable.”
“No it’s not,” Trick insisted, his eyes going from me back to Hannah. “Nona put in a lot of work to make this meal for us. You have better manners than to leave that much on her plate.”
Oh hell.
“Hannah thinks she’s gettin’ fat, so she’s basically quit eating,” Shawn chimed in.
That was when things went from tense to explosive.
“Shut up, Shawn!” Hannah cried.
“Well it’s true!” he shouted in return to his sister. “And it’s totally stupid!”
“Are you kidding me?” Trick growled.
At the rage in his voice, Hannah’s and Shawn’s backs went straight and they turned their attention to their father. My kids looked to me, discomfort written all over them.
“You have to be kidding me, ’cause my girl wouldn’t do something as stupid as starve herself because of her weight,” Trick gritted, irate eyes pinned on his daughter.
“Daddy,” Hannah said on a whisper, tears welling up on her lower lids. Everything she was feeling was communicated in that one word. She was embarrassed at the situation and upset her father was angry, and it was hard to tell which emotion was stronger.
“That sweet voice usually gets you off easy, but not this time. Now tell me you aren’t starvin’ yourself.”
“I’m not!” she cried, sniffling to fight back her tears. “Shawn doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”
“Do too!” he argued back. “Only thing you ever eat is apples and celery. And she’s havin’ Mom measure her every week, and she scribbles all that junk down in a stupid journal.”
The atmosphere went electric as waves of rage crashed off Trick.
“Pick up your fork,” he commanded. “I wanna see you clean that plate.
I had to admit that I could understand why Trick was upset.
From looking at her, Hannah appeared to be underweight, if anything, proving that what her brother was saying was true.
And the fact that her own mother would feed into her daughter’s insecurities by going as far as to measure her pissed me right the hell off.
But this wasn’t the time or the place to dredge something like that up, so I cut in before the situation completely deteriorated.
“Trick.”
At the strength in that one word, everyone at the table but Hannah turned to me. I gave my head a small shake, telling him it was time to stop. Then I turned to Hannah and said her name.
It took her a while, but she finally lifted her head from the intense examination of her plate and cast a hesitant look in my direction.
Once I had her attention, I spoke. “You’re an incredibly beautiful young woman.
” I could see she didn’t believe me, so I soldiered on.
“Every woman is built differently, honey, and I know telling you not to compare yourself to anyone else is easier said than done, but I want you to really listen to what I say next, and I hope it sinks in because, hand to God, it’s the absolute truth. ”
She remained silent, waiting for me to go on.
So I did. “Pretty soon, your father’s life is gonna become an absolute misery.
And I’m willing to put money on that having already started, because a girl who looks like you, with those long legs, all that thick hair, your stunning eyes, and that gorgeous face, is gonna start drawing the attention of every single boy who sees you. ”
Her lips parted in surprise, and her eyes went wide as Trick grumbled, “Sweet Jesus,” dropping his head back and looking up at the ceiling.
“Well?” I shot him a scowl. “Am I wrong?”
“Of course not. My daughter’s a looker, but at least I’ve been able to sleep easy knowin’ she hasn’t discovered just how much of one yet,” he said with an irritated glare that made my lips twitch as I fought back a smile.
Ignoring his put-out expression, I looked back to his girl.
“I’m speakin’ from experience, because I was just like you when I was your age.
I hated my curves. I thought they looked weird and they made me self-conscious, but I’m gonna let you in on a little secret that most girls don’t come to appreciate until they’re much older.
The way you’re built is exactly what boys are attracted to. ”
“Oh God, please just strike me with lightning now so I don’t have to deal with what’s to come from my baby girl comin’ into the knowledge that she’s a knockout,” Trick grumbled to the heavens.
I ignored him and sallied forth. “You might not realize you’re already rockin’ it, sweet girl, but you have my word. You so. Totally. Are.”
“I… th-thank you.”
“No need to thank me for stating a fact, honey, but you’re welcome.”
“She’s right, you know,” Blythe broke in. “Heath Jeffers has the hots for you.”
It was official, I had the best kids ever.
Hannah’s head shot in Blythe’s direction, and I saw the shock written on her pretty face when she breathed, “He does not.”
“He so does. Everyone’s talking about it.
And Sierra Heyworth is totally jealous ’cause she’s crushed on him for, like, ever.
But Heath’s all about you. I heard in the cafeteria the other day that he was talking about how you’re one of those pretty girls who doesn’t know just how pretty she really is, which just makes you even cooler.
I bet if you smiled at him, he’d be all over it. ”
“I think I’m gonna be sick.” Trick groaned in pain, making everyone burst into laughter, and I took a relieved breath that the tension in the room had suddenly cleared.
“All right,” I said, pushing my chair back and rising to my feet. “Time for dessert.” I turned to Hannah and asked, “You want pie or cake?”
“Pie,” she replied, and I headed into the kitchen to dish dessert up, waiting until I was alone before smiling like a loon.