“Why don’t you invite Justin and his girlfriend, too?” Dad
suggested. I snapped, sending Justin a text and asking him if he wanted to
come. “So, the final tally, Kyra?”
“Ummmm, roughly twenty? Mom’s using the same caterer that
she used for Uncle Demetri’s and Uncle Alex’s anniversary. We’ve got the tent
and the dance floor. Mom and I are going to pick up the decorations with Aunt
Alice.” I tried to hide my distaste for my father’s sister.
“She’s trying, K,” Owen said. “When Dad had to go into the
office and Mom had to take Masen to the dentist because of that mishap with the
football in gym, Aunt Ali came and sat with me. She made me lunch, helped me go
to the bathroom, brought me my guitar so I could calm down since I was in pain.”
“She’s not my favorite person either, Kyra, but she’s still
your aunt. Be respectful. She’s working through some stuff,” Dad said, putting
his arm around my shoulder. “She loves all of you kids.”
“Tell that to Gianna,” I muttered. Dad sighed, giving me the
stern parental glare. “What? It’s true. The girl is messed up, Dad. She thinks
her mother hates her and turns to Mom for everything, not that I blame her.”
“Owen, I’m going to borrow your sister for a little bit,
okay?” Dad said, gently pulling me from Owen’s room. My brother snorted,
picking up his book and reading with his ear buds before the door was closed.
“Kyra,
I know that you are not a fan of Aunt Alice. What she did to Gianna and to her
family is something that she is struggling with. She feels incredibly guilty
for abandoning them.”
“She should,” I said, crossing my arms. “Dad, she acted like
me when I was having my teenage tantrum at the beginning of the school year.
She’s like, old. She shouldn’t be having tantrums.”
“It was a hormonal thing,” Dad explained, grimacing slightly.
“You know how you get before you have your period?”
“PMS? Ugh, yes. I’m so cranky and all I want is chocolate,”
I said. “Being on birth control helps, but I’m still a bitch.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” Dad gave me sheepish grin. I
shrugged. “Well, imagine that times a hundred. That’s what Aunt Alice is
dealing with. Her body is changing radically,” Dad said softly. “Nana went
through something similar, but she went on medication when she went through
menopause. Aunt Alice was in denial.”
“Oh,” I said. “Will she ever get back to normal? I mean, she
was fun and crazy and…”
“With time, principessa,
we hope so. For now, she’s trying rebuild the bridges that she burned when she
had her meltdown. Alice is trying, like Owen said. Now, what’s the theme for
this prom?” Dad asked.
“I’m not being creative. I’m using the same theme as our
prom at school: ‘A Night to Remember,’” I replied. “The decorations are going
to be black, gold and silver with some red lights all along the tent. All of
the girls are going to wear black, gold or silver dresses and the guys are
wearing tuxedos or black suits.”
“It sounds great. Do you have a DJ?” Dad asked.
“Not yet. I’ve called a couple of places, but no one has
called back. I really don’t want to have my sound dock out there with my mp3
player,” I grumbled.
“Let me see what I can do,” Dad smiled, hugging me close. I
nodded and snuggled in his arms. “Until then, go do your homework.”
“Yes, Daddy,” I giggled, dancing out of his arms and upstairs.
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