Ghost Time

Thanksgiving ever and what are you most grateful for? Then he lets out this big, heavy sigh and he goes, Well. What I’m most grateful for is that the LHC and the ATLAS detector have started up, right now, as we speak, he said, tapping his finger on the table. At this very moment, Thee, they’re collecting data that will expand the boundary of all knowledge way beyond our current understanding. Do you know what this means for the Standard Model of Particle Physics? I think my face fell, I really do, because I looked at him, then he reached over to grab my handand he goes, And I’m grateful for you, of course, he said, and I pulled my hand away, like don’t even touch me right now. On cue, Sharon walked up. How you kids doing over here? she asked, and Cam goes: Peachy, Sharon. We were just making Thanksgiving plans, is all, and I just looked away, thinking, Great .
    So, as if it wasn’t stressful enough, of course we got in a fight in the car on the way over. Big surprise, right? But I have to say, you’d think Raymond would’ve learned by now, except for the fact that he hasn’t learned a damn thing about me. I mean, we’re halfway to Cam’s house, and I had nothing to say to either one of them, and then Ray looked at me in the rearview and he said, Did you talk to your dad today, Theadorie? I go, No . Why would I, Raymond? I asked, looking at him in the rearview, and he goes, You’re a little hard on him, don’t you think? I said, No. I don’t think so, Raymond. And I don’t think it’s any of your business. Raymond, my mom said, reaching across the seat; Thea, she said, turning back, like she was calling a truce, but I just rolled my eyes at her, and looked out my window, and no one said anything else the rest of the way.
    So we got there, and Karen met us at the door, and Cam came down the hall. He’d just shaved his head again, and he was wearing a black turtleneck sweater and flat-front chinos—he got all dressed up, and Mom goes, Oh, Cam… don’t you look handsome! I turned to her and I go, Please? Karen put her arm over my shoulders, and then Cam took all our coats before he went to get everyone drinks. It was fine, I guess, but then, once we sat down in the living room, Raymond goes, So what brought you to these parts, Karen? And I wanted to crawl under the table. I excusedmyself to get something in the kitchen, and Cam followed me. What’s wrong? he whispered. So what brings you to these parts, Karen? I repeated, and Cam goes, He’s just making conversation, and I said, He sounds inbred, Cam. I told you you’d hear the Deliverance banjo when we walked through your door, didn’t I? Yes, he said, you did, you’re right. But no one’s blaming you, babe, he said, poking me in the rib, and I turned away. Come on, chill out, he said, and I go, You know, nothing pisses me off like being told to chill out when I’m not chill, Cam.
    Breathe, he said, rubbing both my arms. Or does nothing piss you off like being told to breathe when you look like you’re about to explode? I go, I told you this was a bad idea, and he goes, All right. You told me. So, now, here we are in the middle of a bad idea. Let’s just get through it, okay? Okay, I said, knowing he was right, that I was just throwing a fit. But I couldn’t let it go, either: Store-bought, I said. She said they’d handle the pie. My mom told Karen we’d handle the pie and they got store-bought? Cam goes, Thea. It’s not a big deal, but I wouldn’t listen. I go, First time we meet your mom and we buy a pie from Priceline? I said, completely humiliated. Of course we got into it in the car, I said, and Cam goes, Because of the pie? No, because Rain Man butted his nose in. Your dad called, Cam said, knowing right away. I go, Oh, no, my dad texted : he never calls. Cam goes, Maybe he’s afraid—. Yeah, that tends to happen when you’re a coward. Seriously, what did deadbeat dads do before texting? Cam grabbed my arms, squeezing, not saying anything.
    Finally, he goes, I’m sorry. Me, too, I said. It’s like, your dad’s been dead for ten years and you’re closer to him now than I am tomy dad, and he goes, Do me a favor? I said, What’s that? He goes, Could you just try to have a little fun today? Just a little, he said, squeezing his thumb and index finger together. Then Karen and my mom walked in, smiling at us, like the two teenagers isolating themselves in the kitchen, silly kids. But still, looking at the two of them, both