Marriage of Unconvenience

“I’m almost relieved that I don’t have to worry about dating right now. That shit is too much stress. I can’t deal with that right now. Being fake married is enough work and stress as it is.”

Nineteen

My parents had been begging for me and Cara to come visit them for the weekend, and Cara finally caved and said yes.

“You know we promised we would visit them,” she said when I started to sputter my objections.

“I know, I know. You’re right, you’re right.” I was being mean and ungrateful, and I did love my parents and enjoyed spending time with them. So we packed our bags and rented a car and headed out to the country for the weekend.

“I hope they’re not planning to surprise us with a ‘congrats you’ve been married for a month’ party.” I wouldn’t put it past them after that whole reception my mom had pulled off.

“If they do, we’re going to smile and thank them and have a good time. Right?” Cara said. She was driving and I was lounging in the passenger seat with my bare feet up on the dash.

“Right,” I said, and sighed. “We should go to the Cape. Rent a cottage and play on the beach and eat too many lobster rolls.” It was still new that we could afford to do things like that. I wasn’t going to splurge and do it for weeks on end, but a little three-day trip would be nice. And we definitely needed to plan our getaway trip. We still hadn’t decided on a destination, but we had narrowed it down to ten potential spots. That was huge progress, even if it didn’t sound like it.

“We should do that before I start school, because after I start, I won’t be going anywhere but to class, to the library, to the coffee shop, and home.” She made a pouty face.

“I’ll make sure we stock up on coffee and the good croissants so you don’t have to go to the coffee shop too much, and then you can study at home. Just wear a hat with a sign on it that says STUDYING in huge letters and I’ll know that I’m not supposed to talk to you.” Cara laughed.

“You are very much underestimating your ability to be distracting.” I made an offended noise.

“I am never distracting. How dare you.” She changed lanes and then gave me a withering look.

“You are constantly distracting, Loren and you know it.”

“I can try and be less distracting,” I said.

“Sure,” Cara said in a way that led me to believe that she didn’t think that would work at all.

“Meanie,” I shot at her.

“You love me,” she fired back.

“Ugh, I do. I definitely do.”

She grinned in victory.

“MY GIRLS!” MOM SAID the second we got out of the car. She’d run out of the house to hug us and help us carry our bags into the house.

“Wow, what a welcoming committee. You’d think that we’ve been away for years and not like, a few weeks,” I said, and Mom admonished me with a ‘Mom Look’ as she put her arm around Cara and led her into the house. Dad was inside cooking lunch with vegetables from his garden.

“Holy zucchini, Dad,” I said, looking at the numerous green monsters that were stacked on the dining table.

“Your father went a little overboard with the garden this year. We’re sending both of you back with bags of vegetables, so don’t even argue.”

“Why would I turn down free vegetables?” I asked, but Mom was ignoring me.

“How is the job going?” Dad said as he fiddled with things on the stove.

“Great, actually. It’s not too stressful and the pay is pretty good. If I do well, I might be able to move up, which would be nice. I’m still considering getting a volunteer position, maybe at a library or an internship or something, since Cara is going to be so busy this fall and I don’t feel like sitting around the house alone when she’s in school.” That didn’t appeal to me at all. I’d rather be busy and missing her than being alone and bored and missing her.

“Good for you, Lo. I’m proud of you for not resting on the money. You could burn through that real fast if you let yourself.” He handed me a spoon and I started stirring whatever was happening in the big pot on the right burner. Looked like my favorite vegetable soup with fresh gnocchi. Yum.