Just Remember to Breathe (Thompson Sisters)

right. Across from us, Jessica was next to Mom at the far end of the table from her twin, and Crank and Julia were next to each other.
    Julia met my eyes as we sat and gave me a warm smile. Crank, sitting across from the blank seat where Sarah would be, grinned and launched into a conversation with my dad about foreign policy of all things. If he’d opened up a conversation with a brain surgeon by talking about the complex anatomy of the brain, I wouldn’t have been more surprised.
    What happened next surprised me more. My dad answered, not only in a calm and reasonable tone, but actually seemed to warm to the gesture. Within minutes, the two were buried in a discussion of Chinese economic policy, which was my father’s specialization.
    “Well,” my mother said to Carrie. “Isn’t this nice? We’ll give Sarah another minute or so, then go ahead and serve.”
    Rather than add a third conversation to the table, Julia and I both stayed relatively quiet.
    Then Sarah walked in.
    She’d changed into a dress, as my father had asked. But I didn’t think this was what he had in mind. First of all, she’d also put on makeup. Thick black eyeliner, black eyeshadow, and black lipstick. She was wearing the black lace dress she’d worn to Uncle Rafael’s funeral two years ago, and which decidedly didn’t fit her now. Her breasts were practically spilling out of the dress, and it was quite obvious she was wearing a black lace bra underneath. She still wore her scuffed combat boots.
    I caught my breath, waiting for the inevitable explosion. My father gave her a cutting glance, but said nothing, instead choosing to return to his conversation with Crank, who brought up the problem the band was having: massive quantities of counterfeit memorabilia being manufactured in China and sold worldwide. The problem had really taken off after the band’s second album went gold.
    “I understand a little piracy, you know?” Crank was saying. “I’ve been dirt poor. But this isn’t like a couple of bootleg albums—it’s whole factories turning out stuff that looks just like ours. And that’s a big part of how we make our living.”
    My dad nodded. “Really, this was one of the biggest issues I worked on during my last few years with the Foreign Service. It’s part of the reason I was appointed to the ambassador slot. But I have to tell you, the Chinese government really isn’t interested in cooperating.”
    Sarah was crushed. It was clear enough that she’d expected—even wanted—the explosion. Instead, both my father and mother ignored her. As she walked into the room and made her way to her seat, Jessica sneered at her.
    Sarah shot Jessica a dirty look and took her seat to my left. But Crank fixed it with one simple and easy motion. He gave Sarah a big, obvious wink, and a smile. She instantly brightened, much to my parents’ displeasure.
    “Well then,” my father said. “Let’s eat. Adelina, will you say grace?”
    We took each other’s hands, and my mother said a short prayer. All of us said, or mouthed “Amen” at the end.
    My father began to serve the meal. I leaned toward Carrie and whispered, “Dad and Crank seem to be almost… chummy?”
    She whispered back, “I think Julia gave Dad a look at Crank’s bank account since the latest album.”
    I snickered, and my mother said, “Girls, I realize you’ve been away in college, but you must remember your manners.”
    I nodded an apology. Carrie was 26 years old, a PhD candidate at a major university, with a significant amount of published research already under her own name. I was certain that she was never referred to as a “ girl ” except here at this table.
    Somehow it didn’t sting much to be included under the same umbrella as Carrie.
    “Adelina, I heard the most disturbing news this morning. The Brewer’s son Randall has been arrested.”
    I froze in place, and underneath the table, Carrie gripped my thigh. Across from Carrie, Jessica’s eyes widened.
    “Good lord!” my mom said. “What happened?”
    “It seems he’s been accused of rape. I’m sure it’s not true… it’s probably one of those situations where they had too much to drink, and she regretted it after.”
    I froze, unable to think, unable to breath.
    “It’s terrible,” my father said. “After dinner, I think it would be appropriate for us all to go visit the Brewers. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen them, and it would be good to pay our respects, and offer