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“You two are adorable,”my mother states, pulling me in for a hug. She barely comes up to my chin, but the woman is a force to be reckoned with. “I love those shirts. Where did you get them?”
It doesn’t surprise me that her question is directed at Lex. I’ve never been the type of guy to wear, let alone buy, shirts like these. Just another way I’ve changed.
Surprise, Mom!
Your baby is growing up. Acting like a mature adult.
Well, sometimes.
“This was all him,” Lex replies, pointing at me.
My mother raises her eyebrow, her eyes bouncing between the two of us, but before she can say anything else, my father wraps his arms around her from behind and kisses the top of her head.
I want what they have.
The thought surprises me. Mainly because it’s new.
My parents have a great marriage. Don’t get me wrong, it’s far from perfect, but their love is unwavering. They support each other in everything they do. They raised three boys, one of which may have been a bit of a hellion at times.
Hello! Nice to meet you.
But what I love most about my parents’ marriage, is that the lives they lead are each their own, but they also intertwine. They each have their own passions. My mother has her book club and luncheons with her friends. My father runs his real estate firm and has bowling with his buds. But my mother works for my dad, keeping him organized, acting as his secretary a few days a week.
Growing up, we always had dinner together, as a family, and neither of them ever missed an important moment.
To me that was normal. It was all I knew, and the Palmer’s were the same way.
The older I get, the more I realize how rare my childhood was. For my parents to be happy and in love still. Hell, even family dinners aren’t a thing in most households.
I feel blessed, and that’s a blessing I want to pass on to my children one day. A loving home where the most important thing in life is family.
“Can I have everyone’s attention please,” I hear Max shout. When I turn toward his voice, I find him standing on a chair next to the pool.
The child in me wants to push him in. The adult in me knows he has something important to say, the solemn expression on his face giving him away.
Maybe I’ll push him in after.
“Every year my dad would give a great speech about family and friends, love and happiness. A yearly reminder to all of us about what is most important in life. To be a good person. To do good. To help those in need. The less fortunate. But mostly to be grateful for those around us. Because nothing matters more than family. And your family are the people who love and support you, blood related or otherwise.”
Lex slides her hand into mine, lacing our fingers together. Giving hers a little squeeze, she leans against me, resting her head on my shoulder. Well, my bicep, but that’s just logistics.
“This summer has been one of the hardest times I’ve faced. Losing my dad so suddenly... well, for lack of a better term, it sucked. However, I can’t help but be grateful for everyone here today. Each and every one of you has helped me, my sisters, or my mother. You’ve eased the burden, even if slightly. From helping around here to just being a shoulder to cry on. Without each of you we wouldn’t be moving on the way we need to.
“Because if there’s anything I’m sure of, this is it. My father would be irate if we mourned him for the rest of our lives. We’ll always miss him, there’s no doubt in my mind. He’ll always be the first person I want to call when I need help or advice. But he would want us to keep going. To move forward. To live each day with passion. Because death is certain, we just don’t know when our day is coming.”
We’re standing a good distance away, and Max’s face is at an angle, but I swear I see a tear roll down his cheek.
“To my father,” he says, raising the bottle of beer in his right hand. “One of the best men I ever had the pleasure of knowing. A great dad. A wonderful friend. An amazing husband. And the one you wanted in your corner when you were in trouble.”
The small crowd laughs. Mr. Palmer was a hell of a lawyer. If you were innocent or deserved a second chance, he would do anything he could to help you out. If you were guilty, he wouldn’t take your case. Simple as that.
His morals were strong.
“Cheers!”
The crowd echoes Max’s sentiment as they all lower their glasses to take a drink. That’s when I notice Julian sneaking behind the pool house, looking over his shoulder to see if anyone is watching him.
What kind of trouble is he about to get himself into?
The bigger question is with who…
