Big Boned by Jo Watson

Author:Jo Watson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Published: 2021-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

29

I was nervous about meeting Jake’s parents, but I didn’t want to show it, for Zac’s sake, because he’d been tapping his fingers against the dashboard nervously the whole way there.

“Will she like her present?” he asked, sounding almost panicked.

“I’m sure,” I replied calmly.

“How do you know?”

“Well, I asked Jake what she liked and he said making jewelry, so I think she’ll love it.”

“Do you think she will like the beads I chose? They are blue. Blue is the best color. Even though it’s normally not for girls. They like pink, but I don’t like pink.”

“I’m sure she will love the blue.” We’d been to a craft store earlier that day to buy Lisa a present, and then I’d painted her a card and Zac had written in it.

“Did you bring my water bottle?” He fiddled with his seat belt now.

“Yes.”

“Did you bring my binoculars?” he asked.

“I did.”

“Did you know Dad is getting married?” he asked. I whipped around in my seat and stared at him.

“How do you know?”

“I heard Mom saying it on the phone, ‘Can you believe it, Sue. He’s actually marrying that woman. He’s actually marrying that homewrecking bitch.’”

“Whoa!” I held my hand up.

“That’s what Mom said!”

“I know. I know. But remember, that’s a bad word and you can’t say it in front of people.”

“Like I’m not allowed to say crap?”

“Exactly like that.”

“Why can’t I say bitch?” he asked again.

“Because it’s considered offensive.”

“A bitch is a female dog.”

“I know. But it can also mean something else. And the other thing is a bad word.”

He was quiet and thoughtful for a while before speaking again. “I don’t think they should allow words to mean two things, it’s too confusing.”

I smiled at him. “You’re right. There should be a rule about that.”

“There should.”

I looked at him for a while as he shuffled in his seat. “So, how do you feel about Dad marrying Maddy?” I asked.

He shrugged. I think this complicated emotional concept was probably beyond his grasp, but I felt like I needed to ask it anyway.

“He doesn’t love Mom anymore,” he stated matter of factly.

“Well, not in that way.”

“What way?”

“He doesn’t love her in a romantic way anymore,” I explained.

“How many ways can you love someone?” he asked.

“A lot. Romantically, or in a friendship way, a brother-sister way, like I love you, or the way you love Miss Hiss,” I explained. There was a pause and he looked out the window thoughtfully.

And then he spoke and my heart felt like it wanted to explode. “I love Lisa. She’s my best friend.”

I reached out and was just about to put my hand on his shoulder but pulled away. “It’s good to have a best friend,” I said as we pulled up to Jake’s house.

“Do you love Jake?”

“Wh-what? No . . . what? No.” I spluttered. Hearing those words out loud made me feel all strange and tingly. “Pfft! Nooooo!”

“So, he’s not your friend, then?” he asked.

“Uh . . .” I was stumped by my blunt brother. “It’s complicated.”

“How?” he pressed.

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