After a few days of rest and forced sleep thanks to sleeping pills, I actually did feel better. At least, good enough to pretend to be a functioning human being and not have my family drag me by force to the hospital.

Instead, I was dragged to the mall by my brother because fresh air would do me good according to my parents and because the dinner with his girlfriend transformed itself into a lunch tomorrow with my whole family and her whole family too. My proposal of meeting suddenly became too official. At least, our first encounter mustn’t have scared her.

« So what do you think? » my brother asked, leaving the fitting room. He wore a navy and green suit. 

Because her parents would come, he felt like he needed to impress them. I hadn’t seen my brother in such an attire in ages. So much time that he hadn’t a suit that currently fit him. And because he would be so finely dressed, I had no choice but to do the same.

« Good, the shade is pretty. If you’re comfortable that’s the one »

« You are just annoyed,» He checked himself in the mirror  « but I do like this one »

« Don’t you want to try this one ? » He gestures his hand towards the clothes on my forearm.

« I know it will fit » and I didn’t care if it didn’t

« Considering I am paying it better fit »

« I would dress in a nice jean but you would freak out that step-dad and step-mom don’t like you » I rolled my eyes

The next hours went quietly, until tomorrow arrived. The house was pristine clean - my parents tidied everything and forced my brother to do it. I was let off the hook because they knew I recently felt weak. We could have gone to a restaurant but they had wished for a more intimate meeting between the families. It was important to show them how we lived. Our authentic selves.

A command from a caterer we had already tried was done. Seafood starters, a main dish with fish and rice - from french polynesia I think, cheeses and fresh salad fruits, wines and a pistachio and mango cake. I didn’t follow the menu in-depth but my parents ordered accordingly from the tastes of Moana’s parents. 

Not that it mattered. I wasn’t complicated with food and my family was the host - nobody would get offended if I didn’t finish my plates.

My mom asked a decorator to pimp up our living room for this event. I liked how she did it, it was not overly charged : just enough flowers, laces and sheets to accentuate the already polished room.

I understand how Nash was stressed. With how official and prepared our parents were for that first meeting, the evening couldn’t disappoint.

I was washed, dressed and my hair styled. I had seen my brother before my shower and he was already all done. I went into his room to check on him.

“What are you doing?” I asked him from his doorframe. He was seated on the edge of his bed, looking at himself in a small hand mirror. 

“Nothing” He dropped the object on the bed “How do you feel?”

He had been checking on me too since my last crash down. 

“I feel way better” I answered gently, sitting next to him “But this is your day. How do you feel?”

“Nervous. This is the first time I do this. This is the first step of the marriage prospect - I can’t help but worry” He side-hugged me

“You don’t have anything to worry about. Our family is absolutely - perfect”

He was about drop his back on his bed but I stopped him with my hand “You’ll crumple your clothes and mess up your hairstyle”

He steadied himself “You are right” He laughed “About this and our family - we are perfect. Well-educated, polite, nice, kinda funny, well-off, genetically blessed. Perfect” 

He closed his eyes.

I closed mine too. Genetically blessed. 

“Exactly!” I patted him on the back.

And I was the curse. 

---

The meeting went nicely, I think. I don’t remember. I was my autopiloted self and zoned out a lot at the end because it exhausted me. I don’t know what they spoke about but everyone seemed in tune. I privately made sure to profoundly apologize to Moana once again for my rude behaviour in our last encounter.

It was later confirmed by my brother's delighted face, if his blazing smile wasn’t enough of an indication, the stars shining in his eyes were enough.

And I was happy he could experience this kind of love.