I shouldn’t care. I told her she’s not mine, but in that dream she was. I’m getting ready to check the message when the bedroom door opens. “Hey. Do you know what you’re wearing?” Her lips curve upward, and her cheeks turn pink.
I glance down and realize I’m fucking naked.
Jesus.
**
“Unca Kill, Unca Kill!” Two little girls scream at me at once and wrap around each of my legs the minute I step out of the car at my dad’s house. Liri gets out of the passenger side.
“Your nieces,” she mouths the words at me.
“How’s my favorite girls.” I give them a weak smile.
“Daddy says you were in the hospital.”
“I’m okay now.” I guess a lot has changed. I see the smiles on their faces. Last I remember they were a lot smaller. “You’ve grown since I last saw you.”
“Are you and Auntie Liwee gon’ spend the night with us again?” Sadie questions and Hope is nodding her head yes.
“Maybe some other time.”
Their faces fall, and Liri shifts her focus. Seems my family is in love with her too.
Dillan is standing on the porch smoking a cigarette and my mind flashes to him asking me to be his best man in this same spot. Fucking weird. I don’t know if I’m getting back memories or if I’m imagining shit.
“Little brother.” He holds out a pack of cigarettes. “Want one?”
“No. I’m good,” I lie. I can practically taste the smoke from my dream filling my lungs.
I follow Liri and my nieces inside. My father is sitting in his recliner watching football.
Noelle and Susie are setting the table, and my mother walks out of the kitchen with a basket of dinner rolls.
“Happy Thanksgiving, son.”
“What are you doing here?” I feel like I am in another dimension where everything has been turned upside down. I live with some chick. I’m supposedly friends with my brother again and on speaking terms with my father and Susie. And now my mother is here for dinner with the two people who betrayed her in the worst possible way.
“I helped Susie and Noelle cook.” She smiles and acid churns in my stomach. “Dinner will be ready in a few.”
“Hey.” I look over and see Noelle hugging Liri. “Did you get your measurements for me?”
Liri shifts awkwardly and goes tense. “I…” she glances at me, and I don’t know what they are talking about. “About Vegas. I don’t think.” She fidgets uncomfortably twisting her fingers together. “It’s just…it’s not a good time for me and…” she breaks off on the verge of tears.
“Oh no you don’t. You aren’t backing out on me. We’ve already booked everything for the trip. I don’t have anyone else who can do this with me. I need you there.”
“It’s just things with…” Liri nods toward me.
“Well the wedding isn’t for another month surely by then he’ll be back to himself.” Noelle winks at me, and I avoid her scrutiny. I’ll have to ask Liri what this Vegas business is later.
“I wish Conrad and I could go, but he will be doing his chemo.”
“Well it wouldn’t be fair to Diane anyway since she agreed to keep the girls.”
My heart hammers in my chest. Chemo? My dad?
“What are you talking about? Chemo?”
“Maybe we should go in the living room.” My mother moves toward me and touches my arm. “Liri?”