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Haveyou ever been to a school play? You know the ones where you sit with all the parents, and they’re raving about how talented and special their child is to have the lead in the school play?
I’m sure you can guess it, but I’m not one of those parents. In fact, I’m nervous as hell and sweating like crazy. Why did my mother have to show up when things aren’t great? It only adds to the mess. When Noah found out she was in town and staying at our house, he drank three beers. In. A. Row. Right before Hazel’s school play.
Needless to say, he’s half shit-faced and no help tonight as I try to wrangle Sevi, Fin, and Oliver who’s just as pleased to be dragged away from playing basketball with Jagger and August.
Noah leans into my shoulder, relaxing in his seat, his arm draped over the back of mine. “Why is Hazel touching herself? It’s like she’s on ecstasy.”
I scowl at him. “How would you know?”
He shrugs one shoulder, indifferent boredom dripping from his voice. “College.”
“Figures,” I mumble, narrowing my eyes at my husband. “She likes the feel of the sequins.”
“Yeah, well,” he says, chuckling and shaking his head. His eyes scan the stage and the other children doing variations of the same thing. Not a single kindergartner is standing still. “She’s rubbing her tits, Kel.”
I slap at Noah. “Will you stop it? Be supportive.”
“I am.” And then he points to the end of the aisle where Sevi is crawling on the floor at people’s feet. “Oh, look, babe. Sevi took his shirt off and he’s licking the principal.”
“Oh my God,” I gasp. “Grab him.”
“Last time I did that he bit me.”
I glare at him.
Noah locks his jaw, his throat bobbing with a swallow. “Fuck, fine.”
And he gets up and retrieves Sevi from the floor, grumbling the entire time about him needing to move on from the dog phase. As if it’s that easy.
My eyes move to Hazel on the stage and how happy she looks to be the center of attention for the night. It’s hard with five kids and letting each one of them know they’re special. My heart jumps in my chest. I guess… four kids. Tears burn my eyes as I remember watching Mara at this age, before we knew about the cancer that had been silently growing in her body. Back when she was just a wild-hearted rebel blonde girl with so much life inside her you smiled instantly. Out of all the kids, her and Sevi look the most alike with their bright blue eyes but Hazel, she has her sister’s quirky personality. Like the way there’s a stage full of kids, and I assure you, most of them are watching Hazel’s animated performance of being the Thanksgiving turkey. She rocks the hell out of it.
In the end, we’re all laughing at her to the point Kate and I are crying it’s that funny and look at that, Noah’s laughing and recording her on his phone.
* * *
My motherin town is horrible. It’s like having an unappreciative house guest who judges you constantly and talks endlessly about how perfect my younger sister Kelsey is. I love Kelsey. She’s great, but she’s not perfect.
Fearing Noah’s reaction with my mom in the house, alone with us, I invite our friends over for dinner.
“So she didn’t call before she came?” Kate asks, watching my mother in the backyard with Oliver and Hazel.
“No.” Opening the fridge, I take out the steaks and set them on the counter. “I’m not curious because it’s the same thing she always wants. To make me feel bad about marrying Noah and how she thinks I could have done better. Blah blah blah.”
“What a bitch,” Kate agrees, pouring herself another glass of wine. “Maybe we should introduce her to my dad. Yesterday I had to pick him up at the police station because he spit on a Walmart greeter for telling him he couldn’t take his bag of garbage inside the store.”
I fight back laughter. “No shit?”
“Yep.”
Noah walks into the kitchen, smiles at us, and then opens the fridge and retrieves a beer. “What are you guys talking about?”
“My mother and Kate’s dad.”
He grimaces and looks over at Kate and then walks out of the room.
Nothing. Not even a look in my direction. He just turns and walks away.
Rolling my eyes, I take a glance at Kate. “He’s a big fan of my mother, as you can see.”