In Fair Verona

XXII

Phoebe and I sit at the kitchen table.

She's framing some photos and "updating" a lot of the random frames in our house.

She's also got a bunch of frames to make a wall dedicated to pictures from her phone. Sorta like Grace's Polaroid wall.

And as if on que the front door opens and Phoebe and I both peek our heads up to see who.

"Grace!" Phoebe hops up. She knocks over a frame but doesn't react, she just runs to hug Grace.

"Auguste!" Phoebe calls upstairs. "Grace is home."

I get out of my chair and go to lean on the kitchen doorframe. I feel like a parent with my arms crossed and everything.

"It's been a month. God Grace that's so long."

"Yeah I know. I just was focusing hard on school and wanted some time away from home to think. Also I've been away from home for like two months,this is nothing."

"Yeah but our family was on good terms."

"Are you saying we're on bad terms?"

"I'm saying I don't know and that's what makes everything so much more nerve racking."

"Well I've got all the anxiety out of my system. A month of thinking made me realize my priorities."

"Can you please talk to maman," Phoebe says.

I can hear Auguste's footsteps stop at the stairs above me.

"She's at Madeleine's," Auguste says.

"I'll just call her and ask her to come home."

"How come the anxiety isn't out of my system," Phoebe whines. "J'ai trop peur. Ugh. Pourquoi fais-tu cela?"

"I know it makes you nervous but just don't worry about it," Grace smiles. Phoebe gives her another hug. "You can go take a nap."

"But then I'm useless."

"To what?"

"Well I gotta defend you if maman is mad."

"I know but this isn't your problem. I can leave and go back to my life. You live with maman and there's no reason you should argue with her."

What's worse of being a third wheel is feeling like that in your own family. A bystander. Of course the three of them would all die for each other, I've known of their existence for for four months. Five in a couple days or so.

"Let's try not to have any negativity for when Christmas rolls around."

"The countdown starts tomorrow," Phoebe smiles.

"Your right it does. But right now I need to call maman and count down the minutes till she gets here."

"What about papa?"

"As if his opinion mattered in this household."

Every now and then it boggles my mind that I share a dad with all of them. I feel like I was adopted.

Grace goes to the kitchen and calls Gwen. She says to Phoebe that she'd be here in fifteen minutes. So we all sit and wait.

We wait for a painful twenty minutes to pass. At twenty one minutes Gwen walks through the door and both Phoebe and Auguste scram to where I am on the couch.

"Salut," Gwen says as she walks through the door. He heels clicking on the floor as she walks.

"Uh. Hey maman."

I move over on the couch so I get a small view of the kitchen.

"Been a while," Gwen says.

"Yeah."

"Est-ce une relation sérieuse?"

"Elle est ma petite amie de deux ans! Of
course it is."

"What's wrong with, I don't know? Felix?"

"Nothing maman. I don't like him like that."

It's quiet.

"Maman I haven't seen you in a month. I miss you a lot."

Gwen is quiet.

I can hear sniffling but not sure from who.

"Je connais. I miss you too," Gwen walks closer to hug Grace. "Why didn't you tell me."

"Désolé maman. J'étais effrayé."

"Aw. I'm sorry I didn't call."

They both sound like they're crying or at least sniffling.

I look to Auguste and Phoebe. Both with big grins on their face.

"Okay good!" Phoebe finally says hopping off the couch and running into the kitchen. "Because if you have a problem with Grace, this family is going to have some issues."

I see Grace smile as Auguste and I walk in the kitchen.

"No. No problem," Gwen gives a small genuine smile. "Just some getting used to."

"Okay That's also good because I'm not very good at holding grudges."

Gwen holds her arms out and waits for Phoebe to give her a hug.

"I love that you guys protect each other."

I slowly make my way out of the kitchen. Feeling out of place and a little uneasy.

I don't have a mom.

I make my way up to my room to think.

Arianna used to say maybe it's better I don't have much memories of her. How could you miss what you didn't have?

But just because I don't have something doesn't mean I don't want it. That I don't need it.

Who do I talk to?

"Hey."

"Hey Isaac," I smile to the phone.