Chapter 22 Family Dinner
We are in our own special happy bubble. But all that evaporates, when Jake’s parents invite us over to dinner the weekend before Thanksgiving, ostensibly to meet his sister and her husband.
When Jake tells me the news, I ask flatly, “Do I have to go? I hate fireworks.”
Smiling sheepishly, he says, “There won’t be any fireworks. Showy and extravagant isn’t really their style. Chinese water torture is more their style. If my mother takes out toothpicks, hide your finger, okay?”
I force a laugh. Jake swings his arm around me, stating, “It’s only for a couple of hours. You’ll get to meet my big sister, Sandy. She isn’t too bad. We can bear it.”
Can we? I wonder darkly.
On Saturday, we make our way over. It’s already dark at five, so we don’t get to look for birds as we cross the park. The air smells cold and brittle, leaves crunch underfoot.
Sandy has Jake’s coloring; russet, wavy hair, and she is wearing it up in a high ponytail.
Smiling, she rushes over to shake my hand.
My palm is sweaty, and I try to wipe it against my pants furtively.
Sandy doesn’t seem to notice. She tugs at her dress.
It is tight in some areas and loose in others, and she appears a little disheveled.
Carol gives me a quick hug, barely touching me as she does it. It must be something they teach in rich-people’s class, how to hug without really hugging.
Oliver claps me on my back in a fatherly way, loudly exclaiming, “Hello again and welcome to the family er, ah, Emma.”
I’m relieved he got my name right.
Jake lightly kisses his sister on the cheek and shakes hands with a distracted, balding man who must be Sandy’s husband, Glen. He is sitting at the kitchen nook talking on his phone and gesturing wildly.
He waves to me and mouths, “Nice to meet you.”
He is heavyset, with bushy eyebrows and a meaty face.
Sandy rolls her eyes and says, “Emergency consult. Just ignore him for now. Doctors; they make the most awful dinner guests.”
Catching Jake’s eye, I raise a confused eyebrow; he told me both Sandy and Glen were doctors. He winks and gives me a shrug that seems to say ignore her.
Turning to Carol, I remark brightly, “Well, something smells delicious.” I’m glad that I can speak tonight, unlike the dinner with Jessica, where I kept losing my ability to string words together.
“Nothing special, just something Maria put together,” Carol replies curtly. “Keeping it simple, as it’s just family, right?”
I try to ignore the edge she has to her voice, but I think I hear the drip, drip, drip of water and I clench my hands into fists.
At least I get to sit next to Jake in the dreadful dining room tonight. He immediately takes my hand under the table and gives it a squeeze. Then, leaning over, he presses a kiss lightly on my open lips.
Looking into his eyes, all my nerves melt away and all I can think about is wanting more of his lips. My eyes glaze over and time freezes.
With some irritation, Sandy grumbles, “Really! At the dinner table.”
I tear my attention away from Jake’s lips and see Sandy has her face screwed up in a look of disgust and something else, maybe envy.
She takes a bite of her steak with unnecessary viciousness.
I focus on the food and am delighted to find that it’s delicious.
The meat melts in my mouth; one barely needs to chew it.
Glen finally sits down next to Sandy, and she gives him an exasperated look.
“So, what did I miss?” he asks congenially. “Have we grilled Emma yet on her intentions?” He barks out a laugh while the rest of the people at the table ignore him.
Oliver clears his throat. “Emma, what do you do now that you have lost your job as a secretary for Vee?”
I glance at Jake, and he smiles encouragingly.
Taking a deep breath, I respond, “Well, I got the most wonderful job working at Columbia with a professor on a bird project. Jake got me the job, and it couldn’t be more perfect.”
“Birds,” Oliver sputters, “you have got to be kidding me.”
Jake straightens up in his seat. “Yes, she is working on the wood thrush study. It’s been going on for several years. You may remember Professor Montgomery. He’s just wrapping it up.”
