Read Online Wilson Mooney Eighteen at Last by Gretchen de la O - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Gretchen de la O
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you,
and I’m so glad you brought Wilson,” she said as she let go of him,
wiped her eyes, and then flung her arms around me.
“ Oh! Good to see you too,
Camille,” I managed to utter as she squeezed me tighter.
“ Happy Birthday.” She
lowered her voice to a rumble in my ear before she continued, “Did
Calvin come with you guys?”
I looked at Max to save me
from the corner Camille was pushing me into. Why is she asking me? It’s not like
I’ve known her more than one day of my life. But Max couldn’t save me; he’d gotten trapped into a
conversation with his father.
“ No, maybe you should talk
to Max,” I whispered back. Camille stiffened then let go of
me.
“ I’m sorry, you’re right.
I’m just glad you guys are here; now I won’t be the only one who
has to deal with all the Calvin
drama from my father.”
“ Oh, there you are,
Wilson. What’da think about flyin’ in Ol’ Tweety? Nancy told Max
you’d probably hate it, just like her. Can’t get that woman to fly
anywhere with me,” he boasted.
“ Oh, Frank!” Nancy tossed
her hands in the air. “Now, Wilson, don’t you listen to him. He
knows my rule—he can take me anywhere in the world just as long as
we are in an automobile or a commercial airliner. That’s not too
much to ask, is it?” Nancy went over to Frank and slid her arms
around him before he bent down and gave her a kiss
hello.
My heart swelled with so much envy. I
had to face the fact that my life would never be a Hallmark moment.
All I ever wanted was a set of parents who loved each other more
than any of their vices. I never thought it was too much to ask for
a mom who loved me and a dad who would be proud to call me his
little girl.
“ Wilson, were you
comfortable in my car? Now don’t be shy, go on and tell me, which
transportation did you like better—Max’s helicopter or my limo?
Frank pointed at Max, “Don’t say anything, no coercion allowed.”
Max stiffened; his lips pressed firmly together.
Well let’s see—I was
terrified in the helicopter and we made out in the back of your
limo; it’s really a no brainer. I looked
over at Max, gave him a little smirky smile, and answered Frank, “I
loved the limo ride. Thank you so much for such a great birthday
surprise. It was amazing.” I couldn’t contain the smile beaming
inside.
“ See, your momma was
right, women like the elegance of a limo above the exhilaration of
a helicopter,” Frank said to Max.
“ Got it,” Max
mumbled.
“ Well, maybe you’ll start
listening to some of the advice your ol’ man and mother give you;
unlike that brother of yours.”
“ Alright, Dad, I heard
you.” I could feel Max was starting to get tense. “Where’s Dan?” he
changed the subject.
“ Denver. His parents
didn’t think Christmas Eve was enough time, so he’s going to stay a
couple more days with them,” Camille volunteered.
“ You didn’t stay with Dan
and his parents?” Max prodded.
“ I wanted to see you guys.
And besides, two days was plenty with Dan’s family.” Camille popped
Max in the chest.
“ Now Dan—he’s a work
horse,” Frank spat before he resumed talking about Calvin. “If I
could just get your brother to learn that, in order to keep a job,
you must first actually show up.”
“ Frank, let’s not get
started again. The kids just got here, and they’re probably
hungry.”
Funny, I hadn’t thought about food
until Nancy mentioned it. I was just too excited about being there.
Our vacation had finally started. Max reached for my hand, and I
could feel he was still mired in the words Frank drizzled across
him about his brother.
“ Fine, why don’t you
ladies go in the kitchen? Max and I will stock the fireplaces,”
replied Frank.
I could see Max’s jaw clench and his
eyes narrow as he lowered his head. I smiled at him before he
kissed me and watched me walk with Camille and Nancy into the
kitchen. My heart bolted into my stomach when I looked back and he
was
and I’m so glad you brought Wilson,” she said as she let go of him,
wiped her eyes, and then flung her arms around me.
“ Oh! Good to see you too,
Camille,” I managed to utter as she squeezed me tighter.
“ Happy Birthday.” She
lowered her voice to a rumble in my ear before she continued, “Did
Calvin come with you guys?”
I looked at Max to save me
from the corner Camille was pushing me into. Why is she asking me? It’s not like
I’ve known her more than one day of my life. But Max couldn’t save me; he’d gotten trapped into a
conversation with his father.
“ No, maybe you should talk
to Max,” I whispered back. Camille stiffened then let go of
me.
“ I’m sorry, you’re right.
I’m just glad you guys are here; now I won’t be the only one who
has to deal with all the Calvin
drama from my father.”
“ Oh, there you are,
Wilson. What’da think about flyin’ in Ol’ Tweety? Nancy told Max
you’d probably hate it, just like her. Can’t get that woman to fly
anywhere with me,” he boasted.
“ Oh, Frank!” Nancy tossed
her hands in the air. “Now, Wilson, don’t you listen to him. He
knows my rule—he can take me anywhere in the world just as long as
we are in an automobile or a commercial airliner. That’s not too
much to ask, is it?” Nancy went over to Frank and slid her arms
around him before he bent down and gave her a kiss
hello.
My heart swelled with so much envy. I
had to face the fact that my life would never be a Hallmark moment.
All I ever wanted was a set of parents who loved each other more
than any of their vices. I never thought it was too much to ask for
a mom who loved me and a dad who would be proud to call me his
little girl.
“ Wilson, were you
comfortable in my car? Now don’t be shy, go on and tell me, which
transportation did you like better—Max’s helicopter or my limo?
Frank pointed at Max, “Don’t say anything, no coercion allowed.”
Max stiffened; his lips pressed firmly together.
Well let’s see—I was
terrified in the helicopter and we made out in the back of your
limo; it’s really a no brainer. I looked
over at Max, gave him a little smirky smile, and answered Frank, “I
loved the limo ride. Thank you so much for such a great birthday
surprise. It was amazing.” I couldn’t contain the smile beaming
inside.
“ See, your momma was
right, women like the elegance of a limo above the exhilaration of
a helicopter,” Frank said to Max.
“ Got it,” Max
mumbled.
“ Well, maybe you’ll start
listening to some of the advice your ol’ man and mother give you;
unlike that brother of yours.”
“ Alright, Dad, I heard
you.” I could feel Max was starting to get tense. “Where’s Dan?” he
changed the subject.
“ Denver. His parents
didn’t think Christmas Eve was enough time, so he’s going to stay a
couple more days with them,” Camille volunteered.
“ You didn’t stay with Dan
and his parents?” Max prodded.
“ I wanted to see you guys.
And besides, two days was plenty with Dan’s family.” Camille popped
Max in the chest.
“ Now Dan—he’s a work
horse,” Frank spat before he resumed talking about Calvin. “If I
could just get your brother to learn that, in order to keep a job,
you must first actually show up.”
“ Frank, let’s not get
started again. The kids just got here, and they’re probably
hungry.”
Funny, I hadn’t thought about food
until Nancy mentioned it. I was just too excited about being there.
Our vacation had finally started. Max reached for my hand, and I
could feel he was still mired in the words Frank drizzled across
him about his brother.
“ Fine, why don’t you
ladies go in the kitchen? Max and I will stock the fireplaces,”
replied Frank.
I could see Max’s jaw clench and his
eyes narrow as he lowered his head. I smiled at him before he
kissed me and watched me walk with Camille and Nancy into the
kitchen. My heart bolted into my stomach when I looked back and he
was
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