Recalculating Route…
"You know if you didn't want to see my family, all you had to do was stay at Cici and Bullfrog's," Clare says.
"What? No. I love your family."
"Well, missing the exit four times tells a slightly different story." She presses.
Recalculating Route…
"Five times."
"You don't have to keep count."
Eli pulls the Atlas into a parking space in front of a gas station.
"I just need a minute and then we'll go, I promise," he says.
"You're so frazzled. Is it Mom? Is it…Glen? I know it's not Jake."
Eli nods in agreement and when he does speak it's a rushed nearly inaudible whisper.
"I don't like Darcy's husband."
"All this over Joel?"
"It's not just Joel."
Clare scoffs.
"I'm not completely sold on Darcy, to be honest."
"Well don't forget the kids."
"Cindy and …..Mindy?"
"Daisy and Maisy! Eli! They're your nieces."
"He just- he makes so many comments, Clare. And then Darcy takes those comments and she tries to start drama between us, who does that?"
"He comes on a little strong." Clare agrees.
"Last Christmas he tried to 'accidentally' baptize Silas."
"He's a minister. He's very passionate about his work."
"Daddy. Juice. Daddy. Shoe."
Silas emits a screech that could have cracked crystal.
Eli laughs softly, and peers over his shoulder at his son as Silas tosses a tiny shoe into the front console. He looks back at his wife.
"I'm going to step inside to calm myself. I'm going to buy some juice. And then I'll take the exit."
Clare smiles, "I believe in you."
He gives her a quick peck on the lips, hands her Silas' shoe, and heads inside.
When they pull up to Clare's parent's house, Jake is sitting on the tailgate of a pick-up truck biting into an apple while two little girls play hopscotch on the sidewalk. Clare recognizes them as Darcy's daughters.
Eli parks the car behind the truck and Jake looks up and smiles pleasantly. Clare frowns at him and is instantly out of the car to start her line of questioning while Eli hangs back to start undoing all of Silas's buckles.
"Don't tell me you sat out here and waited for us to show up," she sighs.
"Okay," Jake agrees. "What do you want me to tell you then? Oh, hey little dude!"
Silas beams and flaps an entire arm back at him in response. "Cake!"
"That's Jake, sweetie. With a "juh"." Clare corrects.
Jake shrugs. "In his defense, I did tell him it was Cake."
"Why are you out here?"
"Oh! Well, Darcy's husband is terrifying."
Clare rolls her eyes at this but Eli makes a gesture as if to say, "See?".
"And I did attempt to go in at first but everyone was yelling and then Helen asked if I would watch the girls out here."
"Great, well. I'm going to leave Silas with you, too. For five minutes. Do not do or say anything that will mess him up forever."
"I will try my best."
"Eli…" Clare has her arms outstretched waiting to receive the baby. They remain empty even after she wiggles her fingers at him.
Eli looks apprehensive. "I could help Jake."
"NOW."
Eli takes the loss and hands over his son.
"How old is he again?" Jake asks.
"Eighteen months."
"What's that in people years?"
Clare fixes her step-brother with a hard stare before taking Eli by the arm and leading him to the house.
The second they open the door Darcy's warbled cries can be heard from the stairs. Glen is sitting on the couch opposite Joel. Glen is wearing a haggard far-off expression, but Joel looks the way he always does. Far too happy. He stands immediately and the light from the window glares onto his bright white suit causing a cast that the Goldsworthys can still see when they blink.
He shakes everyone's hand much the same way that Silas does, with his whole arm flapping up and down. It's a jarring experience that lasts too long and when he's finished he flashes a professionally bleached smile at the pair and asks, "How you two doing?". The whole effect screams used car salesman.
"Good," Eli smiles politely.
"Glad to hear it, brother."
Now three awkward frozen smiles are gazing around at each other. Clare and Eli both know that if either breaks they'll have to listen to anecdotes about their rudeness from here on out. Joel's smile is always frozen. It's the botox.
"I'm just going to say say 'hello' to my mom and sister," Clare says to excuse herself.
Joel takes both her hands into his. "That would be a blessing to me, Clare. Try and make her understand, won't you?"
Eli and Glen exchange a look and Clare hurries upstairs.
Joel turns back to Eli. "The congregation was thrilled to hear that I have a professor for a brother-in-law. I told them that you would be happy to look over this list of banned books with me. I didn't want to mention it in front of Clare because, well, a couple of her books are on it."
The conversation fades by the time Clare makes it to her old room, now the guest room. She knocks on it smartly and only has to wait for a beat before Helen answers. She scoops her daughter into a big hug and then pushes the door open further. Darcy is sitting on the bed among a pile of kleenex. Her eyes and nose are red and swollen. She hiccups as she looks up at Clare.
"He's having an affair."