“Oh, yeah,” I said, shaking my head. “They’re pissed. Apparently I’ve embarrassed them.”
Lily rolled her eyes.
“God forbid they deal with the consequences of their own actions.”
Her dad, who had been listening from across the room, scoffed.
“Let them come. They should see what an actual loving family looks like.”
Her mom, ever the voice of reason, sighed.
“This might get ugly. Are you sure you want to deal with them tonight?”
I exhaled slowly.
“Honestly? Yeah, I do.”
I’d spent years letting them treat me like an afterthought. Years of watching them drop everything for Emma while I was expected to just deal with it.
And for the first time, I had the upper hand.
They were desperate, scrambling to control the narrative.
That meant I was finally doing something right.
About 20 minutes later, I heard the unmistakable sound of a car pulling into the driveway.
I stood up, stretching like I had all the time in the world, while Lily gave me an encouraging squeeze on the arm.
“You got this,” she murmured.
The doorbell rang.
No, slammed three for times in rapid succession.
“Oh, they’re mad,” Matt, Lily’s dad, chuckled and made his way toward the door. “I’ll get it.”
The second he opened it, my mom stormed in like she owned the place.
My dad followed, his jaw tight, his eyes immediately locking on to me.
“Alex.”
My mom’s voice was sharp, cutting through the air.
“We need to talk. Now.”
I crossed my arms.
“Go ahead.”
Her gaze flickered around the room, taking in Lily’s parents, the cozy atmosphere, the clear evidence that I was fine.
Thriving, even without them.
It clearly unsettled her.
“Not here,” she said stiffly. “Come outside.”
“No thanks,” I said, leaning against the couch. “If you have something to say, you can say it right here.”
My dad clenched his fists.
“Enough with the attitude, Alex.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Attitude? Oh, you mean standing up for myself. Sorry, I’m still getting used to this whole having self-respect thing.”
My mom let out a sharp breath, her patience wearing thin.
“We are not going to let you publicly shame us like this. Do you have any idea how many people have seen your post? Your aunts, your uncles. Do you know how humiliating it is to have our own son paint us as villains?”