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“Honey, have you taken too many hits to the head at practice? I can speak slower if you need me to.” She reaches over, grabbing my hand. “We’re donors. We support his political party. And specifically, Senator Cabot. I had the bank buy a table for the event. I think Joe said the family that owns the Kings is going to be there as well. I may have heard Declan is attending too. I think they’re trying to groom him to be the new face of the organization. Don’t quote me on that yet though.”
I had no idea my family was this politically active. How did I not know this? “Can you do me a favor and not make a big deal out of this, Mom?”
Her big green eyes might as well speak at that moment, her thoughts are so clear. No words may have left her mouth, yet I somehow know she’s saying, Who, me? “Aiden...”
“Mom. Come on. This is new. I don’t know where it’s going. Just give me some time.” What the fuck? Why does this seem to be the running theme of the day?
She squeezes my hand. “Fine. But I want you to bring her to the next family dinner.”
“What family dinner? When was the last one, for us to be having a next one?”
“We’ve been trying to find a time for one. But between the Kings’ football schedule and the Crusaders’ football schedule, it hasn’t really worked.”
“Okay, Mom. Whatever you say.” I sip my tea. “Now tell me about the move.”
We spend the rest of the visit discussing us moving into Coach’s house. It’s a five-bedroom house, so Coop doesn’t have to worry about losing his room. They’re going to convert Declan’s old room into Carys’ room, and I get the bedroom in the basement.
Jesus. This is really happening. She’s going to sell the house we grew up in and move in with Coach. “When’s the wedding happening?”
“It’s looking like the wedding might be around Christmas. Cooper has to finish boot camp, and then he’ll stay where he is until the holidays. I think he said he’d be starting his spec ops training there. It sounds like he’s going to get to come home for two weeks at the end of the year. Once he knows something for sure, we’ll throw it together. I don’t need anything big. Just you kids and Joe.”
Guess we’re getting a bigger family for Christmas.
* * *
Yo Coop,
What’s going on? You gotta be just about halfway done at this point, right? Any word on where you’re going next? Mom said she thinks you’re in Great Lakes until the end of the year. She actually said until your “spec ops” training. Sounded weird as hell coming out of her mouth. Good news. You’re not getting booted out of your room when you come home. They’re putting me in the basement. I’ll break it to my mom later that I’m probably not going to be moving home. Guess you won’t be either. Miss you, man.
Murphy
PS – you getting any good ass out there? Come on, you had to know I was gonna ask.
* * *
Murphy,
I still can’t get over the fact our parents are getting married. I got a letter from Dad saying they’re thinking about trying to schedule the wedding sometime the week after Christmas. He’s got a game that day, but it’s his last one of the regular season. Sounds like they’ve got a good chance at the playoffs. Just glad to hear Declan’s not shitting the bed as the starting QB. How are things going for you? Still got a blown mind over the whole Sabrina thing. I did not see that coming. I like her. She’s a cool girl.
Hey, can you convince Nattie not to send me anymore brownies? The guys all begged me to share them, then bitched at me all week about them being the worst things they ever tasted. I think she used salt instead of sugar. While we’re at it, try to get Annabelle to send me more cookies. Hers were fantastic!
Talk soon.
Coop