I add bravely, “I don’t get to do any fieldwork, but maybe one day. Right now, I’m cataloguing and organizing the final work. It really is very exciting.”
Carol looks over at me and in a voice dripping with condescension says, “Oh yes, sounds so rewarding. What would the world do without wood thrushes?”
Glen, who’s been quietly stuffing the dinner down as if he was starving, looks up. “Speaking of birds, is everyone set to come to our place for Thanksgiving? We both have it off this year and we want to do it up right with all the bells and whistles.”
“Absolutely,” Carol gushes.
Jake looks tense and angry. “Oh hey, thanks for the invite. Unfortunately, Emma and I are going to visit Vee for Thanksgiving. I guess we will see Aunt Beth and Uncle Joe, but mainly it’s hanging with Vee over the holiday weekend.”
This is the first time I’ve heard of a visit. I honestly don’t know what is going on here, but there is again this undercurrent that makes me feel like I am walking on quicksand, and one wrong step will be the end of me.
The table is silent, and Jake seems unaffected by the stony stares that are being leveled at him. He gives me a quick tilt of his head. “It’s no big deal; you guys won’t even miss us. Have a wonderful time.” The silence is deafening.
“I’ll make sure I tell Aunt Beth hi from you and Oliver,” he says sweetly, meeting his mother’s icy stare.
Carol keeps herself ramrod straight, saying nothing. The tension is thick, and I’m losing my appetite, even though the steak and green beans are to die for.
“How is the thesis coming?” Oliver bites off. “March still the target for it to be done, so you can get serious about joining the firm?”
“Well, I’m not sure how March is looking now,” Jake shoots back. “I have such a distraction at home these days, I can’t seem to do much of any actual schoolwork. Can I, dear?”
He locks eyes with me, pulling me close for a searing kiss. It is hard and demanding. And then he pulls away.
I put my fingers to my lips, staring at Jake. This kiss felt dirty.
We suffer through a dessert of lemon meringue pie that leaves a sour taste in my mouth, and then, finally, we say our goodbyes.
Jake sets a brisk pace as we walk back to Vee’s; I must hurry to keep up.
I reach out and tug on his arm, and he doesn’t break his stride. I give another yank, making him stop.
“What was that kiss for? I didn’t like it.”
Jake’s expression softens, and he looks at me deeply, with total sincerity.
“I’m sorry about that. Sometimes I get so angry at all the innuendos and veiled threats, I do stupid things.
I knew it would annoy them, so I did it.
I wasn’t thinking, I mean I wasn’t thinking about you.
That was thoughtless.” He hangs his head and quirks an eyebrow at me.
“I promise never to use our kisses as a weapon to get back at my stupid parents, okay?”
He has a lazy smile on his face and leans toward me capturing my lips in his.
We stand in the middle of Central Park and neck, completely oblivious to people passing by or the birds flitting nearby.
I’ve become one of those magical couples I used to watch from my bench.
I’d forgive him for anything if it meant I can keep kissing him.
Kissing him now in front of strangers is so much better than in front of his family, with all its undercurrents and tension.
Electricity shoots between us as we stride quickly back to the apartment.
Jake is quick and a little rough, but afterwards, he is back to himself. I’m mesmerized as he twirls a strand of my hair between his fingers. Then I remember and sit up and hit him playfully on his shoulder. “I almost forgot, what is this about a visit to Vee? That was a complete surprise.”
“Oh yeah. I’ve been thinking about a visit to Vee’s but didn’t have any proper plans. Then in the middle of the miserable dinner, the idea of going to Sandy and Glen’s next week was so unappetizing the idea just popped out.” He chuckles, “This way we can kill two birds with one stone.”
“That is a truly despicable expression.” I frown at him. “But with that said, I agree wholeheartedly with your scheme.”
I wonder what would ever happen if Jake’s parents found out I’m the girl next door. Could they disapprove of our arrangement even more?