Jack signals behind us and walks toward the front of the room when an older man takes the stage and taps the microphone and tells a stupid joke about us not being able to hear him, which makes no sense. In a matter of moments, Hennessey and I are joined by not only our parents but Melanie, Royal, and Lydia, as well. Lydia hangs onto me as usual, and Royal elbows Hennessey as she catches him checking Melanie out.
I try to ignore it. I really do. But it’s impossible. I catch the way his eyes travel down her curvy frame. He’s saying something to her. He’s only a few feet away so I should be able to hear every word, but I can’t seem to hear anything. All I can do is watch as he finds a reason to touch the beading at the top of her dress and flashes her a smile that makes me want to break his front teeth. She has her hands on her hips and shakes her head at him. She’s leading him on, something she really shouldn’t do. He’s a dick. He’ll just use her and then move on without a second thought. Plus, he has a date here, and she’s . . .
Not mine.
She’s not mine.
She’s not even my concern.
Or she shouldn’t be. But she is. I tell myself part of what’s pissing me off about Hennessey hitting on her is that she’s already tight with Royal, and Mom looks like she’s getting attached—something she does with ease—and once Melanie is sucked into the vortex it’s going to be a family war if H fucks her over. It’s happened before, so I’m partially justified in my worry.
I seem to be forgetting myself and who I’m here with. I shouldn’t give a fuck if my brother is hitting on her. She’s hot, so I would be surprised if he didn’t, but that doesn’t mean I like that it’s happening. The group moves closer to the stage, taking me with them. I don’t really want to stand among them, smiling and honoring Jack while I’m forced to watch Hennessey hit on Melanie with absolutely zero shame.
A woman who can’t be more than a few years older than Melanie joins us with an older woman in tow. I stand on the edge of the group and watch as Melanie introduces her mother and sister to everyone as we walk. Dad announces to everyone we pass that he needs to be closer because his boy is getting an award. Half the people don’t seem to care, and the other half just smile. Finally, the herd stops moving when we’re just a few people from the front. Now that we’re stopped, Mom, in all her creepiness, reaches out and touches Melanie’s mother’s and sister’s hair. They don’t seem to mind, though, and do the same back to her. She doesn’t mean any harm by it. She just really admires beautiful hair. Still, I feel like I need to explain for her.
“She’s doing it again,” Lydia whispers and nods in my mother’s direction.
Mom’s moved on to asking Melanie what she uses on her hair. I’m not bothering with the explanation, but rather I focus in on the notes of her voice. Gone is the sassy chick I met upstairs, and in her place is a subtle but excited woman who doesn’t seem the least bit fazed by my mother’s hair obsession. Melanie, her sister, and her mother all compliment Mom at the appropriate times, and it lights up Mom’s face in a way I don’t see often. She needs to hear shit like that from someone she doesn’t think is obligated to say it.
“Well, I guess my jokes are kind of stale if even my own wife can’t be bothered to pretend to enjoy them,” the man on stage says. Melanie and her sister elbow their mother in unison, and the three of them turn to the stage to pay attention.
Melanie’s mother’s face brightens as the man’s attention zeroes in on her. She responds to him in a friendly voice. “Oh, hush!”
“You tell her, Daddy!” Melanie says loudly with her hands cupped around her mouth.
“Gentlemen, I won’t take up too much more of your time, but the big mouth in front is available should you wish to take her off my hands.” The man on stage, who I now know is Melanie’s dad, shoots her a wink and then clears his throat.
“But that’s not why we’re here. We’re here to raise money for an organization that is very dear to my and my wife’s hearts. Heroes in Action is more than a charity. For some, it’s a lifeline. For others, it’s a stepping-stone. When my wife came to me with the idea for Heroes in Action, I knew that we had to do everything in our power to make it a reality. Through Kincaid Media’s partnership with the city of New York and countless other corporate sponsors, we’ve been able to raise a grand total of just above half a million dollars this year alone.”
Kincaid Media sounds familiar, but I can’t quite place it. I turn and catch Melanie’s eye. She’s watching me carefully but tries to cover it up with a silly smile that I can’t return. Her brows draw together as she turns away from me and focuses back on her dad. Hennessey leans into her and places his hand on the small of her back. The move grates on my nerves. I want to look away but can’t.