When The Sun Rises | ✔

27 | Respect The Motive

Chapter 27 | Respect The Motive

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        Food does not make everything better. A fact I should have learned from my childhood and remembered from the brunch with Greg.

        I stab a green bean and drag it across the plate. Below the table, my knee is bouncing like a tricked out Impala and I chew on the side of my tongue just so I don't have to focus on the fact that no one has said anything worth listening to since we sat down to eat.

        We're all doing some sort of conversational tribal dance. Hopping around the big, blazing flame of a thing that needs to be talked about. Purposely oblivious and content to stay that way.

        The air is thick with effort to keep things light, growing thicker with every lap around. In the past twenty minutes, we had talked about rising gas prices, New York traffic and dollar pizzas, and James had told us about some kid at the park who had been running around in nothing but a pull-up and some Jordans. Everything but the shit that's really on our minds.

        Unfazed, Xo sits to my left shoving chicken into her mouth like the damn meat is going to be on some Iron-Man shit. Pulling together all the spare pieces and flying off to somebody else's dinner table.

        She slides her fork across the plate, scraping streaks of mashed potatoes and bits of green beans. Plate void of anything hinting at food, she hums appreciatively and glances around the table. She reaches for a rib this time.

        "I'm gonna step out on a limb here and say you like the food, Xoë." James smirks as he glides the stack of meat closer to her greasy fingers.

        "As a part-time vegan, I only eat animal products like once a month. So just a heads up, don't expect to have no leftovers."

        James chuckles and bumps Sheila with his shoulder. "Looks like I got another fan in the house."

        She doesn't turn to look at him. Just waves him off with her hand and tears apart another piece of chicken for Eliel.

        He's on the other side of me in a high chair, hand wrapped around a wing and looking like a barbecue sauce Joker with the way the stuff is curving up from the sides of his mouth. Half-eaten ribs and strips of chicken are scattered across his plastic makeshift table.

        I peer up at Sheila sitting across from me. She wipes at Eliel's mouth with a wet paper towel. Such a tender and authentic moment, and it isn't until her eyes switch over to mine that I realize I'm staring.

        She clears her throat.

        "So I'm sure we all know what the uh – real reason for this lunch is. It wasn't just for the food and the small talk. That's the easy part and easy is always comfortable. But I think... I think it might be time to talk out a few of those uncomfortable things."

        Xo straightens next to me and James sets his fork down, sucking air between his teeth. "Oh boy."

        The only unaffected one is Eliel who has his lips folded around a rib.

        Sheila shakes her head, presses a palm to the table. "Ignore that, okay? Because it doesn't have to be an oh boy situation. I just want to hear from you and know where your head is at with all this."