I tossed the word friend in everywhere I could, as well as emphasizing our age difference a few times. It didn’t stop my dad from whispering in my ear when he gave me a parting hug. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.” Fuckin’ dick. So, I poked him in the stomach. “Getting soft, old man.” Then my mom went from whispering something in Nadia’s ear to piping up and saying, “Hardly.”
