When I arrived, everyone was celebrating Kai’s promotion.
There were balloons, champagne, and a banner across the dining room.
Nobody remembered my birthday.
Everyone was celebrating Kai’s promotion.
I put the cake in the refrigerator.
Three hours later, I took it home unopened.
Mom called the next day, apologizing.
She sent a gift card.
I thanked her.
She sent a gift card.
That was how things worked in our family.
Kai got the celebration.
I got the gift card and the privilege of pretending it counted as cake.
Then I met Molly.
She was funny, thoughtful, and wonderfully unimpressed by my brother’s accomplishments.
I met Molly.
The first time she met my family, Kai spent twenty minutes describing a business deal.
On the drive home, Molly asked, “Does he ever ask anybody else a question?”
I laughed so hard I had to pull over.
She noticed things about me.
