Potentially You and Me (Two Truths and a Lie)

CHAPTER SIX: PRESS

CHAPTER SIX: PRESS

I can see the reflection of my fingers typing away on the word document, and I pause to tug at my lip. That's when I catch Stephanie's shadow also reflecting in my laptop screen. She continues to push her hand off her desk and spin her chair around and around. She traded her original wooden desk chair last weekend for a big black one, and I don't think she's gotten up since. It takes up a few more inches of already dwindling space and squeaks a little every time just before it reaches a full 360.

     My phone lights up beside me. I purposely put it on silent to keep it from distracting me, but I don't hesitate in picking it up since HOME is flashing across the top of the screen.

     "Hello?"

     "Hi, lima bean! Just checking in!"

     "Hey, mom." I smile at the nickname.

     There's some pounding before I hear my mom sigh. "How are you doing?"

     "I'm all right. Just—"

     Some more pounding. "Will you stop."

     "You're not doing it right," I hear my dad mumble.

     "Go away," my mom says as the pounding ensues.

     "You're not supposed to pound half of it."

     There's a slam.

     "There's no right way to pound chicken!"

     Stephanie stops spinning and she pierces me with her curious blue eyes. I send her a sheepish smile over my shoulder.

     "Mom?" I ask when only more rustling ensues on her end.

     "Yes, bean, sorry, I'm here. Your dad's just being a butthead."

     "But you're not—"

     "Do you want to make it?" The accusation is completely and totally my moms, and I let out a laugh because it feels like I'm sitting there at the kitchen table. My heart tugs a little at the thought.

     "Hi, Lacie!" My dad sounds closer to the phone.

     "Hi, dad!"

     "Go make yourself useful and chop the tomatoes," my mom orders him, and I laugh again as I imagine the hip bump she gives him in the direction.

     "What are you guys making?" I ask as I prop my feet up and wrap my arm around my legs.

     "Oh, just some grilled chicken and some salad," she says it like it's no big deal, but I would kill to have her and my dad's food right now. I may miss my bed, but I think I miss family dinner even more.

    "Hold on, Lace, I'm putting you on speaker." I hear a click. "Okay, so anything new?"

     I wait a few seconds at the sound of rushing water before responding. "No, not really. College is a lot more boring than I expected."

     My dad barks out a laugh in the background, and I smile again just picturing the whole scene. My mom's dark blonde hair twisted up in a claw clip as she still wears her black uniform from her day shift, while my dad still prances around in his pajamas, more worried about the food he's going to bring with him on his night shift than if his light blue scrubs are even clean. A cop and a nurse, everything adult rom-coms are made of. It started with coffee and doughnuts and now its meal prepping and pounding chicken.

     "Well, how's that lab class you were telling me about?" My mom asks.

     "It's all right." I sigh. "I'm working on a lab now."