They don’t enter my home like guests, instead walking in with their judgemental faces and stuck-up noses. Ok, maybe it’s not quite that bad, but I can nearly see my mother calculating the cost of everything in here, and coming up with dollar signs.
“Well, Evelyne, it seems like you’re doing well for yourself. All this on a nurse’s salary is quite the accomplishment.”
Called it.
My hands curl into fists at the condescending tone. She clearly knows this place is out of my league, even on a great nursing salary. But instead of just coming right out and asking how I afford it, she’s going to insinuate. It’s maddening.
“I’m sorry. Really.” Chris whispers, watching our parents move through my home before deciding the sofa is acceptable for their snooty asses to sit on.
I glare at Chris. “Sure you are. Not sorry enough to give me a heads up.”
“I was afraid you’d take off.”
“You’re damn right I would have taken off. I don’t see the point in all of this. I don’t think —.”
“Really Evelyne, it’s unnecessary to carry on like this. Let your brother come and sit so we can have a discussion like civilized people.” I pinch my mouth shut at my need to defend myself. It will get me nowhere.
My mother’s idea of civilized is destroying someone’s self-esteem while sipping tea out of porcelain cups.
Grabbing a chair from the dining room, I move to sit opposite the couch. Chris joins them and suddenly this feels like a job interview. Makes sense, since I know they’re going to be picking apart everything I say and do.
“Well, how are you, Evelyne? I see you’ve landed on your feet, despite the unpleasantness you caused in Columbus. You’re quite lucky another hospital was willing to hire you.”
“Unpleasantness. That’s an interesting way of putting it.” I mean, I would call getting framed, fired and losing my daughter something more like earth-shattering. Soul destroying. But unpleasant? Nope.
Chris shifts uncomfortably. “You stole drugs, Evie. How else would you describe your getting fired and run out of the state?”
“Gee, I don’t know. I’d probably say exactly what I did when I came to you begging for help, Chris. I’d tell you I was set up, that I would never do something like that.”
“You’re still telling that same story? Really? Do you really expect us to believe that, Evelyne?” My mother’s mouth is pinched, but there’s something almost like…glee, in her eyes.
Oh, I am so done with this. “You can believe whatever you want, Mother.” My disgust at this whole conversation obvious in my voice. “I told you the truth, doesn’t matter how often I say it though, you don’t seem to want to hear it.”
My father clears his throat. “I don’t think we’re going to see eye to eye on this topic. Perhaps we can move on.”
“Sure Father. Let’s move on. Humm, where should we start? Oh, I know. Why are you here?”
My mother actually rolls her eyes. “Why else would we be here, Evelyne? Despite all the harm you’ve done to this family, I thought it was time for us to build a bridge. Come now, shouldn’t we try to be a family again?” The word family comes out hard, sharp. A perfect representation of our family, I suppose.
“What do you mean, be a family again?” I don’t think we’ve ever been a family. Not like Colton and his brothers are. Isn’t family supposed to have your back?
“Well, Christmas in New York would be a good start. I don’t know what to say when our friends ask about you. It’s time you made an appearance again so we can smooth over the unpleasantness.”
“Let me get this straight. You want me to come to New York so you can save face in front of your friends?”
I can feel my blood pressure rising. I can keep handling this alone, depend only on myself and deal with their toxicity on my own.
I don’t want to. I want support. I want to lean on someone. I want to lean on Colt.
Pulling out my phone, I text him. Not even a second later, his reply comes through,on my way.
“Evelyne, put your phone away, for heaven’s sake.” She sighs like she can’t even believe how rude I am. “You are making an unfair assumption. It’s fine dear. Come to Christmas, bring your new beau. I’m sure everyone will be thrilled to meet him.”
“My new beau? How do you know about him?” It’s not like Colt and I put an announcement in The NY Times.
Her smile turns calculating. “Please, dear. We have friends everywhere. We knew when you moved in here and when you got a job at the hospital. I have to say, well done snagging a billionaire. Of course, his background is a little suspect, but that much money buys a lot of forgiveness.”
“Jesus,” I breathe, my last little shred of hope for a happy reunion dying. “Is that why you’re here? You heard a rumor that I’m dating a billionaire, and suddenly I might have value to you again?” I turn, pinning my brother with a glare. “Is that why you’re here?”