Dad has made a reservation at the Old Quarter restaurant in Windenburg to celebrate Mase’s birthday. Before we leave, Ma calls to tell us she’s stuck at work. Our reservation is for five, so Dad calls Uncle Merit to take Ma’s place.
Uncle Merit happily meets us in front of the restaurant at 7:30 p.m. Dad seems very happy to see him.
Kai: It’s been way too long, Uncle M.
Merit: Time gets away from us—before we know it, years have passed.
Kai: Very true
Old people are always talking about time passing quickly. It isn’t passing fast enough for me. I’m ready to move out into my own place, and the process seems to be taking forever.
Dad enters to secure our spot, and we follow him to our table. I sit next to Uncle Merit.
The rest of us look at the menu and plan our orders, but Dad and Uncle Merit seem more interested in catching up.
Merit: So how’s Me-Me?
Kai: She’s fine, working hard as usual. What about Aunt Roni and your girls?
Merit: Roni is fine—still pecking away at that biography for her mother that she started years ago.
Kai: I forgot all about that. Is she close to completing it?
Merit: Not at the rate she’s going. I swear she writes like a page a week – it’s not exactly her calling. At this point, it’s feeling more like an obligation.
Kai: It’s a tough thing to do.
Merit: *chuckles* Yeah, and I think she bit off more than she can chew. But our girls are now women – all grown up and living independently.
After ordering our food and Uncle Merit and Dad are done chatting, Mase sees an opening to share some news.
Mason: Guess what, Dad. I’ve been accepted into the distinguished Biology major at Foxbury.
Kai: Seriously? That’s excellent news, Mase. *slight pause* Have you decided to attend?
Mason: Yes, I already enrolled in four classes. I start on Monday.
Dad looks like he’s going to cry. He was a distinguished Biology major at Foxbury, and now Mase will follow in his footsteps.
Mason: I think I want to continue living at home, though.
Kai: Whatever you want, son. I’m proud of you.
Mason: Thanks Dad.
Now, it’s my turn to add to the conversation.
Wade: You’ll need your own room if you live at home. You can take my room because I’ll be moving out tomorrow.
Mason and Kai: You are?
Wade: Well, I’m hoping to anyway. If the house in Brindleton Bay is ready.
Kai: We haven’t closed on it yet, but it should happen soon.
Wade: Then I’ll stay in a hotel for a few days until then, and Mase can get settled into his bedroom.
Uncle Merit suddenly speaks up.
Merit: You’re moving to Brindleton Bay? You’ll be close to Bri and Terra. They stay together in an apartment in San Myshuno.
That makes things even better. Although we talk occasionally on Social Bunny, I don’t know Terra very well, but Bri is one of my favorite people.
The conversation pauses a moment as our food arrives.
Kai: That’s good news. I’m sure Me-Me will be glad to hear that Dub will have his cousins living nearby.
Merit: Roni will as well. She’s been worrying herself sick over the girls living so far away.
Kai: Do you worry about them?
Merit: Some. Nothing has tested my faith like sending my girls off to live so far away, but the growth I’ve seen in them is priceless. And I often remind myself that Bri and Terra have started their lives with an advantage, as have your boys. Our family started from nothing, but we’ve accomplished so much in just a few generations. It says a lot about who we are as the Banks family.
Wade: What do you mean by ‘started from nothing’?
Merit: I mean exactly that. My mother, your great-grandmother, grew up in a foster home while her mother served 20 years in prison. When you age out of that type of situation, there are no safeguards – you are just on your own with the clothes on your back. Don’t get me wrong, she had an amazing foster mom who did so much to help, but still—she was basically left to figure things out on her own.
What? Foster home – prison? Why didn’t I know these things, or was I not paying attention?
Mason: So what happened to her? Did she get to go to college?
Merit: No. She was a self-taught computer programmer. And she eventually met and married my father. But my sister and your grandmother, Peri, was the first to earn her degree in our family. Then your father, and now it seems you’ll continue that legacy, Mase. She’d be happy to know that.
Uncle Merit suddenly turns his attention to Dray, who has been quiet the whole time.
Merit: You remind me of Peri. I see so much of her in you.
Drake: Gran? I can barely remember her.
Merit: Makes sense – you were so tiny when she died. My sister had what some would call a disorder, but I believe it was her superpower. She felt in color, making her such a gifted artist.
Drake: Felt in color? What does that mean?
Wholly captivated, we all watch Uncle Merit closely as he explains.
Merit: You know how we say we’re sad, happy, or angry?
Drake: Yes
Merit: Well, you ask her how she’s feeling, and she’d say navy blue, shiny green, or a deep red. It’s what she saw when she had any of those emotions.
Drake: Whoa! I wish I could do that.
Merit: We each have our gifts, and that was hers. If it weren’t so late, I’d take you to her art center next door and tell you more about her and the rest of the family.
There’s so much about our family that I didn’t know. I was just at the art center and didn’t even bother exploring it.
Kai: Maybe next time, Uncle M. We’ll have to do this again soon.
Uncle Merit winds down his story as we all get up to leave.
It’s pitch black out when we finally arrive home full of good food and Uncle Merit’s stories. Dad walks in and goes straight to Ma, sitting on the couch. I follow, hoping to discuss my move further with them.
Melisa: How was dinner?
Kai: Great, and I have even better news.
Melisa: What’s up?
Dad sits down and pulls Ma close to him.
Kai: Mase got into Foxbury Institute as a distinguished Biology major. He’s already enrolled, and he starts Monday.
Melisa: Oh my gosh, Kaby! Did he?
Their embrace becomes a bit more intimate, making me very uncomfortable.
Kai: He’ll stay here, but Dub says he’s moving out tomorrow and giving Mase his bedroom.
Melisa: Moving out, but the house isn’t ready yet. *tenses up* Where will he –
Kai: *interrupts* Sounds like a grown-man problem to me.
Dad squeezes her even tighter, and she relaxes into his arms. I’d better speak up before seeing something I don’t want to see.
Wade: I’m sitting right here, Dad!
Kai: Read the room, Dub.
I’ve read the room and can see it’s time for me to go. I get up and start towards the stairs.
Melisa: Good night, Dubbie.
I say my good night but don’t dare turn around because all I hear behind me are kissing noises. It seems as if my moving out won’t phase them at all.
(Generation 4 Chapter Summaries)
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