Linger

S I X T Y - S I X

"Owie!" Jenny exclaimed, pointing her little finger at my forehead. 

"Jenny!" Jade scolded. "Sorry." She shot me a quick smile as she brought her daughter's finger down. "We don't point, remember? We ask, 'Are you okay?'" she told her daughter.

The restaurant Brandon selected for us happened to be a fun, casual barbecue place, Phil and Grills. The mouth-watering aroma of grilled meats,  fried potatoes, and warm tangy barbecue sauce filled the air. 

"It's not as bad as it looks," I reassured them with a laugh. However, I could feel a pair of eyes on me and I looked up to see Sasha walking up to our table, a bored look on her face. 

I swallowed hard, shifting my gaze to the menu.

"Hey, friends and fam!!" Brandon exclaimed with a giant smile on his face as he walked in, holding Bennie in his arms. "Who's ready for some din-din?"

"Din-din!!" Bennie repeated, throwing his little arms in the air as his bright smile mirrored his father's. 

I smiled at the adorable sight.

"Yeah, let's have some din-din!!" Brandon cheered as he made his way to the head of the table. "You ready for some din-din, Dan?" he asked Daniel playfully, giving his shoulder a squeeze as he past him. 

Daniel chuckled quietly, shaking his head, yet a smile remained on his face as he scanned the menu.

"Do you see him?!" Katie whispered excitedly, leaned over to me. 

"Who?" I followed her gaze to Jackson walking behind Sasha. He clapped Daniel on the back as he took a seat next to him and Daniel laughed before looking up, catching my eye. 

I gave him a small smile. 

"Cool Shades!!" Katie exclaimed quietly next to me, bringing me back to reality.  

"Do you want him to sit next to you?" I asked. 

"Who?" a new voice asked. 

Katie and I looked up to see Sasha pulling out the empty chair next to Katie and taking a seat. 

My grip tightened on the menu as I eyed her. There were so many things to do or say but I knew this wasn't the time or place. All I could do was just hold my breath as I sat here, hoping this dinner would somehow end before it even started.

"Dan, what are you doing here?!" Brandon exclaimed from his place at the head of the table. "Go sit next to your girl!!" 

"She's right here." Daniel chuckled slightly as he nodded to Jenny next to him, lifting up their joined hands. Her tiny fingers clutching onto one of his. My heart melted at the sight. 

"Whoa!" Brandon's eyes went wide as he turned to me. "Maddie, sorry to say but looks like you've been replaced. That's gotta be tough." He grimaced yet his eyes danced with amusement. 

I let out a laugh, fiddling with my menu. "She has good taste." 

"Can we, like, not make this anymore awkward than it already is?" Sasha glared at us as she picked up a menu.  

"Awkward?" Brandon tilted his head at her. "Why is it awkward?"

"Uh . . ." She shifted her gaze around, meeting mine. "I'm . . . vegan. So . . . you know." She held the menu up, pressing her lips tightly together. 

"Oh." Brandon's face fell. "This is awkward."

I knitted my eyebrows at her. "You're vegan?"

"Since when?" Jackson asked.