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It had been weeks since my ... episode and derrick thought it'd be nice to have dinner with Chase and his family. Some normalcy around the house is what he said we needed.
The Château was as fancy as it sounded. I felt out of place simply wearing black jeans but they looked like the material of dress pants and a white blouse with a pussybow and black booties. I hadn't realized all of us were matching until Cameron gleefully pointed it out. The boys were all in black dress pants with white collared shirts and black ties. We looked like a unit. Cameron said now we were looking like a real family. The comment made my lips quirk up but only for a second.
I didn't remember much from growing up with my real family. Sometimes I can't even remember what they look like or their voices, but other times I get these random flashbacks, of me. Of us. Sometimes it's my mother laughing or looking at me with warm eyes or its my father doing something silly to make me laugh. Today, I had one of those flashbacks, it was us. Sitting in our old apartment getting ready to eat dinner, I remember wanting to do everything just like them. Eat like them, dress like them, I vaguely remember a time where I wanted to go to work with my father rather than go to school.
Yet, with this particular memory we were about to eat dinner and like usual, their plates were set and filled with food and I was waiting for my meal of hot dogs and french fries to warm up. I was a picky eater, always. So I would stick with more kids friendly foods during dinner time. But this day was different, I didn't want my safe choice of hot dogs and french fries. I wanted what they were eating. It was fish, at least I think it was. The memory was so long ago but I do remember insisting that I ate the same thing. I only took one bite before I spat it out. They laughed, and offered me soda to rid the taste from my mouth.
I smile fondly at the memory, while smiling at Chases daughter who wanted to try the escargot, that she pronounced with the 'T' at the end. We had all been trying to convince the eight year old that it wasn't the best idea but she had insisted she was ready for it. Cameron, who seemed to be getting the best kick out of it was leaning onto my shoulder cackling like a madman trying to sober up for his niece who seemed to feel embarrassed. I offer her a smile to which she returns before asking her mother to order her something else.
Cameron and I, both opted to just get baked chicken with broccoli which was seemingly the only Americanized thing that was on the menu.
"So, how has school being going?" Chase asks looking at around the table, to which his two children begin to shout about their spelling tests and report cards that would be coming in soon, "Yes, I know you both are doing very well I'm talking to the boys and Aaron," he glances me offering a smile which I try to return but I feel like I'm grimacing instead.
Carter shrugs shoveling something that looks like pasta into his mouth, "Fine, really. I'm just ready to graduate and maybe move out. Might even move away from here."
"Well, I'm actually thinking about doing basketball this year and taking some more AP classes," Cameron leans back in his chair, "But I don't know, I don't want to overwhelm myself but I know I need to have better looking transcripts if I want good colleges to be interested."
