"Zoe, I'm outside, come open the door?"

"Yeah, hold on." she says and hangs up. It is Thanksgiving day and I am at the house for Thanksgiving dinner. My brother Leo has come home early for Thanksgiving and I have no idea how he will react to meeting his father who abandoned him 8 years ago.

The door opens and Zoe holds the door open for me to come in. The smell of sweet potatoes, ham, and other exotic dishes my mother has picked up over the years floats in the air giving the place a homely smell.

But everyone in this house knows, this is not a home. It is just a house.

"How is Leo?"

"He is upstairs getting ready. He hasn't met father yet." Zoe says and adjusts her ponytail and the strap on her slip on dress.

"I see your dress matches your mood" she adds and looks at my outfit. She is right. I decided to wear a cropped long sleeved burgundy top with a black skirt and black stiletto heeled ankle boots.

"Glad you noticed."

"Mom is going to hate that you are wearing red lipstick."

"I know." I respond with a smirk on my face as we round the corner and come into view with the dining area. Mom is in the kitchen with father and they are chatting away like he never left.

When they hear the clinking of my boots on the tiled floor, they turn around. Mom and father's eyes widen and they slowly walk over to me.

"What is that on your lips!" Mom exclaims.

"Where is the rest of your shirt?" Father asks and wipes his hand on a kitchen cloth.

My eyebrow quirks up and I cross my arms over my chest.

"Last time I checked." I look toward my so called father. "You have been absent for 8 years. Don't come here and pretend you actually care. And how I choose to dress deserves no input from you. Capisce? Alright"

"And you, you told me I had to come to the dinner. You never said anything about my attire. I can wear whatever lipstick I want to wear." I turn my back on the two hypocrites in the household and walk upstairs and to my brother's room.

When I open the door, my brother is standing at the body length mirror trying to fix his tie. I walk over to him and go behind him and fix his tie. Our eyes briefly meet in the mirror. His curly hair looks more bouncy and voluminous than most days and it must be the occasion.

"Thanks Bay." Leo mutters.

"What's wrong Lee?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing is something. What is it?"

"Everyone is walking on eggshells around me. Mom is being weird and dismissive. I don't get it." He says and takes a drink from his juice box.

"I know Lee, but don't worry. It's nothing." I lie, but it is for a good reason. I give him a reassuring smile and he returns a grateful one. I step out the room and go to my room. I have to come back home tomorrow, but I need that man gone.

"Guys, come downstairs, dinner is ready!" Mom screams from downstairs. I close my room door behind me and I trudge downstairs dreading every step I take that brings me closer to the dinner I will have to endure with my shit father.

When we turn the corner, the dining room is on full display in front of us. There is a light orange tablecloth draped over the length of the table. White and orange plates with 'S' on it are distinctly placed around the table right next to the proper utensils. Wine glasses are placed in front of every seat as well. Big bowls on the table contain a different variety of food. Toward the end of the table where Leo is sitting is curry chicken, pepper pot(which is my father's favorite), and honeyed ham. Turkey, stew chicken, white rice, and sweet potatoes with the marshmallows are plated in the middle of the table.

I take my seat right next to Zoe and across from Leo. Mother walks out from the kitchen with father right beside her. Father looks around the table with a smile, but when his eyes land on Leo, he stops walking. He stares at Leo like he is the only thing on this room. Hell, the only thing on this Earth. Leo stares back at our father with a crinkle in between his eyebrow and a pout on his lips.

"Who's this?" Leo speaks up. Mother pats father's shoulder and he snaps out of whatever daze he was in and sits down next to mom on at the table. My phone vibrates in my lap and I look down at it.

/ Bay

Happy Thanksgiving to you too. I didn't think you remembered me? What's my name?

Yeah.

Don't go making promises you can't keep Evans.

Awww that was so sweet.

Family dinner. So many other things I'd rather be doing.

Naaaa I think not.

I prefer my men single.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

Ohhh that is so cool. I have always wanted to go there. How is it during Thanksgiving there?

"Bay, we are about to say grace. Can you stop texting right now?" Mom says, snapping me out of my little bubble.

I put down my phone and I let my mother say grace.

"Dear God, thank you for blessing us with another Thanksgiving. Thank you for bringing us together another year in life. And bring us many many more Thanksgiving in happiness and in family. Amen."

"Amen" Everyone around the table responds.

"So no one answered me. Who is this?" Leo speaks up. I take a sip of my apple cider in my wine glass

Mother clears her throat and looks at our father and then back at Leo. "Uh Leo, this is my...old friend Sean" I choke on my apple cider and break into a fit of coughing. My mother glares at me and my father looks at me with this hurt expression on his face.

"Oh okay" Leo mutters. "I'm Leo."

"H-hello Leo." My father stutters. Might as well write 'Leo, I am your father' on your forehead in black sharpie.

I take out a sharing of food and start eating. I intend to leave this dinner early to get back to my hotel and be alone.

We sit in silence and the only thing heard is the clinking of the silverware as everyone eats their food. My phone keep vibrating in my pocket, making Zoe send me suggestive looks.

I look down at my phone and open it.

I am happy you like it. Has your father been teaching you the tricks to the trade?

So, running the company, that's what you want to do?

What about lacrosse?

OK. I just hope that this choice you are making makes you happy.

Yeah. Bye.

"So Sean, how long will you be staying in town?" Zoe asks with a bitter tone in her voice and I look up at her wide eyed. I give her my 'bitch for real' face and i discreetly gesture to our brother sitting across from us who doesn't know, his long lost father is sitting a few seats down from him.

Mother clears her throat and gives Zoe a pointed look and she shrugs her shoulders.

"Not sure." He responds in a polite voice.

"Hopefully not long" I mutter and it looks like no one heard me. Good.

An hour later of awkward tension and dinner has concluded. I am currently helping mom and Zoe wash dishes while Leo and father are talking with each other.

"You need to stop making him feel like he a stranger." Mom scolds, as she washes off a plate.

"But...he is." I respond.

"Listen Bay, I am in no mood to deal with your sarcastic, rude behavior. He is your father and you will treat him with respect."

"Like he did with you. How could you even invite him to dinner with Leo here! You know how much Leo was hurt because he never knew his father and you just pop dad into the equation? Really?" I whisper.

"Your father deserved to stay for a dinner. Leo doesn't know and he doesn't need to know."

I scoff and stare at my mother in disbelief. "Who are you? You don't even have your child's best interest at heart. All you care about is that coward who showed up on the doorstep wanting a second chance. He will leave and you are being stupid to think he will stay. They always leave! And he will leave you!"

My mother looks at me, red in the face with anger and she lifts her hand up and slaps me across the face, causing my head to snap to the left and a stinging pain left in its place. A burning anger floods me and I look at my mother in anger.

I storm past her and I walk to the door and open the door and slam it behind me and start walking off in the direction of the hotel.

"Bay!" A voice yells after me and I turn back to see Zoe running to me. When she stands in front of me, she envelops me into a hug.

"I'm so sorry she did that to you. I-I don't- I can't defend her. She is blind to the things he does and I don't know what to do. I'm sorry Bay"

"It's fine. I just want to go back to my hotel. It feels more like home there than here." I tell her and gently push her off me. I will see you tomorrow." I say and walk away and to the direction of the hotel feeling hurt and lost.