A massive spread of food, more than I'd seen in years, was laid out like a peace offering that was really a declaration of war.
My parents never went all out like this for anyone. This was a test, and I had a sinking feeling Lucas was about to fail spectacularly. I watched him try to present the fancy gift bags to my dad and keep his smile up, though it looked a little more strained now.
Why was it so fun to watch Lucas fail.
That must be toxic.
"We don't need your things," Dad grunted, waving a dismissive hand. He hadn't taken his eyes off Lucas since we sat down.
"Oh, hush," Mom said, snatching the bags from Lucas's hands. "Thank you, Lucas, that's very thoughtful." She immediately started piling food onto his plate, a mountain of braised pork and steamed fish, her version of a welcome mat. "Here, eat, you're too thin."
Evelyn, ever the helpful one, pointed her fork at a dish. "There's a lot of garlic in this one, Mom." She gave Lucas a pointed look.
