“You made it,” he said while keeping his eyes on the papers in front of him. “That’s good.”
Gladys leaned against the doorway and watched us like she was supervising a difficult task. “We are on a very tight timeline, so the hall needs this final seating chart by noon today.”
My father nodded and kept his attention on the list as if the paper were safer than looking at me. “Are you coming to the ceremony tonight?” he asked without lifting his head.
“I am here for you, Dad,” I told him.
His jaw tightened as if he wanted to say something else, but the words seemed to die before he could speak them. My father was not a cruel man, but he was very practiced at avoiding conflict with his wife.
“Of course she is coming,” Gladys interrupted with a sweet tone. “She will sit quietly in the back row, won’t you, Andrea?”
“I will be exactly where I need to be,” I replied.
“Good,” Gladys said as she pointed toward the sink. “Then you can start helping me with these dishes.”
There were always dishes to wash when Gladys wanted to play the role of the hardworking martyr. I rolled up my sleeves and started scrubbing plates while my father’s phone rang in the other room.
His voice changed when he answered, sounding proud and warm as he spoke to whoever was on the line. “Yes, sir, we will be there early for the family photos at six o’clock sharp.”
The phrase “family photo” felt heavy in my chest because I knew I wasn’t truly included in her vision of the family. Gladys moved closer to me at the sink and spoke in a low voice so my father wouldn’t hear.
“Your father tells people you are just working a desk job in Norfolk now,” she whispered.
I kept my hands in the soapy water and didn’t look at her. “Okay.”
“That is just his way of making your failure sound better to the neighbors,” she continued. “People in this town remember when someone gives up and comes crawling back home.”
My father was laughing in the next room while my stepmother continued to rewrite the history of my life. She tipped her chin toward me and added one final instruction.
“Do not wear anything military tonight because it will only confuse the guests,” she warned.
“I understand perfectly,” I said.
She waited for me to snap or plead with her, but I simply turned off the water and went outside for some air. The American flag on the porch moved slowly in the breeze while I looked out at the quiet street.