Stranded(44)
Aunt Val snorted. “Isn’t that what you said about his last four jobs? That boy can’t stay in a job to save his life.”
Trevor glared. “Valerie, if you’re going to be so disagreeable, you shouldn’t have joined us for dinner.”
Her aunt would not back down. “If I recall correctly, my niece asked me to pick her up from the airport. It was you and Leila who insisted on coming out even though your daughter is bone weary. Did you think the cameras would follow us? Is that why you decided to magnanimously offer to treat us to dinner?”
India knew her aunt’s heart was in the right place, but the more she defended her, the more it it made things worse. “Please, Aunt Val. Let’s just have a nice dinner.”
Val gave her a questioning look and India shook her head, pleading with her to let it go. She didn’t want her first night back to end in an argument.
“That’s sensible of you, India,” her father said, “for once.” The last shot was muttered under his breath, but she heard it all the same.
Her aunt looked as though she would say something, but India grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.
“I have my moments,” India answered back. She was thankfully spared a reply when the waitress came by.
Just as India was about to give her order, the waitress interrupted her. “Aren’t you the lady who was stuck on the island for two months?”
India smiled uneasily, wishing her fifteen minutes of fame would hurry up and be over with. “Yes, that’s me.”
“Oh, my gosh,” the blonde gushed. “I saw your interview on the Ann Webster Show. It’s pretty amazing how you survived on the island. I’m so jealous of you for spending all that time alone on a deserted island with those two hunks. How did you manage to keep your hands off of them?”
India’s cheeks burned, and she lowered her head, hoping her expression wouldn’t give her away. If she only knew. She wasn’t sure what to say to that, especially considering what did happen on that island.
“Young lady, that is a highly inappropriate comment and I suggest you keep these comments to yourself before we call the manager.” Leila glared at the furiously blushing waitress.
India shot the blonde a sympathetic glance. Yes, her comment had been on the unprofessional side, but it wasn’t so bad as to earn her mother’s sharp condemnation. “It’s okay. The waitress didn’t mean anything by it, I’m sure.”
“I really didn’t, and I apologize if I offended you.”
India waved her hand dismissively. “Think nothing of it.”
After taking their orders, the waitress scurried away without a backward glance, and then her mother went on a tirade. “The nerve of the insolent girl. How dare she act so familiar to a patron! Not even India would do something so nasty as that woman implied.” Leila turned and frowned, scrunching up her nose to emphasize her disgust.
That statement hit India where it hurt. Nasty? “What do you mean by that mom?”
“I don’t need to dignify that question with a response, India Rochelle. I only hope other people don’t get that same disgusting idea.”
A mischievous grin curled her aunt’s lips. “I don’t know. That Puerto Rican one was pretty sexy. The blond wasn’t hard on the eyes either.”
India who had been in the process of taking a sip of water spit it out, spilling it all over the table.
“That’s enough, Valerie. Your jokes are not appreciated. India may not have much sense, but we taught her better than that. Sometimes, I can’t believe we’re sisters.”
Valerie laughed. “I think the same thing myself.”
Leila chose to ignore that statement. The meal had gone from bad to worse, with her mother picking at her about how dark India had gotten in all that sun, to how inconvenient it had been to put all her things in storage when her landlords had contacted them.
By the end of dinner, India was nearly in tears. All her resolve to not let them affect her had crumbled. The barbs that had stung the most were the ones about Rafe and Grant, saying how awful it must have been for India to be on the island with two men who were obviously so beneath her.
She wanted to defend them and say how wrong her parents were, but all of her old insecurities came back full strength. India couldn’t remember what it was she’d eaten, it could have been sawdust for all she knew, but it took all of her strength to not burst into tears.
Thankfully, they didn’t insist she come home with them, when her aunt offered to take India back to her house.
She had spent the past week relaxing, at Aunt Val’s insistence. India supposed she should follow through on the plans she’d made with Rafe and Grant, but something held her back.