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“I’m definitely staying till the baby comes,” I confess, and Angie pokes me in my side.
“You better be here. My kid needs her auntie,” she says, rubbing her belly.
“I promise. Maybe it’s time to make some new memories,” I tell them. The image of Jesse’s smiling face flashes before my eyes, and I can’t help my cheeks from flaming.
Mom nods and hands me a large cup of tea. “You look good, baby.”
“I feel good,” I reply, and for the first time in years, I actually believe it.
“A good guy can do that to you.” Angie laughs.
Mom tries to hide her smile behind her glass of wine. “I’m glad you’ve met someone.”
We all look up when Dad and Layne walk into the kitchen, laughing about something.
“You want to stay to watch a movie after dinner? I got the footage from the kid’s tour to Japan he shot a couple of months ago,” Dad says.
After dinner, we pile into the theater room. My parents’ house is nuts; they have an indoor swimming pool, a movie theater, gym, and a recording studio from the previous owner they never converted.
“I don’t know if I told you this, Acie,” Dad says while I get comfortable in a big comfy chair. “Winchester has got grit.”
I swallow hard and watch him type in something on his laptop and the enormous screen shows the first frame of the movie.
“Remember, this is the uncut version,” he reminds us all. “I’m planning to show it in all our shops around the world.”
Angie hands my brother a coffee, and he pulls her into his lap. “Hey, watch it.” Angie giggles, kissing my brother.
I smile, watching them together. Mom sits down next to my father. All the dogs pile into the room and settle themselves in front of the fireplace. Rebel jumps up on my chair and falls asleep next to me.
“Do you want to take him back to Ray’s place?” Mom asks.
I tickle him under his ears. “No, that’s okay. He loves it here with all his brothers and sisters. Even with the cats,” I tell her, looking at the Beatles snoozing on their blankets on the windowsill.
Dad snickers.
“Try to make fun of the cats, Norman, and see what happens,” Mom says jokingly, as a warning.
He shakes his head. “Okay, here it goes.” He presses play, and I settle into the chair, watching the riders make their way down an enormous peak.
“He’s planning on going to the highest mountain in Alaska and dropping down from a helicopter. Has he told you that?”
I shake my head. “No.” I watch Jesse snowboard with intense precision down a line, until he stops at a manmade ledge. He jumps off and does a couple of backflips before he sticks the landing perfectly.
“Damn,” my brother says.
My mouth dries. Sure, I’ve watched snowboard movies before, but they are nothing compared to this one.
“Do they have a name for the film?” I ask.
“We were thinking about Bliss,” Dad answers, putting his feet on the table.
I nod, watching Jesse talk to the cameraman before he rides away. We watch ten more minutes before the video cuts off.
“Wow,” my brother says, brushing both hands over his face. “If the rest is as good as the footage we just saw, then damn, the kid is going places.”
Mom winks at me, and I blush. “Anyone want something else to drink?”
“Thanks, Mom, but I think I’m going to head back to the motel and pack up my things,” I tell her, smiling.
