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I shook my head. "I've got better things to do than wait around for you all day."
"Fine," Matt threw his hands up in the air. "I'll see you around, Jen."
When Dad finally arrived ten minutes later, I was fuming. I flung my bag over the headrest before angrily buckling my seatbelt beside him.
"Hey kiddo, what's wrong?" Dad asked as he put the truck in drive, drove me away from my stupid best friend and his stupid short sidekick.
I exhaled heavily. "I just wanted to spend some time with Matt today. But he ruined it by inviting this kid named Michael. Michael doesn't play with girls."
Dad adjusted the baseball cap on his head. "Did you show him up?"
"Didn't have a chance to," I shrugged. "Matt didn't let me play."
The radio aired an advertisement about toothpaste while we drove down the busy street, a few moments of awkward silence fell over the cab.
"Are you mad because you don't like Michael?" Dad prodded. "Or are you mad because you have to share Matt with him?"
I played with my fingers in my lap. "I guess a little of both."
"Sharing friends can be hard," Dad acknowledged. "But if you're really Matt's friend, then you need to find a way to be OK with him playing basketball with someone else sometimes. Friendships can be strengthened by giving each other space to explore new relationships and have experiences with other people."
"Thanks, Dr. Phil," I joked.
"I'm being serious, Jenny," Dad playfully scolded me. "You have Fallon. Matt's allowed to have other friends, too."
"I know," I sighed as I rested my forehead against the window. "It's just going to take a little getting used to."
"You'll figure it out, kiddo," Dad smiled. "You always do."
Audra quickly raising her fingers to her mouth pulls me out of the jealous flashback.
I focus back on her dazed, glossy face.
Her chin wobbles, her fingers shake as she finally says, "Yes."
"Really?" Matt grins from his kneeled position in front of her.
"Yes," she says again, more tears falling down her flushed face.
I watch as he slips the ring from the black velvet box and slides it onto her finger. Audra beams down at it before leaning forward and kissing him.
I'm not sure why, but it feels like all the air's being sucked out of the room. It's hard to breathe, my throat feels dry and the sound of rushing blood pounds in my ears. I'm trying to process how I feel about everything.
How do I feel? How do I feel? How do I feel?
I don't know.
There's this nagging feeling in my chest that says I need to be happy for them. That I need to put a smile on my face, stand up, walk over and congratulate them.
But my feet don't move.
I look around. Everyone else is frozen in place, too. Except for Diane. She's moved onto the bowl of stuffing in front of her.
"Matt," Randy licks his lips, shakes his head, confused. "What are you...when did you..."
"Mom gave me the ring," Matt responds, standing from the floor.
It's Kyle, surprisingly, who stands first and rounds the table, gives his brother a hug. I can see the hesitancy in his eyes, like he thinks Matt's rushing into things, taking it too fast. But I also can see the way he's trying to silently support his brother in a roomful of perplexed, shocked family and friends.
