Farm Tag

Chapter 2. « Meeting. »

"Where have you been, Angel? Did you give Monique the jam like I asked you to?"

Hands on my thighs, I try to catch my breath.

"Yes, I... I put it all... in the jar..."

"Good. But where did you go? I thought you'd been kidnapped! Don't go out alone, Angel. Not everyone has good intentions, even if we are in the countryside."

"I was with Judy, Mom."

"Ah, it's fine if it's her."

I smile. Everyone thinks she's the perfect daughter because of her parents' reputation but actually, Judy's a completely different person. I actually thought she was serious myself before we started raising hell together.

"Your dad went mattress shopping with Reid, did you clean your room? I forgot to tell you, but you need to make room in your closet for his stuff."

So his name is Reid.

"Yes, I thought about it so I already did."

"That's my girl."

"You left Marshall at the airport? God, that's fucking great."

"Language, Angel."

"I can hear you, big sis."

I look at him, lying on the sofa, feet up, playing with his Nintendo.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy."

"What is it?"

"Will Reid be able to take me to school in the morning?"

"He can't drive and he doesn't have a car. Don't start bothering him. He needs a rest, Marshall."

"Right..."

He runs up the stairs and locks himself in his room.

"The kid's embarrassed for nothing."

"You should have given him up for adoption."

"Angel."

"What?"

She snatches the apple I was about to eat out of my hand.

"Don't eat that, we're just about to have dinner. Start setting the table."

"It's 6 o'clock!"

"I'll start preparing the chicken for tonight, just do as I say."

"Why do I have to do it alone?"

"Marshall, come help your sister!"

I set the plates down, feeling weird putting one more on.

"Marshall!"

"What?!"

"Get down here!"

He helps me set the cutlery while I put on the glasses and we can hear the car tires rolling on the pebbles in front of the house through the open kitchen window.

"They're here."

My heart races. Why does Judy have to romanticize everything I say to her?!

I wipe my sweaty hands on my jeans and watch the door open to see Dad scrambling to get the mattress.

"Angel, help your father!"

"I've got it."

I help him lift it up and put it against the wall near the stairs. Then he wipes his hands, sighing.

"We'll wind it up later, I'm exhausted. Honey, give me a beer."

"You've got hands and feet, go get it yourself!"