Page 70 of Inevitable

“What?” Drew asked with a dazed look in his eyes.

Ezra felt a tiny bit bad about his next move but not enough to not do it.

“For breakfast,” Ezra said as he turned around and took off toward the kitchen. With his newly acquired head start, he beat Drew by at least five seconds, the man making an appearance just as Ezra was high-fiving the laughing Bas.

“You cheated,” Drew said.

“And I feel awful about it.” Ezra put on an appropriately somber expression.

“And he will definitely think about the consequences of his actions while you make us pancakes,” Bas added.

Drew just shook his head, but he went to the stove.

The pancakes turned out delicious, especially since they were seasoned with the taste of victory.

23

Drew had made a reservation at the restaurant his family had frequented when he’d been a kid. If nothing else, the long-gone happy memories would perhaps pave the way to a pleasant afternoon.

He spotted his mother the moment he stepped in the door. He smiled to the maître d’ as he made his way toward his mom. She got up as she watched him approach, a small smile playing on her lips. His dad got up as well.

Drew had gotten his height from his dad and his looks from his mom. It had been a running joke for years when he was little. Not anymore.

“Drew,” his mom said. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Andrew.” His dad nodded, looking less joyful, but his dad had always been stoic, so Drew didn’t take it personally. His dad hadn’t gotten that much older during the last decade. He still had the same salt-and-pepper hair. He hadn’t gotten all wrinkly or hunched or any of the many characteristics that were usually associated with people aging.

His mother was still dyeing her hair the same chestnut brown, and she was still wearing the glasses with thin, golden frames.

If he tried really hard, he could almost imagine no time had passed at all.

They took their seats. Silence ensued as they perused their menus. Drew’s brain didn’t really process the names of the foods, so when their waiter came by, he just picked at random. He didn’t think he could eat anything anyway.

When the waiter left, his mom smiled. “I’m so glad we’re doing this.”

Drew nodded. “Me too.”

“It’s been long overdue,” his dad said.

Not for lack of trying on my part.

Drew forced down the irritation.

“How have you been?” he asked instead.

“Oh, same old, same old,” his mom said breezily. There was no real thought given to the fact that after a decade, Drew didn’t know what that same old, same old was anymore.

He had the basic facts, sure, from their few phone calls, but no specifics. Ellie’s updates only covered the broadest of topics. They both had found it easier in the beginning to ignore the topic of their parents, and over the years, it had become their status quo.

“How’s business?” Drew asked. His dad had worked as a real estate agent for as long as Drew could remember, and his parents had flipped houses on the side after his grandmother had passed and left them a small inheritance.

“A little side dollar never hurt anybody,” his mom used to say when she had mobilized the family for a weekend of painting or putting up drywall or any of the other numerous jobs that came with fixing up the various hovels his parents bought.

“I’m thinking about handing over the reins to Ellie,” his dad replied. “She has great instincts. The boys are both in school now, and she wants to concentrate on her career again. It’s time.”

There was so much pride in his dad’s voice. Once upon a time, he’d used the same tone when talking about Drew. He swallowed down the hurt. Being bitter would take them nowhere. Bygones and all that.

“That’s great.”