Chapter Four
Clark
“Who wants good food?” I ask.
“If it means we’re going to your parents’ house and having Momma Kathy feed us till we burst, I’m in,” Grif says from where he’s splayed out on our sofa.
“If I bring my laundry, do you think your mom will wash it for me?” Evan asks.
“Then get your ass up, because we roll out in five minutes. And, Sammicakes, is that even a real question? Of course, she will. That woman loves you.”
Evan smirks. “I just hope she washes it after she bones your dad in there. Those two are seriously freaky.”
I glare at him. “We do not speak of the happenings in the laundry room.”
My parents have this thing for doing it in the laundry room when people are over. Both Evan and Grif learned the hard way.
Thirty minutes later, we’re pulling into my parents’ driveway. I have no idea why because this tradition started long before my birth, but every Saturday my parents have a party at their house. Neighbors, friends, family, and anyone who mentions they have nothing to do end up at my parents’ home. Everyone brings food and drinks. It’s a thing in our small town of Banneker. And I admit, when I don’t come home, I do miss it. My friends and I try to make it out here at least once a month for the Saturday festivities, and free laundry services. It’s a perk of being the baby in the family. Mom will do anything for me, within reason. I’ve tested this theory and it holds true. I like to tease my siblings that I am the favorite.
And by tease, I mean to point it out every chance I get.
I barely make it through the door before I’m accosted by family members.
“Hey, honey,” my mom says as she hugs me and then proceeds to hug both Evan and Grif. “How are you, boys? Evan, is that laundry? Just put it in the laundry room and I’ll get it washed up for you.”
Evan grins at her as he sets his bag down just inside the laundry room door.
“Let the party begin!” I announce as I walk onto the deck.
My brother, Kent, groans. “Can you lower it like twenty decibels? Vera is asleep,” he says, pointing to a small bundle attached to his chest in some sort of weird holster thing.
I quietly step over and kiss my niece on her head. She stirs but doesn’t wake.
“Your favorite uncle is here,” I whisper. She smiles in her sleep.
“Look at that, even when she’s not conscious I still make her happy.”
“Wow. Do you have that effect on all the girls?” Kylie asks with a smirk. Kylie is my older sister who is closest in age to me, and out of my three older sisters, she and Di vie for the most sarcastic. Lanie, on the other hand, is too motherly to use sarcasm to an extreme.
I flick Kylie off and head over to grab a beer out of the cooler on the deck.
“How are classes?” Di asks as she sits down next to Kylie.
I shrug. “Fine. I’m going to try to get one of the NASA internships.”
Lanie, who’s sitting on a bench along the railing, looks up at me. “How does that work? I mean with Dad working there.”
“It’s not with his division, so I don’t think it matters.” Yeah. So, my dad works for NASA. I probably should ask him if one of his friends can put in a good word for me. I just hate using my connections to get a job. I want to get it because they thought I was the best applicant, not because I’m Ted Moore’s kid.
“You should go talk to Dad,” Lanie presses. Lanie-panie. She’s only the oldest by like three minutes or something, but she’s a pain in my butt sometimes with her advice. I prefer the lesser of the two evil twins, Diana. Probably because Di would never play devil’s advocate with me. Lanie the lawyer always points out all the issues.
Deciding that I need to get out of the way of the firing squad, I head inside. I can just barely see Dad standing in the kitchen loading up a platter of hot dogs and burgers to put on the grill.
I’m about to go talk to him when I hear a familiar voice through the many conversations occurring around me. I take two more steps and see Megan talking to my dad. Now, her parents do live across the street. And Megan and her sister, Connie, do from time to time stop in for our Saturday parties. In fact, as kids, they were regulars over here. Connie isn’t around much anymore since she just finished grad school and is working in D.C. And it’s been a very long while since I’ve seen Megan. Her parents come over regularly because Walter Lennox owns a beer and wine store and supplies most of the alcohol for our Saturday parties.
I take a few more steps toward my grandparents who are all sitting in the breakfast room chatting.
“Clark, how are you?” Gran Tilly asks, patting the seat next to her. I sit in it, but only because I have a perfect view of Dad and Megan.
“Oh, good, thanks,” I say to her as I keep my eyes on Megan.
“Nana Betty was just mentioning that we all need to go get fitted for outfits for Di’s wedding,” she rattles on and then discusses the wedding in detail, none of which I care about. I mean, I’m happy for Di and her fiancé, Garrett. But Di’s obsession with romance has turned this wedding into some sort of epic Banneker event. I’ve told her that I’d get fitted for a tux and show up, but beyond that, I’m busy. Thank God for school. Weddings are not my thing.
I strain to hear Megan over the loud discussion at the table. I only catch a few words. “Excited.” “Nervous.” “Great.” “When.” “Thanks.”
After a few minutes, she gives my dad a hug and wanders toward the dining room. I can see my sister-in-law, Tabby, and her brother, Brixton, who happens to be my brother-in-law. Yeah, Kent and Lanie married siblings. Don’t ask. Our family is like some weird daytime television drama.
“I’m gonna say hi to Dad,” I finally interject before standing and heading toward Dad who’s about to go outside. I grab the slider for him.
“Thanks, Champ. How’s school?” he asks as we walk out to the deck. I join him in the corner. He begins laying the meat on the grill.
“Good. Hey, any chance I can get someone you know to write me a recommendation for the NASA internship program I was telling you about?” I ask.
“Funny you ask. Megan just asked me to write her a recommendation,” he says. I feel my blood begin to boil. Now, to be fair, my parents have no idea how bad things went between Megan and me. But, they definitely by now know that we aren’t friends anymore.
“Dad, seriously?” I blurt out.
Dad gives me a look. “I don’t know why you two aren’t friends anymore, but Megan is a good kid, and she has worked hard. I’m more than happy to recommend her.”
“Can you get someone at work to write me a letter?” I ask.
“You want to apply?”
I nod. “I told you I was interested.”
Dad gives another pointed look. “Clark, you mentioned that it sounded cool like three months ago. That’s hardly telling me that you are applying. I’m sure Mark or Rob or someone will write you one. I’ll ask them on Monday,” he says, rattling off the names of a few of his work friends that I know.
“Thanks,” I mutter. I shouldn’t be annoyed at Dad, but I am. If I’m being honest though, I’m really just pissed off at Megan. Why the fuck would she ask my dad? Part of me wants to march into the dining room and call her out and another part of me wants to sabotage her chances of getting the internship. I decide to go blow off steam by playing kickball with my nephew, Ashton.