AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, on my birthday.” I chuckle, remembering the odd conversation about sex work we had on Christmas Day. “Needless to say, Mom wasn’t pleased even though she was feigning happiness the whole dinner.”
“Why wasn’t she pleased?” Petra continues.
Damn, she’s quite curious.“Well for starters, she’s thirty-five and Mom is forty-one,” I tell her.
“Oh.”
All of a sudden, she falls into an awkward silence as if I had said something wrong. “But I mean, you and my uncle are like twenty-three years apart, right?” I ask, since I fail to understand her sudden change. “And yet you seem to be doing okay.”
“We are fine now,” she responds cautiously. “But it wasn’t always that way. I’ll be completely honest with you… it wasn’t always an easy road.”
I shrug, falling back against the headboard. “I know, but even my parents have an age gap. Rules for thee, not for me.”
Petra nods with understanding. “Yeah, it can be. Everyone older than you will always think they know better. But if you want them to respect your choices, you have to go toe to toe with them to prove you’re capable. Not hide away and let them judge you.”
I’m lost in thought, wondering if I’m going toe to toe with everyone or if I’m just running away, when Petra says quietly,“Come down to dinner with us, Andries. Your uncle would love to see you.”
I don’t say anything. Is this what she means, going toe to toe? Showing up at all the functions unafraid of judgment? I wish I could ask her if that’s how she handled her own struggles.
When I don’t answer for a few minutes, Petra stands up and adds, “I’ll wait in the hallway for you to get changed.”
Before I can object, she’s gone. Staring at the empty door, I sigh heavily, and scrub my face with my hands. I guess I’m going to this fucking party. Thanks a lot,AuntPetra.
“You wouldn’t want your Uncle Alex to see you letting his beloved wife struggle down the stairs in her heels when his nephew could help her!” Petra giggles as she holds herself to my arm.
I huff in response, annoyed that I’ve been manipulated into coming down to this stupid party.
I’m hoping to see Uncle Alex first, to catch up with one of the relatives that doesn’t see me as a pariah, but to my dismay, it’s my dad who catches us at the bottom of the stairs.
“Andries!” he exclaims, as if we hadn’t been screaming at each other last night. “Now that’s a surprise!”
He tries to pat my shoulder jovially, but I dodge, pulling Petra with me. She stumbles the slightest bit and glares up at me, pinching my arm. “That was rude.”
“It’s a long story,” I say tensely as we keep walking toward the dining room. “Don’t ask.”
I can tell she wants to anyway, but thankfully, she refrains.
As we enter the ballroom, I can’t help but notice it’s full of so many people it boggles my mind. It’s decorated tastefully, and bythe loud, carefree laughter floating over the crowd, it’s clear the alcohol is flowing freely.
I could really use a drink.
Petra spots Alex first and drags me over to her husband. She releases me and stands tall to kiss him quickly, smiling.
“I’ve found your favorite nephew,” she says cheerfully.
“Indeed you have,” Alex rumbles in reply. He holds out his hand to mine, and I gladly shake it. As I stand in front of him, I realize we are about the same height, maybe I’m even an inch or two taller. Time truly flies.
Petra looks between the two of us and, content in the fact she has left me with someone acceptable, fades into the crowd.
“Look at you, Andries. You’re a grown man now. I feel positively ancient,” Alex jokes.
“Well, you don’t look it. It’s good to see you, Uncle.”
His gaze follows to where Petra disappeared. “She keeps me young, I think. Other times it feels like she’s killing me slowly but… that’s love.”
“Yeah,” I hedge uncomfortably. “I guess it is.”
“So!” Alex declares, grabbing a drink from a passing server’s tray for each of us. He pushes one into my hand before I can protest. “I want to hear all about university,” he looks around and lowers his voice conspiratorially. “Including any rogue classes you’ve picked up on your own. Your grandmother was furious when she found out how many random courses I had taken on the family dime.”
