It's Just That Crazy

Chapter 6- Seal it with a Kiss

I was a little surprised to say the least.

"Mom?" Connor questioned retracting his hand from hers. "Is that true?"

Before she answered she turned and scowled at my dad then nodded her head at Connor with a more apologetic look. "It is. I'm sorry."

"But why? What problems are so big that they can't ever be worked out?" I asked.

Neither mom nor dad answered me and they didn't make eye contact with each other either. The only movement from anyone was from my dad and he just adjusted his tie again under my unceasing stare.

Back to the Present

You see, it's occasions just like that that make me worried.

I watch dad across the dinner table touching his tie and I groan. Whatever is getting ready to happen here is not going to be good for anyone.

Beth picks up her napkin and wipes her mouth then places it down on the table next to her plate. I look at Connor and he must be thinking the same thing I am because he has the same worried look I do.

After another moment of silence I can't take it anymore and have to do something.

I allow my fork to clatter noisily onto my plate and I cross my arms. In the silence the noise is much louder and it draws everyone's attention to me. "Are we moving or did someone die? Because if it's any of those things I wish you'd just spit it out already. Just rip off the Band-Aid."

Dad just stares at me in wide, surprised eyes before allowing himself to blink. "No one died and no one is moving... at least not immediately."

"But eventually?" It's Connor who asks.

Dad looks at Beth sitting beside him and she grins. He grins back. "Well, yes actually. Beth and I are getting married."

Suddenly everything starts to fall into place. They will obviously want to move into s place of their own. Technically this place was mom and dad's before the divorce. It makes since that Beth would want to make new memories somewhere else.  Who wants to live in their husband's ex-marital home?

I have to find my voice to speak. "Wow, Dad. Married? When did you propose?"

Beth is the one who speak this time. "Two nights ago. We couldn't wait to tell you." She holds out her hand to me and Connor and shows us her ring finger.

The ring is big, sparkly and beautiful. It's nothing less than I would have expected form my dad.

"It's gorgeous," I say after she drops her hand to her lap. "Very nice."

Even though my voice portrays happiness, I am anything but. In truth, I feel the exact opposite and I feel guilty for it.

Don't get me wrong, I like Beth, I really do, but I know I speak for both Connor and myself when I say we're just a little disappointed by the engagement.

Connor and I have always secretly hoped that one day mom and dad would come to their senses and, after some time, get back together. They are both stubborn people sometimes but we always expected that the divorce was never permanent. At least we hoped it wasn't.

Now I see that we were very wrong.

Mom and Dad dating other people is one thing, but getting married is another thing entirely. Something about it just seems so final. I'm afraid that if either of them goes through it, there will be no chance in the world they will work things out.

My eyes drift back to Connor and my stomach drops. He is silent and looking down at the tablecloth picking at the pattern. He looks confused and dejected.