Skipped Thanksgiving Because of My Family's Favoritism novel · Chapter 19 of 24

Chapter 19: Wheels Up

On the Monday before Thanksgiving, the director put a laptop on my lab desk and told me to take the call.

"It's your parents," he said. "I've asked the front desk to make an exception, for twenty minutes. They have landed."

I put on the headset.

My mother's face filled the screen, with a crowded arrivals hall behind her, and my father pushed into the frame holding a paper cup.

"Elliot!"

"Dad."

"We're in North City," my mother said. "We're standing in the airport, and I can't believe we're not driving to you."

"You can't. The center is sealed."

"I know." She wiped her cheek. "I know. I'm sorry. I want to hold you so badly I could scream."

My father put his cup on a suitcase.

"Son, I've been reading the messages your mother forwarded. I spoke to a lawyer on the plane."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I did." His jaw was tight. "Four kids who you grew up with. Forged forms, a police report, a bucket of dirty water. I'd like to knock on every one of those doors."

"Please don't."

"I won't. Your mother has already talked me out of it."

"For now," my mother said.

I almost laughed.

It was the first time in a long time I'd laughed at something a person said to me on a screen.

"Listen," I said. "I need to ask you something, and I don't want you to say yes just because you feel guilty."

"Ask."

"The Lowrys' Thanksgiving. Daphne's mother invited you, didn't she?"

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