A Missed Opportunity

31

✧𝙽𝚘𝚊𝚑✧

I feel like it's kind of obvious that I haven't exactly spoken to my parents that much recently. Like...at all. Since Thanksgiving.

They've talked to me though, if that counts. I just haven't really felt like talking back.

I don't really want to start now, to be honest. But there are some factors beginning to pop up that kind of force me to. For one, Kiara says Cameron would like to invite my parents to his birthday party. And I guess she either couldn't talk him out of it or didn't even try. So, now I get to talk to them.

I think even if he decided to change his mind and not invite them, I'd still have to talk to them. Aaliyah's starting to notice my absence at the dinner table when my mom decides she wants the family over. It's only happened a couple of times, but each time she texted and told me our mother was fuming the entire time. It's beginning to worry Aaliyah, and she keeps asking if I'm done with our parents or what. It's not an idea she's any kind of used to, and I'm sure that change probably scares her. All change scares that poor kid.

It's not like she's not old enough to know that sometimes it's better when families take breaks from each other. Breaks that are permanent. She knows that, and I'm sure she doesn't have a hard time wrapping her head around the concept of one of us never speaking to our parents again. Even still, her empathy or whatever keeps her from being that one. And me being the one means she now feels bad for them and lets them around Elaina a little more.

So, I force myself to show up to the dinner table this time. My mom looks satisfied for about ten seconds before she decides no one can be happy ever. "Well...this is nice. It'd be nicer if all of our grandbabies were at the table." She sighs as she mostly watches me.

I mock her dramatic sigh and look over at Aaliyah. "Yeah, Aaliyah. All of the grandbabies." I shake my head in disapproval at her.

She frowns as she drops her hands below the table to her stomach. "The baby still has a bit." She reasons. I tip my chin up, still watching her with disapproval as if it's her fault another grandkid is sat at the table with us.

My mom huffs, having had enough of our little show. "I meant Cameron." She grumbles bitterly. "The grandson I still haven't properly met." Her narrowed eyes settle on me. "How often are you around him? Clearly not enough if I haven't seen him since Thanksgiving." It's her turn now to turn the looks of disapproval my way.

I intend to ignore her, but the last person I expected to say something opens her mouth. "Actually, Noah's around him a lot." Aaliyah hums. She finds her voice to speak up but keeps her eyes down as she spoon feeds Elaina her green beans just so she'll eat them. She'll only do it for the airplane spoon. "He actually probably just came from Kiara's."

I grin because I did, in fact, just come from Kiara's.

"Well, then how come we haven't seen him?" Mom asks with a frown. "We've hardly even gotten to have a conversation with him." She looks over at my dad to confirm. He nods in agreement and looks to me expectantly too.

"Uh, because you treat his mom like shit."

Alex clears his throat. Aaliyah purses her lips. "No cursing at the dinner table." She decides with a cautious look at her daughter that's learned to just say things now.

Mom scoffs, exasperated. "We do not." She argues stubbornly. "I was polite to her at Thanksgiving, was I not?" She looks at dad again just because she knows he'll nod whether he agrees with her or not. Aaliyah finds it funny, but I just find it fucking annoying. The man pretty much has no spine.