Page 53 of Captivating Anika
“So…” She drags out the word and throws in a dramatic pause to make sure I pay attention.
It’s a tactic that—combined with the look—would often have my brother and I confessing our crimes without the need for her to pry them out of us. But we were kids then, that strategy has outlived its effectiveness, and I’ve become quite proficient at the stare-down part myself.
“What your mother seems to hesitate addressing,” my dad interjects, getting impatient with the face-off, “are the developments that appear to have taken place in your life.”
“I’m not hesitating at all,” Mom snaps. “I simply wanted to give Anika a chance to come clean first.”
Hog—who thankfully is sitting beside me—clamps a firm hand on my knee under the table. He probably guessed my mother just waved a red flag right in my damn face. Instead of flying off the handle, which I likely would’ve done if not for his calm force, I take a breath before I respond.
“Coming clean would imply some kind of transgression on my part, and I can’t for the life of me imagine what that would be. Unless, of course, you are talking about the fact I—as a thirty-nine-year-old grown woman— did and do not feel the need to share every aspect of my life with my family the moment it happens.”
“I’m sure that’s not what your mother meant,” Dad tries to moderate.
We both know it’s exactly what she meant and, even though it all comes from a good place, it’s rather invasive.
“Since when is it a crime to have an interest in my daughter’s life?” Mom asks, going on the defensive.
“It isn’t,” I return. “Except, this is my life we’re talking about, and therefore it’s my choice what parts of it I wish to share, and when I wish to share them.”
“Seems fair enough,” Dad, the peacemaker, suggests.
On the other side of the table I see Trin elbowing my brother, shooting him a see-I-told-you look. Bodhi suddenly develops a keen interest in his plate and avoids eye contact altogether.
Mom, on the other hand, is looking right at me, a bit of a flush on her face, and her mouth tight, but her expression is almost puzzled.
“That said,” I continue, grabbing Hog’s hand under the table and entwining our fingers. “Yes, Hog and I have very recently started seeing each other. It’s very new. With everything going on, we’ve barely had a chance to wrap our own heads around what is happening.”
I hope Hog doesn’t mind I’m including him, but I figure it might get my family to back off him with an inquisition after. His fingers give mine a gentle squeeze, either in encouragement or approval, which both work for me.
It’s Trin who reacts first, and I could kiss her.
“Completely understandable, right, Bodhi?” She nudges my brother again and I have to wonder if they perhaps have had some words on the subject.
He responds with a grunt, but when I catch him peering at me from the corner of his eye, one side of his mouth twitches.
“It makes sense,” Dad agrees as well.
Then Mom drops a bomb.
“Well, I’m not surprised in the least. I always suspected there was something simmering between the two of you.”
If Hog hadn’t been holding on to my hand, I might’ve fallen off my chair.
“What?” she challenges my stunned look. “It was just a matter of time.”
“Yes, it was,” Hog rumbles next to me, giving my mother a nod.
He squeezes my hand again, but now a little firmer. This time it’s definitely an encouragement. I know what he’s expecting me to tackle next, but I’m having some serious second thoughts.
So far, this sit-down with my family hasn’t been half as bad as I’d expected. Mom hasn’t even brought up grandchildren, at least not yet. However, I know once I go ahead and broach the next subject, that could change on a dime.
I dart a glance at Hog, who nods reassuringly, and then I turn to my family, who all seem to sense something else is coming. Every eye is fixed on me.
“I had one last thing I wanted to share.” I take a deep breath and rip off the Band-Aid. “I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.”
“What? You? How?” All questions come from Bodhi.
“Oh, no. I’m so sorry,” Trin says at the same time.