Page 24 of Cocky Origins: May and Jerald Cocker

Hank slaps my back. “Jerald, you going on the Ferris wheel? We’ll join you.”

Lily gazes up at the colorful machine. “Oh let’s ride, too, Peter! Games and prizes can wait.”

“All right then, you all stay here and I’ll grab tickets.”

Hank and I dig in our pockets for our coins. Rattling them in a loose fist, Peter kisses Lily‘s cheek before dashing off.

She gasps, touches the spot, and calls after him, “Peter Tuck, of all the nerve!” He laughs, taking one leap while running, and she turns around to face us. “Who does that boy think I am?”

May smirks, “He’s about to find out.”

“I should say so!” Lily looks at me and Hank. “Did you know that I had to steal this girl from underneath her mother’s nose? She’d not have been allowed to come if it weren’t for me.”

Gertie corrects her, “May wasn’t allowed to come, Lily. Her parents think she’s at the hospital.”

My eyebrows rise. “Why would you be at the hospital? Someone sick?”

“No, I…” May looks at Lily and decides not to finish her sentence. “It’s a long story.”

Hank offers, “We were just at the hospital this week. I don’t know if you saw the news, but our Father had a heart attack. Oh, he’s all right now. But it was pretty iffy there for a second. That’s why Jerald is here.”

May’s concern turns to me. “I’m awful sorry.”

“The Navy let you come home for that?“ Lily asks, impressed. “Must be nice to be a Congressman’s son.”

May whispers, “Oh, that’s why it made the news.”

Gertie explains, “May’s father despises politics and they never have it in the house. He rarely watches the news, gets it from his friends.”

“Mother, too,” I nod.

“I wish I were so lucky. My folks, well, it’s all they seem to wanna talk about!”

Hank asks, “You don’t find it interesting, Gertie?”

“I guess you could say I don’t see the appeal. It’s like I’m thinking about things I have no control over all the time.”

“Well, when you get to be eighteen, then you’ll have just as much control as the next person.”

“Not as much as someone in the House,” she reminds him.

“So run for Congress!”

“Oh, I don’t know,” she whispers, eyes on the ground.

“Why not you?”

They look at each other as I see Peter strolling up.

I walk over to meet him halfway. “Just in time. I was about to climb up the wheel and take May with me.”

He chuckles and hands me two tickets. “Want to be alone with her, eh? I know the feeling.”

“Careful there. Lily is going to make you pay for that stolen kiss.”

He frowns, “You mean it?”

“If her word is any good.”

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