“That’s very nice, baby,” she said.
“Mom!”
“Oh, I mean that’s nice, young man,” she corrected her grievous error and went back outside to get in her seat.
“About that,” Javier rubbed the back of his neck, “my brother and I used to have contests.”
“Like, literal pissing contests?”
“Um, yes?”
Pamela laughed when his cheeks turned a ruddy color and he revved the engine, checking the empty road carefully before taking off.
“Music!” yelled Paulie and Javi turned on the Christmas station.
The unlikely trio started singing carols loud as they could all the way home, and it was the happiest Pamela could remember being in a very long time.