I gave myself and internal nudge, to finish answering Easton dad’s question. “We came seeking asylum in ’91 when I was about six years old. I’m fortunate I came at a time when refugees were still welcome.”

I got two variations of those kinds of smiles people give you when they’re not really sure what you are, while Easton made a sound like he was in pain.

Easton’s mom gave him another look and it seemed like she was finally putting two and two together, and the way her face changed told me she wasn’t really happy with the information. “Your parents must be really proud of you.” She said it in a way that made it clear she was not feeling the same way about her own offspring.

Easton’s dad jumped in then, to continue the Twenty Questions game. He eyed me up and down before speaking. “It must’ve been quite a change for you to come to the US.”

I nodded at his comment and tried to come up with something to say, feeling like wherever this conversation was going was not a place I wanted to be. “Well I’ve lived here most of my life,” I said, working very hard not to roll my eyes. “It is different, better in many ways, but I missed Haiti, I still do. We left a lot behind.”

“Oh?”

I almost laughed at the surprised expression on both their faces when I said that. Like the fact that I would miss my homeland was completely crazy.

Easton started fidgeting then. “I’m sure Dr. Denis has other people to talk to.”

Like I was going to leave him alone with these two.

“I’m not in a rush. Everyone will be here for a while,” I said, noticing Easton did not seem relieved at all by my response, but before I could process his reaction, his mom took another turn.

“Well, but look at you now. Having achieved so much. I’m sure it’s nice to be able to help your family with all your education.” She sounded genuinely glad for me when she said it, but there was something in the way she talked to me, like she could not quite figure out how I was here.

“Well, like I said, it’s just me and my mother here, and she was an amazing role model. I had a lot to look up to at home.”

“No father in the picture, then.” This was Easton’s dad. I’d always thought the expression “doing a double take” was a figure of speech, but my head actually swiveled.

Anne made a sound almost like a protest, but didn’t call her husband on his rude fucking comment.