Everything by Jeri Williams

Aria didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes, and she just wanted to have fun and not make it competitive.
    “No, no, no. No niece of mine is going to settle for just ‘see what it’s all about.’ You try out to get the lead!”
    “Oh, Mick,” Mom cut in, “it doesn’t have to be so cutthroat. It’s her first year. Let her have fun, get her feet wet. She may want to change her major next year. Dacey did. It’s normal.”  
    “Yeah, well,” he said, giving me a dirty look, “what’s your major now, Dacey?”
    “Um, journalism,” I hedged.
    “And I forget, what was it before?” He had a tone in his voice that said he didn’t forget, he just wanted to make me say it.
    “Nursing,” I supplied
    “Oh, well, that’s a big career change. But it’s not for everyone. I get it,” he said condescendingly. Bastard.
    “Well, I want to get into something and stick to it, you know. Make my mark and not depend on other people to help me along the way. So I want to be great at what I do, not meh,” I said. Swallow that, you jerk.
    He didn’t respond, just gave me another one of his famous smug looks and turned to Mom.  
    “Well, you know our family always succeeds in everything we do, that’s why I know Aria will get the lead even if she doesn’t try, right, Annie?”  
    “Um, and Dacey will be great in journalism.” She smiled at her impolite ass of a brother.
    “Yeah, she’s going to be awesome,” Aria chimed in.  
    I loved them.
    “Oh, yeah, sure, Dacey. I can’t wait to read your first column in the local paper,” he mocked.
    “Dac is going to write novels, Uncle, and they’re going to be epic !” Aria proclaimed proudly.
    Really, could you ask for a better sister?
    “Way to pimp me out there, little sis.” I punched her lightly on the arm.
    “I’m only doing it because I want half the book sales when you make it big.”
    “Well, if you’re that good, then you’ll need an even better agent,” Mick cut in, ears perking up at the sound of money. Of course. “I’m your guy. I could get you a really good deal.”
    “First, let me actually get out of school, and then we will see.” We won’t see—not with you, anyway.
    “Yeah, you know where to find me. Let’s just hope you don’t change majors again,” he laughed sarcastically.
    “Yeah, let’s hope.”Just for that, I thought, I should change majors, you dick.
    I went in to say hi to Wally, and Aria followed me while Mom finished up dinner and Mick finished up his beer.
    “Hey, Daddy. How was work?” Aria dropped a kiss on his cheek, and he accepted.
    “Hey, kiddo. Work was work. How was school?”
    “It was good. I’m trying out for a play. Dac is going to help me run lines tonight.”
    It was then that he noticed me. He didn’t look as though he was going to speak first, so I did. “Hey, Dad.”
    “Here for another free meal, I see.”
    “Yeah, Mom invited me again, you know. She wanted us here because Mick was in town so we could have dinner together so...” I trailed off. I didn’t even know why I bothered.
    “Yeah, Mick.” He grunted something about him being an asshole.
    Our disliking of Mick Holmes was probably the only thing Dad and I had in common. The guy just made everyone’s skin crawl, and the fact that he had hurt Mom in the past just made Dad want to punch him in the neck every time he saw him. But he refrained because Mom asked him to, as she and Mick were trying to rebuild their relationship. It did make me feel somewhat connected to him the times that Mick was around to know that we both wanted the same thing on some level—for Mick to leave.  
    Mom came out to say that dinner was done, and we all made our way around the table to eat.
    Dinner was as I thought it would be: Mick talking about himself way too much, not letting anyone else get in a word. When he finally shut up, Aria got a chance to tell everyone about the play she was auditioning for.
    “It’s called The Frost . It’s a