The Half of Us (Family 4)

Assuming he was off the hook, Jason said, “No. I was waiting for you.”

“Sorry I’m late. Patient went into labor.”

“I figured.”

After another minute perusing the menu, Angela set it down and said, “Okay. I know what I’m having.” She looked Jason in the face. “Neither of us has time for social visits in the middle of the day, and we never see each other socially regardless of the time, so tell me why we’re here.”

Rubbing his palms over his eyes, Jason said, “Donny.”

“What about him?”

“Don’t bullshit me, Ange. What’s going on?”

For a person who generally had no trouble with words, it took her a long time to respond. “Tell me what you mean.”

“Are you kidding me?” Jason asked, his temper flaring. He wasn’t calm on the best of days. Add in a busy work schedule, concern about the kids, and confusion about what in the hell was going on in his personal life, and he was a ticking time bomb. “Quit being cryptic and answer my damn question.” He waited a few beats for her to respond, and when she didn’t, he glared. “You don’t have the right to keep things from me.”

“Oh, is that right?” Angela snickered. “What am I keeping from you, Jason?”

“That’s my question!”

Narrowing her eyes, Angela leaned forward and met his gaze. “You have complete access to the kids, to their schools, to their doctors, to every damn thing you want. When have I ever kept anything from you?”

He wouldn’t argue those points because Angela was right, which put him more on edge. “Something’s going on with Donny and I don’t know what it is.”

“And that’s my fault?” Angela asked, scoffing.

“Yes! I asked a simple question and you’re not answering me.”

“Don’t push me, Jason,” she said tightly as she rubbed her fingertips over her temples.

Frustrated that wanting to know what was happening in his son’s life constituted pushing, Jason yelled, “You can’t keep things from me. He’s my son too!”

“Then act like it!” She slammed her hands on the table.

Thankfully for everyone involved, the other restaurant patrons included, the waiter chose that moment to come and take their order.

“Caesar salad with salmon and an iced tea,” Jason said, handing over the menu without looking at the waiter.

“I’ll have a grilled chicken sandwich, please,” Angela said. “No sprouts, but I’d like avocado if you have it, and a diet soda.” When the waiter left, she sighed and said, “I’m sorry for raising my voice.”

“It’s fine.” Jason waved her off. “Just tell me what’s going on.”

“Nothing that hasn’t been going on for a while. Donny’s angry all the time, which you already know. I wanted to take him to a therapist and he refused. I don’t like it but there’s nothing I can do it about it.” She looked at Jason hopefully. “Maybe it’s a normal teenage boy thing.”

Though he hadn’t ever been particularly bubbly during his teenage years, Jason didn’t recall being angry to the point where he frightened people. “Kristen told Abe she’s scared.”

Leaning back in her chair, Angela said, “Ah, the marvelous and mysterious Mr. Green, who Kristen can’t stop talking about and you refuse to mention. He works with teenagers all day. Maybe he can spend time with Donny and figure out what’s going on.”

Talking about his children with Abe was one thing, having them spend time together was something else entirely.

“Wow. The expression on your face just now.” Angela grinned and shook her head. “That was something.”

“What expression?”

“If I had to choose one description, I’d go with abject fear,” she said amusedly.

Jason rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Thank you,” Angela said to the waiter who arrived with their drinks before turning her attention back to Jason. “How long have you been seeing him? I figured it out in January and it’s almost June now, so that’s at least”—she paused and furrowed her brow in thought—“five months?”

“Depends on when you start counting. It’s been closer to ten months if you go with the first orgasm. Or maybe it was orgasms,” Jason said, waggling his eyebrows and hoping to distract Angela from whatever point she was trying to make.

“The first orgasms?” Her eyes widened. “Wait. What’s the other option?”

“What?”

“You said it’s been ten months since the first time you slept with him.”

“We weren’t exactly sleeping.”

Ignoring Jason’s interruption, Angela continued talking, “But you also implied there’s another measurement option.”

Of the long list of reasons he hated arguing with Angela, one of the top three was that she had an uncanny ability to lead him where he didn’t want to go without him knowing he was being led. “Uh….”

“Are you telling me you’re with him exclusively? You’re not seeing any other men at all?” she asked, even though Jason had not in fact told her that or shared any information about his personal life.

Not knowing how to respond, he stayed quiet. It was the deer-in-the-headlights approach, and he braced himself to be run over.