Family First

Alex: Hey, you okay?

Justin: Fine. She thinks about what to say to make him feel better.

Alex: They’re gonna be okay, you know. All parents fight.

Justin: Sure.

Alex: No, seriously. Meg was sure her parents were getting divorced, but they worked it out. So will mom and dad.

Justin: I don’t care. Alex pushes his book down from his eyesight.

Alex: Yes you do, Justin. And so do I. It’s okay to be upset. This sucks. But we’ll get through it, okay? Justin tries to find comfort in his sister’s eyes. He finally breaks.

Justin: It’s just -

Alex: What?

Justin: It’s my fault.

Alex: Of course it’s not.

Justin: Every time I have a game, they fight. Ever since Dad started his new job, he’s working too much to ever come and then Mom yells at him and they fight. I just shouldn’t play. It’s not a real sport anyway. Everyone says it.

Alex: Don’t be ridiculous. You love tennis. And it absolutely is a real sport.

Justin: If I didn’t play, they’d have nothing to fight about.

Alex: They’re not fighting because of that. That’s just where the fight goes because they can never say what they really feel, but it’s never what it’s really about.

Justin: What’s it about then?

Alex: It’s about dad not paying enough attention to mom. And when mom sees him not pay enough attention to you, she takes it personally. Then she takes it out on dad.

Justin: Never thought about it like that.

Alex: Well it’s true. They both want you to play. You’re great. It’s how you’re getting into college. They’d fight so much more if you stopped playing. Believe me.

Justin: So what do we do?

Alex: I dunno. Justin thinks.

Justin: I’ll talk to Dad. Man to man. I’ll make sure he treats Mom right.

(smiles)

Alex: They’re lucky to have you, you know that. Alex nudges Justin. Justin smiles.