“Have you met your sister? It’s more likely she ran him out of town.”
“Hey!” I said, hoping to sound indignant. “I mean, she’s not wrong, but still, you could pretend that I’m not at fault.”
Michael’s eyes came back to mine. “So, you’re saying you asked him to leave?”
“I’m saying it was a mutual decision.”
Mom bent down, her eyes full of worry. “But what about the marriage? Honey, you have to work at these things.”
“Mom, I’m not even sure if we’re really married.”
Dad huffed, walking over to his chair. “Typical Krissy.”
“Not typical anything. Tell me the last time I came home and announced I was married.”
“You haven’t, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t just the type of thing you’d do!” he argued.
“Right, blame her,” Michael said. “It’s always your kids’ fault.”
“Don’t put your problems on me,” Dad sneered. “It’s not my fault the two of you can’t get your lives together.”
I flinched back, but didn’t have time to respond because Michael was already in his face.
“I have a wife, a child, and a job. In what way do I not have my life together?”
“Here we go,” Blake sighed. “You know, if you two can’t get along, there’s a window over there with your name on it.”
“You should all stop fighting. You’re family!” Lizzy shouted over the chaos. “Can’t you all get along?”
Jeff ran down the hall, shoutingWhy can’t we be friends, before disappearing into the kitchen.
“Well, this is fun as always, but we should eat before the food gets cold,” I said, getting up from my seat.
“When are you gonna learn you can’t ditch your responsibilities?” Dad said, his eyes focused on me again.
“Oh, goody. I thought we were done with the berating portion of the evening.”
“You can’t even pay for the heat in your house,” he said accusingly.
My eyes shifted to Lizzy, who shrank back in her seat. I should have known she’d tell Dad, though I knew it came from a good place. It always did with her.
“I’m doing just fine.”
“You need a man around the house to take care of you.”
“Ha!” I laughed at that. “Since when have I ever needed a man?”
“Never, but that’s the point,” he snarled. “Look at your life. Look where you are right now.”
“Yes, working for the family business,” I mused, tapping my finger on my chin. “What a devious line of work. I should really reconsider.”
I turned to walk away, but Dad stormed up to me, grabbing me by the arm. “If you didn’t have money, you shouldn’t have run off to Vegas!”
“I did it to get away from you!” I shouted before I could stop myself.
His grip tightened on my arm for just a second before Michael stepped in, tearing his hand off my arm. Dad wasn’t trying to get rough with me. I knew that. But he had a temper. They all did, aside from Jeff. He was the only one in the family who was more like Mom than Dad.
“Back off,” Michael snarled at him.