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“Seems to me like you should apply to the community college and take some real classes so you have options besides making minimum wage doing nails. This marriage of yours might not work out, you know.”
    Gus doesn’t hold back anything. While I might have had the same thought before I knew Brandi was pregnant, I wouldn’t have mentioned it. I look over at Julian, who’s got his attention squarely on his food. In an attempt to make sure he doesn’t pay attention to more of the conversation, I balance a piece of chicken on Julian’s knee and watch as Falkor eats it off him and licks him. Julian giggles.
    â€œI’m not good at
real
school, Dad. You know that.” Brandi bows her head. Her usual optimism might be irritating, but now she looks like her spirit is broken as she mumbles, “And my marriageis just fine, thank you very much.” Brandi doesn’t spill the news about her pregnancy. Instead, she shakes her head and looks defeated.
    Nice going, Gus. I motion for Julian to feed Falkor more table scraps, hoping the dog doesn’t mistake his little fingers for mini hot dogs.
    â€œYou weren’t good at school because you didn’t apply yourself,” Gus continues. “If you’d spent half as much time studying as you did chasing boys and getting in trouble, you’d already have a college degree.”
    Ashtyn slaps a hand over her eyes and shakes her head, completely embarrassed.
    Brandi puts down her fork and stares at her dad. “Are we going through this again? ’Cause we can walk out that door and never come back, just like practically everyone else in your life.”
    Gus stands, his chair scraping the kitchen floor so loudly Julian covers his ears. Gus storms out of the kitchen. The front door slams and his car tires squeal a minute later as he drives off.
    One look at Brandi and Ashtyn is enough to make me want to escape from the room like Gus just did. Julian doesn’t seem to be faring any better.
    Ashtyn stares at her sister accusingly.
    â€œWhat?” Brandi says innocently. “Dad started it.”
    â€œMaybe you started it when you left seven years ago,” Ashtyn tells her. I can feel her resentment from across the table. Man, I’m in the middle of some civil war here.
    â€œThat’s not fair,” Brandi says.
    Ashtyn rolls her eyes. “Whatever, Brandi.”
    I catch a tear running down Brandi’s face. She swipes it away, then leaves the table. Julian runs after her, leaving Ashtyn and me alone.
    â€œY’all should audition for the new reality show where they eliminate the least dysfunctional family each week,” I tell her. “I think you guys got a decent chance of winnin’ the million.”
    â€œYou’re part of this dysfunctional family,” Ashtyn shoots back.
    I look at her, amused. “What makes you think that?”
    â€œOtherwise, you would have stayed in California and not followed Brandi here. You’d be with your own mom. Your
biological
one, I mean.”
    â€œThat’s not really possible.” I push myself away from the table. “She’s dead. What’s your excuse for not living with
your
mom?”

Chapter 6

Ashtyn
    I didn’t answer. I couldn’t, because I’ve never been able to say out loud why my mom’s not living here anymore. Truth is, she left because she got sick of being a wife and mother. I don’t talk about my mom with anyone, not even Landon.
    I should have known better than to ask Derek about his mom. I feel awful that I brought it up. If I knew his mom wasn’t alive I wouldn’t have mentioned it. His answer hung in the air long after he cleared his plate and left me alone in the kitchen. I wanted to call him back and apologize, but ever since I laid eyes on him my defenses have been up and my mouth has gone into overdrive.
    Julian looks at Derek as if he’s some superhero. I can’t mention football