“If my life were perfectly fabricated, you wouldn’t be here for dinner, now would you?” she asked, though there was no real bite to the words.
Gigi hollered from the kitchen. They looked at each other for a second before Jake followed her inside. When Gigi called, troops rallied. She issued more marching orders, and there was no more time for idle chitchat as the chicken and zucchini were put on the grill, the salad tossed, and the honey-glazed cornbread put in the oven.
Sadie reveled in the heat as she turned the zucchini, carefully ensuring each side was seared to perfection. Tasks were easier to contemplate than feelings.
The light breeze tasted sweet, with a dash of promise, and mixed with the char from the grill. Bambi was yapping playfully, and the sound of plates clanking together sang out from the kitchen. If she closed her eyes, nothing had changed. It was just another evening. Just another family dinner. I can do this, she told herself, not quite believing it but wanting to, and wasn’t that the whole point?
“Dinner’s ready!” Gigi called out as Sadie brought in the platter of chicken and vegetables.
“Where’s Seth?” Jake asked, looking around as they all took their places.
Sadie looked mutinous. Gigi frowned. And Raquel was the one who answered.
“He’s out of town,” she said simply. And it was true enough. “I got the rights to Carrie,” she added, glancing at Sadie, whose eyes were thanking her for changing the subject. “It was a total flop when it came out, so buying the rights was pretty cheap, comparatively. And it’s not terribly heavy on choreography, thank God. I really don’t want to inflict my dance moves on those poor kids.”
“I could help,” Jake said. “I’m known for my dance skills.” He moved his arms like a robot.
“Thanks, but no thanks.”
Sadie was surprised to hear her best friend laugh.
“What I really need is someone to control the lights. Mr. Mason, the math teacher, is helping me with lighting design, because he’s a masochist apparently, but he’ll be out of town for the actual production.”
“I can do it,” Jake volunteered, sounding serious this time.
“Why?” Raquel narrowed her eyes.
“I went to that high school too, remember? You’d just have to tell me what to do.”
Sadie saw the war playing on Raquel’s face. She didn’t want to accept his help, but she wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth either. Or a gift fireman, for that matter.
“Okay,” she said slowly. “When I finish the design, I’ll teach you how to do it. But if you back out on me, I’ll sic the kids on you.”
“Deal.” His deep rumble of a laugh echoed in Sadie’s heart.
“‘Better to screw than get screwed,’” Raquel said, looking expectantly at Sadie.
“‘You’d probably think it’s bizarre,’” Sadie continued, providing the next line of the song “The World According to Chris” from Carrie.
“‘But that’s the way things are!’” they both sang out at the same time.
“You two scare me,” Jake said, looking between them.
“Raquel’s made me memorize practically every musical since the dawn of time. Carrie has always been one of her favorites.”
“Small town, crazy mom, awkward teenage girl, buckets of blood—it’s basically my biography. What’s not to love?”
Sadie sat on her hands throughout the rest of the dinner. And when she wasn’t squeezing the life out of her fingers, she was passing the basket of bread or refilling water glasses and urging Raquel and Jake to take second helpings.
Everyone was silent as they ate Sadie’s pumpkin and ginger pie. She’d actually baked it for herself, humming Don McLean’s “American Pie” as she did. The ginger was meant to add stability to traditions while making the eater more civil, and the pumpkin was supposed to give encouragement to try new things.
In the quiet of the table, Sadie absentmindedly ate a few forkfuls. Jake had two slices and wiped the plate clean with the tines of his fork. As soon as he finished, Sadie hopped up and started gathering dishes.
“You put those down this instant, or I’ll pop you one, young lady,” Gigi ordered. “I have all the time in the world for washing up later.”
“Gigi, Sadie, that was the best meal I’ve had in months,” Jake declared, scooting his chair back. “You sure I can’t help with dishes?” he asked Gigi. And when she raised a threatening eyebrow, he laughed. “Now you,” he added to Sadie. “Let’s go.”