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In another life maybe. Right now, I’ve got to shower and figure out what to do about these blisters.
* * *
Axel and Gillianare probably the most masochistic newlyweds of all time. Their bridal suite is overrun with the entire Solace-and-friends crew in order to celebrate our tropical Christmas. Hunter even had the suite decorated to the nines for the occasion. For a family holiday abroad, you would think we just stepped out of a catalog for Christmas.
The only difference, of course, is no one is indulging in hot beverages or sitting by a fire. Even though LA never gets frigid, we still get to indulge in the cooler side of the weather by Christmas. Here it’s just hot. And sweaty.
In true spirit of “hair of the dog,” all the adults are fisting a mimosa while the children sit around the Christmas tree tearing open presents. Getting those back to LA sounds like a logistical nightmare and, thankfully, is not my problem.
“I’ve almost got it…”
Drew has become the master of the toys that require batteries. He’s using his engineering degree to the fullest, running around and using a tiny screwdriver to open up ports and plug in batteries.
He’s currently trying to open the bottom of Jessica’s remote-controlled Barbie car. His tongue is resting in the corner of his mouth as he spins the screwdriver around and round until–
“Yes, got it!” The bottom of the car unlocks and opens up a battery compartment. He eyes the screw. “Thing was stripped.”
“What’s that mean?” Jessica asks.
“Well, do you see how this screw has ridges and this one doesn’t?” Drew launches into a long-winded explanation of what makes a screw stripped. Jessica is trying to pay attention as best she can, but he might have lost her when he started the history of the screw part of the lesson.
I smile. I can’t help it. He’s got a way with the kids. It’s not the way you would usually think, the guys who come barreling in and run around with the kids until they’re all tuckered out. Not the Uncle Drew that they clamor for at the door.
His talent is much more understated. He takes time with them. Even with Tana, he’s methodical in the way he speaks to her. The first time he held her, he frowned and said, “You’ll understand me when you’re older.”
“You’ve got yourself in it now, haven’t you, littles?” Dad rumbles in my ear.
I chuckle. “Littles” has been his name for me since I was a baby. I’m the oldest, probably should be called “bigs”, but I’ve always been “littles.” Dad always says it’s because one is the tiniest number.
It’s also the loneliest.
“Why are you getting on my case about this too?” I ask. Dad had to be looped in. Obviously. If he saw Drew and me pretending to be a couple out of nowhere, I think he’d shout something to the likes of, “All my prayers have been answered.” Not that Dad is a praying man.
He shakes his head. “It’s just funny, isn’t it? I mean, the way you two act around each other is…”
The motor of the car goes off, wheezing. Jessica claps excitedly while Drew holds it up in the air as if he’s won some sort of trophy. He looks to me for approval. It’s endearing, and also almost sad at this point. “How about that?”
“Nice one, bud,” I say with a thumbs up.
Dad grimaces. “I was going to say natural, but that was–”
“Look, I’m doing him a favor. That’s all.”
“Yes, but sometimes a favor can turn into more. Keep yourself open to it. That’s all I want, Dana. If you and Drewactually–“
I see Willow out of the corner of my eye scrolling on her phone. She walked into the suite late and slung herself into an easy chair and I haven’t seen her move, an alligator lying in wait. “Lower your voice, Dad.”
He follows my gaze.
“Don’t look, don’t–”
And of course that’s the moment Willow looks up. She grins and gives us a little wave, twiddling her fingers.
“Dammit, Dad.”
“Sorry, I was confused. You can’t blame me for being confused.”
I grab his arm. I want to say something scathing, but I don’t. I never do. Rarely to my sisters. Never to my dad. I take a deep breath. “It’s fine. No big deal.”
