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Me: Photo of Puff and Avery with a plate full of turkey.
Chris: that’s messed up
Me: What?
Chris: He’s a bird. You can’t feed him turkey
Me: Why?
Chris: Because it’s like being a cannibal. It’s like holding a plate of human meat
Me: …
Chris: Not quite, but almost
Me: Okay, weirdo. How is Long Island?
Chris: It’s okay. Gianna’s boyfriend is here. There is something off with him. He’s jittery and keeps lookingat the clock
Me: maybe he’s double-booked like me. I stopped in to see Puff after I left Dad’s Thanksgiving dinner. Now I have to eat again at Mom and Dave’s.
Chris: Don’t feed my puffin any more bird meat. I’m taking the moral high ground here and saying it’s not okay to force him into cannibalism
Me: Fine. Puff will stick to fish. Are we still on for movie night on Sunday?
Chris: Wouldn’t miss it
December
“Come on, Daddy Wilson. Us walking home is not an issue, I promise.”
“I have told you repeatedly that you maynotcall me that, Wren.” My father leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.
“That’s right, I switched to Papi Wilson.” She pressed her lips together and lifted her dark eyes to the ceiling for a heartbeat. “Doesn’t have the same ring to it, though.”
My father’s response was a glare that made athletes and reporters alike cower.
Wren only chuckled as she dried the last pot that I had washed.
It was Saturday evening during the offseason, and that meant dinner with Dad. Often Wren or Jana came with me, because they got a kick out of torturing him. I was especially thankful for Wren’s presence tonight. It made it easier to avoid the topic I was sure my dad was itching to lecture me about. I’d been hanging out with Chris more thanhe might like. Though he wasn’t privy to every detail of my life, he’d heard about the guys’ appearance at Wren’s party. And other than the night I met Chris, I hadn’t hidden any of my run-ins with him from anyone. We still occasionally bumped into each other out and about, where anyone could see us. What Dad didn’t know was that we got together for weekly movie nights, or that we texted every day. Or that we’d been having lunch together a couple of times a week when Chris came by to see Puff.
“I don’t like the idea of you two wandering around the harbor at night.” Dad’s frown moved into full-blown scowl territory. “And I know my Avy is going to insist on checking on that damn bird on the way home.”
Wren threw her head back and laughed.
With a huff, I pinned my dad with a sharp look I’d been told I inherited from him. “Eventually you’ll understand and love that Puff is your first grandson.”
“I’m too young to be a grandfather.” He pointed at me.” “You remember that.” He probably was. He was only twenty-one when I was born. And even with all the stress that came along with coaching, his brown hair showed almost no signs of turning gray. He could easily pass for a guy in his late thirties rather than heading toward fifty. “Plus, you told me you weren’t dating until you turned thirty.”
“No, I didn’t.” I huffed.
Dad loved my dating hiatus a bit too much.
He shrugged and responded with a smirk. “I definitely remember that conversation.”
“Selective hearing, Papi Wilson.”
A shudder worked its way through me. “I have to veto that one.” I shook my head at Wren. “You sound like you belong on the farm in the 1800s.”
