Benecio
Dinner was normal and that was the problem.
I sat at the big table with everyone. Daniel's mac and cheese, Pai's feijoada, Pa's brisket, cornbread, greens. The whole thing. I laughed at the right times. Passed the rolls. Asked Bunky about his drawin'.
Bunky was stealin' all the attention anyway. "Pai, look! I made you and Pa as superheroes! But Pa got headbutted by a cow so he's Captain Band-Aid!" He held up the picture. Pa had a cape and a bloody nose.
Everyone laughed. Pai pinched the bridge of his nose. "Menino..."
Pa just tipped his straw hat back and grinned. "I'll take it."
Good. They weren't lookin' at me. 'Cause I was sweatin' a river under my hoodie.
When dinner was done I stood up. "I'll clean up."
The whole table went quiet. Pai actually dropped his fork. "You alright, filho?"
"Yeah," I said, too fast. "Just feelin' helpful."
