AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My sister rolls her eyes and sets a mug of black coffee in front of me. “That’s our father for you. Upstage everyone else with an entirely age-inappropriate, outrageously expensive present.”
“What did you get me, Uncle Liam?” Legs wraps her arms around my middle, her little face all soft and hopeful. It’s an interesting thing about kids—they’re so blissfullyexpectantin their ignorance to the world’s problems.
“Not an iPhone, that’s for sure,” I grumble as I reach into my jacket pocket. In my mind, the kiddie-safe phone she had before—where she could text all of four people and had no internet access—had been perfect and would stay perfect until she was at least eighteen.
I retrieve a thick, white envelope and throw it down on the island. “Happy birthday, kid.”
Allegra glances at the envelope with a skeptical look. “That better not be twenty dollars, Uncle Liam.”
“It’s better than money.”
“Better than money,” she repeats thoughtfully, carefully ripping the back. I watch her the whole time, strangely nervous.
I take a sip of my coffee as she reads.
Then another. And a third.
“AGHHHHHHHHHH!”
There it is.
Even though I’m half-expecting it, the scream makes me choke on a mouthful of coffee and Lana Mae swear in a squeaky, high-pitched yelp.
“Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!” Legs yells, leaping up and down before flinging her arms around me. “I always knew I loved you best, Uncle Liam!”
“What is—” Lana Mae comes up behind Legs and peers at the gift. Her face creases in a frown. “Oh Liam, you didn’t… How on earth did you even get those?”
I shrug.
She narrows her eyes.
I shrug again, with conviction this time. My sister doesn’t need to know that I paid someone to wait in line for Justin Bieber concert tickets, does she?
And yes, I know I’m a hypocrite for criticizing Legs’s pajamas and her phone, and then buying the child concert tickets. But I couldn’t help myself. The look on her face makes it worth it.
“Mama, I’m going to see Justin Beaver!” Legs squeals.
“Yes you are, baby. Uncle Liam spoils you.” Lana Mae plucks the tickets from her daughter’s hand and looks at them. “Three? You planning on coming?”
I nearly spit out my coffee. “No. I figured she could bring a friend. Or you could invite Mindy.”
“Not Mindy,” Legs says.
Mindy is our brother Luke’s fiancée, and she’s still in the “testing” stage with Allegra.
Legs tends to treat new people with suspicion at the best of times, which I relate to endlessly. Growing up, my older brother and younger sister were effortlessly social, outgoing and popular, seeking out and finding attention wherever they went. I, on the other hand, preferred to be alone. My mother (also a social butterfly) used to joke that I was her “wary little black sheep.”
I always chose—and still choose—the people I surround myself with carefully. Don’t let many get too close.
So Legs and I have a natural understanding.
“That’s ‘Auntie Mindy’ to you, sweetheart,” Lana Mae corrects.
“Fine, not Auntie Mindy. I want Uncle Liam to come.”
I shake my head no. I’ll get the tickets, but I draw the line at actually going to see one of these hormonal, baby-faced, boy-band singers.
“You should see the look on your face, Liam.” Lana Mae laughs, then turns to Legs. “We’ll talk about who we can bring later, okay?” She shoots me an innocent glance. “Maybe Uncle Liam and Uncle Luke can flip a coin for the honors.”
